After the Congressional Visit, Cubans Await Obama's Next Step With Joy and Hope
The Seven Passing By Thebes.
The visit of seven members of the United States Congress to our country has intensified expectations about an avalanche of American tourists. The owners of rooms for rent calculate the potential earnings and the taxi drivers dream of those chewing gum who leave generous tips. At Terminal Two in Jose Marti Airport some have already arrived, confident of the early relaxation of travel restrictions to Cuba. People have nicknamed these early visitors "the brave ones"; I don't know if it's for the risk they've assumed in the face of the laws of their country or because of their audacity in coming to an Island where, according to the official version, they're "the enemy."
The expected "normalization of relations between Cuba and the United States" must occur mainly between the two administrations. At the level of the people, we've been in agreement for some time, it's only our leaders who fail to realize it. Our Nation is bi-territorial, given the large number of compatriots living in the United States. Hence, the Cuban side is more interested in the relationships flowing on both sides of the Straits of Florida. However, it seems that Obama will take the first step, not Raul.
I have difficulty calling to mind a single day in these last fifty years without the warning that the powerful neighbor was thinking of invading us. What will happen with the slogan, "Cuba Si! Yankees No!", with the imported shout of "Gringos" when we are all greeting them here cordially, the "yumas"? Most of the political speeches of the last fifty years would become anachronistic and there wouldn't be any "boogeyman" with which to frighten schoolchildren. What will the party militants think if they're ordered to accept those whom, until recently, they hated. How can David look good in the photos if, instead of the stone and the slingshot, he sits down to talk to Goliath.
Curiously, I don't see anyone on the streets upset in anticipation of these changes. The nervousness is only among those who have used the confrontation to stay in power. Rather, I observe the joy, the hope, the slight impression that the distance between Miami and Havana might become smaller and more familiar.
Loading comments…
Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to
You are complaining about Raoul not taking the first step in improving relations? Well, has he threatened the US, committed acts of war against them (blockade), embargoed them, tried to assassinate their leader? It is obvious that it is the US that needs to take the first steps.
I hear Cuba is a beautiful place to visit and i can't wait to take that vacation cruse there.
I am leaving Costa Rica tomorrow and returning home. All persons who are thrilled about Obama in this beautiful country in Latin America are also hopeful that relations will be re established with Cuba soon. I am pleased that more readers are interested in Yoani's blog and are commenting on it. She confirms my intuition that lifting the blockade will remove the last possible excuse for the regime's failures. I am sorry that some of my compatriots are so blinded that they fail to understand that the removal of the embargo is more likely to bring the elusive changes that exiles continue to quote as preconditions. Clearly we can not go back to pre Castro's Cuba. It does not exist any longer. Let the citizens of Cuba determine the benefits of the removal of the alleged symbolic blockade. Let's make it possible for all to visit this beautiful island.
Av2st:
4. Cubans are smarter than their Eastern European and Soviet counterparts. See, the Rusians, Poles,
Checks, Slovaks,Mo
Cubans are different, they are still building Socialism, because the alternative, according to Av2st, is worse.
5. The irony of all this is that at the end, the help of Yanki Imperialism is needed by Cuba, to full fill his Socialist construct. Sweet!
6. So instead of Yanki, Go Home, Castro has to say: Yanki, Please come and spent your dollars in my Island.
7. See, Nixon went to China in 1972, had a talk with Chairman Mao, sip tea and re-started diplomatic relationship. Did that make China any better? Hardly. The chinese people had to wait for Mao to die, Deng Xiaoping to take over and from 1978 to the early 90's take China to the path of Capitalism. The rest is history! Amerika did not force Deng to abandon the failed policies of Socialism. Nor the ending of the embargo will force Castro to abandon his failed policies either.
Av2st:
You can have the cake, but you can not eat. Have to choose.
Let’s see:
1. The Soviet Union was ready, before day 1 of the embargo, to take over and supply Cuba with all its needs. Check the Treaty signed by Anastas Mikoyan in his visit to Cuba in 1960.Again
2. What can Cuba shows for all the help provided by the soviets for more than 30 years?
Money, oil, tractors, factories, technical personnel, etc. All gone down the tube.
3. Check the figures from Cuba’s Oficina Nacional de Estadistica. Cuba imports more than 300,000
Tones of sugar. The entire industry is decimated. However, look at Brazil. They were able to turn to ethanol. Where are the ethanol factories in Cuba? Moreover, read the dispute between Castro I and Lula regarding ethanol. Notwithstanding than most of the sugar fields are full of Marabu, a very invasive thorny shrub similar to Mesquite, and that 80 percent of the land ( 6.6 million hectares ) is under state ownership, 11 % organized into cooperatives and 9 % held by private farmers. While these figures may have changed due to the crisis of the 90’s and the recent policies of Castro II, the government policies has been a disaster in the production of food, to the tune of turning Imperialist Amerika into the 4th commercial partner of the Island.
