Cubans are set to experience a digital revolution, as home computers go on sale in Havana for the first time as part of President Raul Castro’s ongoing relaxation of restrictions on everyday life.
Crowds formed at the Carlos III shopping centre to look at the £400 systems – although, with an average wage of only £10 a month, most Cubans will be looking for quite some time. Even the few who can afford a PC - generally those with relatives abroad sending them money – will find themselves twiddling their thumbs after the initial thrill of switching on, as internet access is restricted to schools, universities and some workplaces. The Cuban government blames the US trade embargo for preventing the island nation from connecting to undersea fibre-optic cables, limiting it to expensive satellite links to the worldwide web.
It is also unclear how the Cubans will actually operate their computers, as Windows and most software will also probably come under the embargo. However, President Raul recommended one solution based on Cuba’s history.
“Back in the heady days of the Spanish Main, this island of Hispaniola was famous for being a haven for daring anti-fascist pirate freedom-fighters,” he announced, in a three-day long speech. “I urge all techno-Cubanos to hoist the Jolly Roger and plunder the digital treasures of the Microsoft oppressors. Windows 98SE is dead in the water and defenceless - it is ours for the taking! There are even rumours of the existence of a fabled Vista Home Edition, with which we will be able to destroy the running-dogs of virtual capitalism using their own weapons, such as the fearsome Halo 3 and Grand Theft Auto IV. Our brave avatars shall hack the evil arch-plutocrat Gates to death! Viva la digital revolution!”
He then carried on playing Evil Genius, the game in which a Blofeld-style tyrant tries to take over the world from a tropical island base while fighting off inept secret agent infiltrators.
Cuban computer enthusiasts we spoke to were eager to plug their new PCs in and enter the information age, just as soon as they had a regular daily mains power supply.
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