Suchliki’s opinion doesn’t amount to a hill of beans

Dear Editor,

Clearly the Galway Independent has increased its influence considerably if Prof. Jaime Suchliki, Director of Cuban-American Studies at the University of Miami, can take time out to involve himself in the erection of a Che Guevara artwork in Galway. Not, of course, that his opinion amounts to a hill of beans, because this is not America.

The agenda of Prof. Suchliki's department is interesting. Financially supported by the US Agency for International Development until two years ago, it boasts such propagandist beauties as 'Congressional Testimony: Iran's influence in Latin America,' and an interesting aside called The Cuban Transition Project, designed to look at how a post-Castro Cuba will, eh, function. 

This entire institution reeks of further US government involvement in endeavouring to propagandise against Castro's Cuba, with the ultimate view to easing Cuba at some point into a pro-American framework. There is nothing at all impartial about its aims.

But Galway should be flattered that such a structured propagandist operation should take an interest in a simple piece of artwork on Salthill promenade. And this interest should raise questions as to who is inclined to contact Prof. Suchliki on such an apparently insignificant event. 

The good professor was not so quick to his pen when Che Guevara was commemorated with great vigour in Kilkee, Co. Clare; the 'Che do Bheatha' festival in 2011 was a great success, and not a peep out of the US. 

Sincerely,

Fred Johnston,

1 Carn Ard,

Galway