By Carlos Miller
First off, El Nuevo Herald is truly exaggerating when it claims 100 Cuban exiles protested the private screening of the Steven Soderberg’s movie “Che” on Miami Beach Thursday night.
At most, there was maybe 40 protesters protesting the movie about Che Guevara. And that’s stretching it.
But you know the old saying, “yo no creo en el Herald”.
And it was obvious they were completely out of their element because they did not show nearly the aggressiveness they normally show when they’re gathered at Versailles Cuban restaurant in Little Havana.
But one lady demanded to know if I was “liberal”, and when I told her yes, she demanded to know where I stand on the Castro issue because obviously liberalism and communism go hand in hand.
Yawn. Yes, it was pretty much an uneventful protest considering I did not get assaulted nor did the protesters chase Benicio del Toro away as they did Code Pink.
But still, I don’t understand why every time I film these people, a few of them always accuse me of being communist. It’s not like I have a beard and walk around in fatigues chomping on a cigar.
I think it’s because when they ask me my political leanings, I don’t hesitate to let them know exactly where I stand. And they are so used to people coddling to them in Miami, either out of fear or exasperation, that they get insulted that somebody doesn’t think just like them.
But on this night, the most dramatic moment came when I had to defend my democratic leanings in Spanish, which sometimes gets me tongue-tied, as you will see (or rather hear) in the video.
Popularity: 6% [?]
Fernandez, as I mentioned in a 
23 responses so far ↓
1 Mambi Watch // Dec 5, 2008 at 12:37 PM
Hey Carlos,
I’m wondering: were you there for the entire protest? And do you believe you might of missed something?
I ask because callers to Radio Mambi are saying they counted either 200-300 protesters (one caller even counted about 400!)
Ruby Feria of WWFE is saying that one TV reporter counted around 200 protesters.
What’s the deal? Are they inflating the numbers, or did you miss something?
2 Mambi Watch // Dec 5, 2008 at 12:38 PM
Nice video by the way. Love the ending with the dog. Has a look on its face that says: Save me Carlos!
3 Carlos Miller // Dec 5, 2008 at 3:17 PM
Mambi Watch,
I got there around 4:30 p.m. and stood around with a few cops and journalists waiting for the exiles to arrive.
By 5:30 p.m., when there was no sign of them, the cops started joking that perhaps “they’re not even going to show up”.
As usual with Miami Beach cops, they were much more laid back than Miami police.
I was beginning to think that they were not going to show up until those people arrived whom I filmed in the beginning of the video.
I stayed there until about 7 p.m. when the crowd had grown to about 40.
The New Times estimates there were “about fifty protesters” there, but journalists always overestimate as a way to not show bias towards the crowds because the crowds themselves always overestimate, as they obviously did in this case when they called Radio Mambi.
If you counted the reporters and the people attending the viewing and the cops and the people working the show and the pedestrians walking by who had nothing to do what was happening and kept asking “are you guys shooting a movie”, then maybe there was 200-300 people.
Sure more protesters could have arrived after 7 p.m. but that is highly doubtful as Radio Mambi was calling for everybody to be there before 6 p.m.
And we’re talking senior citizens, who are not exactly night owls.
And you can see in the video that I was not shy about getting close to the protesters, unlike some of the videographers who remained on the other side of the street the whole time.
I left when the crowds entering the viewing started dwindling down.
I like the ending with the dog too because it shows the humanity in the crowds, which is something I always try to capture.
4 Gus Moore // Dec 5, 2008 at 4:31 PM
Well done, Carlos. Keep ‘em on the ropes.
5 Carlos Miller // Dec 5, 2008 at 7:01 PM
Thanks, Gus.
Mambi Watch,
I also want to point out that in El Nuevo Herald’s video, they edited it to make it seem as if the protesters could be heard loud and clear as the people were walking into the theater.
They basically took the audio from across the street and put it over the clip where people were walking in.
It’s a little misleading.
http://www.elnuevoherald.com/noticias/america_latina/cuba/story/334106-a334114-t34.html
6 Mambi Watch // Dec 5, 2008 at 8:09 PM
I’ll add a few more things:
Diario Las Americas is reporting that “HUNDREDS of Cuban exiles” protested yesterday. But, they also add that “hundreds of people AT SOME POINT passed near the theater to protest.”
http://www.diariolasamericas.com/news.php?nid=67483
And and article at Univision.com says that “during the [film] presentation, the words of repudiation could be heard.” Meaning, the protest was so loud it was heard INSIDE the Carlyle theater.
http://www.univision.com/content/content.jhtml?chid=3&schid=160&secid=0&cid=1759954#p
So, I would like your opinion Carlos.
Could there have been “hundreds” of protesters “at some point” around the Carlyle?
And, do you think the protest was loud enough to be heard INSIDE the Carlyle.
Thanks for responding.
7 Ms Calabaza // Dec 5, 2008 at 8:30 PM
Good work Carlos.
Sad to see only the old … the young are too busy for this and the Che mythology only grows. Che was a mass killer and the lowest form of scum, but he has great marketing … what can I tell ya.
8 Scott // Dec 5, 2008 at 11:03 PM
Pardon my ignorance, but is this “Che” movie about Che Guevara? I never did figure out why so many people idolized him. He pursued his goals with little regard for human life or decency. If it’s a different Che, then never mind.
9 Carlos Miller // Dec 6, 2008 at 2:45 AM
Ms. C,
Thank you. I agree that Che was a killer and in no way should be idolized. He was one of the most intolerant people to have ever walked this earth. If you didn’t agree with his politics, then death to you.
It’s pretty ironic how his image has become the epitome of capitalism. It really goes to show you that humans instinctively will always lean towards capitalism over communism.
