In spite of changes, Washington remains dead set in old Cuba policy
By Albor Ruiz
From the New York Daily News
Asked by reporters how the profound changes announced last week in Havana by President Raúl Castro at the Sixth Communist Party Congress – the first in 14 years – could affect U.S.-Cuba relations, this is all Mark Toner, the State Department spokesman, had to say:
“We remain focused on getting Cuban people more access to freedom of information and other aspects.”
Cuba’s reaction: Whatever.
Because what Toner was saying in his convoluted way is that in the face of a reform of historic proportions of Cuba’s economic system, Washington remains dead set in keeping fundamentally unaltered an anachronistic policy with a 50-year record of failure.
Go figure.
After all, we are not talking about a cosmetic makeover of the island’s system, but of deep, life-altering transformations.
“Far from tinkering around the edges, these reforms are the most significant changes to the economic system to take place in Cuba probably since the Revolution,” said Sarah Stephens of the Center for Democracy in the Americas.
To begin with, Fidel Castro, who was firmly at he helm of the Cuban Revolution for 50 years, marked the end of an era by resigning all Communist Party and government posts.
Much of the media coverage has been focused on the failure to name younger people to top positions, but many other aspects of the reform deserve serious consideration.
The fact that Cuba is adopting economic measures encouraging the establishment of private small businesses and opening the doors wider to foreign investment should be an incentive for Washington to review its obsolete embargo laws.
For the Cuban people, two of the announced changes in particular are sure to be warmly received: The authorization to sell houses and cars, and the granting of more state land to farmers.
Another important proposal – and a huge departure from the economic policies of the last 50 years – is the opportunity for the recently authorized private businesses to hire workers. Right now, the state is the employer of 90% of the Cuban workforce, but the goal is to bring that figure down to 65% in the next five years.
But the biggest surprise in a country where its leaders have not changed in 50 years was President Castro’s suggestion that future Cuban leaders should serve a 10-year maximum term. Even though the old guard is still in power, the new term limits lay the foundation for a generational change at the top of the island’s government.
Despite lingering fears the new measures could end up being no more than empty words – as has happened before – this congress was different. It was the culmination of a gigantic process of consultation in which 8.9 million people participated in 166,000 meetings, where 65% of the original proposals by the government were modified.
The transformation going on in Cuba is profound and, because the life of the revolution depends on its success, it is irreversible.
Contrary to Washington, the European Union “gets it,” and has said it “celebrates” Cuba’s steps toward economic reform and has “signaled” to Havana that it is “ready to offer support and assistance in their application.”
Also, in a message to Fidel Castro, China pledged to support the reforms.
Yet, while Cuba embarks on economic restructuring of historic proportions, and other international players get involved in supporting it, the U.S., as Stephens said, “stands on the sidelines, disengaged and increasingly irrelevant.”
Go figure.
