Today’s news from Havana about the selection of Cuba’s official “new” leadership corroborate that, as the title of my last post indicates, action is required for the people of Cuba to be able to exercise their rights to routinely determine their own future. Despite of hopes for a better outcome, Cuba’s “new” leadership is unfortunately just more of the same. The people of Cuba remain without the ability to determine their own political future through routine, free and fair, multiparty elections and a dynastical succession continues to be imposed on the island.
As new President, Raul Castro will likely work with his allies towards making the economic reforms necessary to provide him with the political breathing room that he needs to successfully institutionalize communism and maintain a repressive one-party rule in Cuba. If he is successful in doing this, Cuba could be submitted to additional decades of an institutional communist dictatorship akin to that suffered by the Soviet Union. Such a regime would not require a grand persona such as Fidel Castro to hold it together and could rule solely based on broader institutional mechanisms of repressive governance. This is not what the people of Cuba want and it should not be something that the international community accepts as a just outcome for Cuba. People in Cuba have the right to routinely choose their leaders in free and fair multiparty elections. Anything short of that should not be accepted as a moral outcome for Cuba, regardless of the name of the country’s President.
The Cuban government today confirmed that they will not, on their own, move towards real changes on the island. Cubans and all who love freedom throughout the world must make this change happen. Despite of the monumental difficulties of organizing in a police state such as Cuba, Cubans on the island must continue to increase their organized efforts seeking real changes towards a democracy that allows for the self-determination they deserve. We Cubans in exile must increase our efforts and unified support of initiatives seeking real change on the island. And, those in the international community that love freedom and are interested in the wellbeing of the people of Cuba must wholly reject this succession and must increase the pressure on Cuba’s government to stop nowhere short of holding free and fair, multiparty elections.
Time is currently the enemy of democracy in Cuba. If Raul Castro is allowed the time and the room to institutionalize communism, additional decades can pass before Cuba can become a member of the free world. Such an outcome would be another tragedy for a country that has already suffered too much for too long.
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6 comments:
I feel that Raul will not be able to maintain such a strong grip as his brother was able to do. But, something must be done soon to force the regime to change. If not, I see little hope for vast improvements with the current government.
I too am extremely disappointed in Sunday’s outcome.
Even if the "new" leadership in Cuba had no intentions of initializing real change any sensible transition strategy from Fidel to Raul should have included throwing the people of Cuba the tiniest of bones.
Such a jester would have helped the Cuban Government quell dissention within the island and armed those in the US and abroad who support lifting restrictions and engaging in open dialog with Cuba with a stronger case.
Clearly these are stubborn, arrogant individuals who won’t compromise the slightest bit. Even in their twilight years. I see no other sensible reaction other than to continue to and even increase economic and diplomatic pressure. This is a government that clearly is incapable of adhering to reason and common sense.
Adelante…
While I believe that electing Raul Castro is clearly not the best decision for the people, I still believe it to be a step in the right direction.
Raul has shown interest in creating a capitalist society with the socialist ideals maintained from the revolution. He wants to open up trade with the U.S. and, from the looks of it, normalize relations.
Though I would hate to see Raul legitimized by the U.S., establishing a relationship with the Communist Cuban Government may be what is best for the people and may bring about democracy in the quickest manner. We should do whatever it takes to get capitalism on the island. Once people have a taste for what it means to own their own property, we'll see the political reforms that accompany the liberal ideals. The idea of the "individual" suddenly becomes important in a society where such a word has no meaning.
Nonetheless, I still hold that Raul Castro should be held accountable for the atrocities committed under his command. So, it's a more delicate issue than just assuming that only bad will come of this.
When Lage, the "young" man on the Council of state is 56, you know your leadership is afraid of allowing a voice to the new generations of Cubans on the island. All things being equal, Time will sort alot of this out for Cuba, when this group starts dying off or becomes incapacitated. Ya viene llegando..
John McCain looks like a teenager all of a sudden
I totally agree with you, Andro. Your comments echo (and not just in sentiment) what I've been telling anyone who cares to ask my opinion on what these "new developments" really mean.
Raul Castro is no Deng Xiaoping. He's just another ruthless, win-at-all-costs machiavellian dictator whose play is to paint himself as the reformer, secure an end to economic sanctions with a pliant future American administration, and then, cement his regime's grip and ensure that it survives beyond the Castro brothers' impending deaths. While else have Fidel "retire" now, when things could have keep carrying on like they've been in the one and a half years since he fell ill.
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