Cuba’s solutions are in the hands of Cubans
By Lorenzo Gonzalo Read Spanish Version
The immigration issue between Cuba and the United States is back in the news. The topic is almost as old as the start of the Cuban Revolution.
The U.S. burst in the Cuban scene shortly after the triumph of the revolutionary insurrection that defeated Batista’s dictatorship on Jan. 1, 1959, creating an atmosphere of conspiracy with regard to the new political process.
Without waiting for the situation to develop and seeing how the Agrarian Reform could have worked, some people initiated a series of aggressive measures against the leaders of the process. It was a reaction to the steps taken by the Revolution against the old-line politicians, who, if they were not involved in crimes against society, tended to engage in practices disliked by the population.
I’m not going to come out in defense of (or criticize) any of the measures adopted at the time, which in fact I helped promote from my small space as a citizen. However, I want to reaffirm my strong criticism of the United States’ interference in the new process.
One of the ideas thought up by the U.S. administration at the time to hamper the peaceful march of the revolutionary process was the creation of "emigration facilities."
Of course, the first to leave the island were the people who possessed capital. There were about 1,000 of them, of whom 500 were the wealthiest exponents.
Their flight had nothing to do with communism but with the limitations imposed on many of the dirty practices adopted by those who controlled the country economically and represented the capital interests of various U.S. companies.
The excuse for the evacuation of those people was "the imminent arrival of communism." Actually, at that point nobody knew what communism or socialism was. One of the ditties at the time was: "If Fidel’s actions are the actions of communists, then put me on the list, because I agree with him."
One of the measures that were most harmful to the initial development of the process toward a public debate without violence and with a desire for justice was that stampede, encouraged by "easy emigration."
As years passed, U.S. administrations perfected that method of aggression by inventing the policy of "dry-feet-wet-feet." Today, any Cuban who steps on U.S soil has the right to remain in the country and become a permanent resident after a few months.
However, at the same time that policy was implemented, Washington restricted the facilities that were earlier granted to people who wanted to leave Cuba. In other words, on one hand, Washington allowed Cubans to remain in the U.S. if they could reach its shores; on the other, they eliminated the facilities to emigrate legally.
Cuba has asked that this situation be normalized and the U.S. has repeatedly refused. Meanwhile, migrants continue to arrive in the U.S., encouraged by the promise that "if they touch land, they stay." But many die in the attempt.
This year, as an expression that the U.S. does not want normal relations with Cuba, Washington has failed to comply with the visa quota it set years ago: 20,000 visas per year.
Washington is wrong again. Fidel’s absence will not adversely affect the status on the island. And the United States’ aggressions and violations of its own laws — such as the immigration laws — will not help the Cubans.
The solutions to Cuba’s problems are, and must be, in the hands of the Cubans who live, laugh, suffer and struggle on the island.
Lorenzo Gonzalo is deputy director of Radio Miami.