Of course capitalism needs to be regulated, but that’s a discussion for another day.
Scott,
Yes, this is Che Guevara we’re talking about. I guess I should have made it more clear in the post for you non-Miamians.
10 Carlos Miller // Dec 6, 2008 at 4:49 AM
Mambi Watch, I was not inside the theater so I wouldn’t know how it sounded in there, but from the front of the theater, you could hear them in the background.
Keep in mind they were separated by a five lane street during the height of rush hour, so there voices were also getting drowned out by the traffic.
If there were “hundreds of protesters”, don’t you think that would have been captured on camera?
You’ve seen the photos and the videos. Did you see hundreds of protesters?
There were many cameras there, still and video, shooting from all different angles and sides of the streets, so you would think one who show these 100 mystery protesters.
It’s no secret that the Diario and El Herald are writing for the exile community, so they’re going to favor their numbers in their writings.
I reported what I saw. If there were hundreds, then I would have reported that as well as capture it in a video.
I’m sure the New Times writer reported what he saw when he estimated 50 protesters because it really wouldn’t make a difference to them to report a high number than a low number if both numbers are accurate.
11 Carlos Miller // Dec 6, 2008 at 1:21 PM
And another thing Mambi Watch,
This wasn’t an all-day protest where people came and went, allowing it to reach hundreds if you count all the protesters or whatever it is the Diaro is trying to say.
This was a protest that started later than scheduled. Way later. That tells me they waited past 4:30 p.m. at Versailles in the hopes more people would come. They didn’t.
At first, it was only about 15 protesters. If you look at my video where I’m having that conversation with that lady, you can see where I pan out at the end of the conversation and the sidewalk is almost empty.
After it got dark, more people arrived but there was never more than 40 protesters on that sidewalk.
They were also staged at a bus stop so there were people standing next to the crowd waiting for the bus who had nothing to do with the protest.
And many were Hispanic so maybe the New Times counted these people as protesters but it was obvious they were not, especially when they kept asking me if we were filming a movie.
And frankly, I wish there were hundreds of protesters there because it would have made my video much more interesting.
12 Justin Rosenberg // Dec 7, 2008 at 1:01 AM
Great post, Carlos!!
Had fun shooting w/ you today!!
(Hope you made it to your appt. on time!)
13 Carlos Miller // Dec 7, 2008 at 2:27 AM
Thanks, Justin.
I had a blast shooting with you guys today. Until what time did you stay?
I made my appointment but the eye doctor was delayed and I ended up having to reschedule because after hanging out for 45 minutes and realizing it was going to be another hour, I said good-bye.
14 Ricky Rodriguez // Dec 7, 2008 at 11:29 PM
Hilarious!!!
YOU ARE A COMMUNIST!!!
BUSH 2008!!!
15 bill // Dec 8, 2008 at 5:47 PM
I learned a long time ago to despise people who shoiw up at protests…no matter what side they’re on. Get a life!
16 Jorge // Dec 14, 2008 at 5:08 AM
CHE = Worldwide hero, Icon, Saint
Gotta love the pitiful outrage of geriatric Gusanos.
Hasta la Victoria Siempre !
El Che Vive <3
17 jajajaja // Dec 14, 2008 at 5:20 AM
After watching this video …
I wish Che had shot more of this filth up against ‘el paredon’
18 Henry Gomez // Dec 28, 2008 at 2:08 AM
I think your dwindling numbers theory is wrong. There’s a lot of us that don’t generally do protests. Many of us who think this Che flick is a piece of shit simply don’t want to draw attention to it.
I suspect the movie will bomb. Will you post about the dwindling number of che lovers?
19 Carlos Miller // Dec 28, 2008 at 12:28 PM
Henry,
I suspect the movie will be a bomb as well because it is four long hours.
20 Doc Faust // Jan 15, 2009 at 12:45 PM
I am of Cuban descent and I have lost family I will never get to meet to Castro’s revolution and Che for that matter. I decided to step out of my own biases and try to look at the events which transpired in Cuba objectively. Once I got through my own personal grief and studied that aspect of Cuban history, I have come to the conclusion Che Guevara is one of the most complete human beings this world has ever known. Was he ruthless? Yes. A murderer? maybe (depends how all-inclusive your definition may be). One thing for sure, he was working to make this world a better place for all of humanity. None of the people protesting, none of the people who wax poetic about how evil he was ever try to balance what he did with what Napoleon, Ghengis Khan, the first settlers of America, etc., etc., did to their fellow humans. When someone is embroiled in politics in such extreme hands on ways, there will always be bloodshed. Jews hate Hitler but you always see many of them cruising along in a Mercedes-Benz, which manufactured for Nazi Germany. These Cuban exiles, some of my family included, do not see the hipocrisy in hating Che and Castro but supporting Bush and his racial and prejudiced war in Iraq. As Americans, we all have blood on our hands due to allowing our political system to become corrupt. They are all hippocrites and should just try to remember that in this country, thankfully, we have freedom of expression. They shouldn’t be protesting this film. They don’t have to agree with the film, but they should realize people have the freedom here to support whatever they wish.
21 baltasar // Jul 4, 2009 at 2:01 AM
Che was a violent and dangerous ideologue.
In the end- he got what he deserved.
22 Tarzan // Jun 7, 2010 at 2:12 AM
Okay, I agree the protesters are stupid, but if this is the “Che” movie that starred Benicio Del Toro, I have to say, what a BORE. I fell asleep three or four times while watching the DVD set.
23 Rusty Carr // Jun 7, 2010 at 12:36 PM
You’re putting lipstick on a pig.
Leave a Comment