(To be continued)
I wonder if there are any Cuban exiles who do support opening up better relations with Cuba. If so, let's hear from you and why. It seems to me that a good relationship with the US would encourage Cubans to move toward democracy and allow those exiles who wish to go home to do so.
Most of the Miami crowd do indeed support better relations (in 2007 65% were for dialogue with the Cuban government, 55% for unrestricted travel to Cuba) with Cuba - except those that arrived in the 60s and 70s (who support Iraq style invasion) - see the extensive Florida International University surveys, published at
http://www
Zeotrope: The place and the people are wonderful. What is terrible are the Castros brothers and its
political dominance of an entire island for 50 years.
Just ask yourself: How do you feel about Mr. Bush being the President of the USA for 50 years?
If you say, fine, then bad for the cubans.
If you say, no way Jose!, then what make you think that the cubans like to have Castro forever?
Remember, Cuba nor cubans, nor America is the problem. The problem are the Castros.
The fact that there have been no major rebellions against the Cuban Government for 50 years should tell you what anyone who travels to the island can tell you. There may be problems in Cuba, but people have faith in their Government to solve them (they've recently basically solved their energy problems, their transport problems and are on the way to solving the food and housing problems). Everything many not be perfect, but Cuba does not want to go back to capitalism, injustice and exploitation. They look around to the Carribean and Latin America and realize that they actually have things pretty good. In fact they have many things the might US can not even provide for its people - health for all, quality and equal education for all as high as they want to go, employment for all, lack of hunger, lack of homelessness, lack of serious crime, culture and sport for all, etc.
Oh, my dear americans, what I am going to do with you all!!!
TallyLass: Let's see: Cuba has relations with Canada and Europe and the rest of the world.
But it is hurting because America only sells food and medicine to Cuba?
( please, read the papers, America is the 4th commercial seller to Cuba!,
according to the Cuban Office of Statistics ). Go and figure.
Rob Vukovic: That Americans can set up business in China or Vietnam, does not surprise me.
What does surprise me is that Cubans can not open business in their own country!
Moreover, the only few business allowed ( ie: restaurants call Paladar ) are shut down
once become sucessful.
Don't believe me. Whatch the video, made by the Cuban Legal system in relation to
the Paladar Huron Azul in: http://www
If you do not know Spanish, you may need a translator.
howcome: Dear, Cuba stop producing Sugar a long time ago. Where were you? Now it does import
sugar from Brazil. Go and figure! From the largest producer of sugar cane to an importer.
However, cubans are greatful for this feat!
Castro was able to accomplish what no politician before him was able to do: stop the
economic dependance on sugar!
But again, do not believe me. Just go to Granma and read the article:
http://www
EonFlux, first off, to deny the econmic damage of the 50 year embargo and blockade on Cuba is just absurd. Cuba had to go from being 100% dependent on the US, to being totally shut out overnight. Not only that but US law prohibits any company that does business with Cuba from then doing business with the US - keeping many companies far away. A huge share of Cuba's potential export market is shuttered. Millions of Americans can not travel there. The total impact has been at least several Billion dollars a year.
There are plenty of private and semi-private businesses in Cuba besides Paladars. And Paladars are not shut down "once they become successful
Cuba hardly stopped producing sugar, but they did close many plants a few years ago when the crash in the price of sugar made it unprofitable. Most sugar producing companies and countries did the same thing, except those (like in the US) that are supported by massive subsidies.
according to the official version, they're (US tourists) "the enemy."
Yoani knows that under the "official version", the American people are not the enemy, least of all those who risk arrest to travel to Cuba. It's the US Government and those who advocate the blockade who are the enemies. Americans who violate the embargo and risk being fined are viewed as friends for potentially sacrificing themselves. Anyone who has traveled to Cuba can tell you they are treated very well and they very much appreciated by "official" Cuba as well as well as everyday Cubans.
What will the party militants think if they're ordered to accept those whom, until recently, they hated.
Party members will not be "ordered to accept" anyone who continues to oppress, subjegate and plunder Latin America. But if Obama truly is able to break with this past and start a new relationship based on mutual reciprocity and respect, there is no need to be anti-US.
The nervousness is only among those who have used the confrontation to stay in power.
Who's nervous? Certainly not Fidel or Raul who (again) went out of their way to show enthusiasm for better relations. Contrary to this old idea, the Revolution has always been ready for dialogue based on the pre-conditions of all diplomacy - respect and sovereignty.
The only ones scared of dialogue are those in Miami who cling to the notion that only strangulation and regime change are acceptable US policies.
I can hardly wait to visit!
I think it's high time the US lifts that stupid embargo. It only hurt the people in Cuba.
It's hugely incredible to me that any U.S. citizen can legally open a business in the still Communist Vietnam and China, or Russia with the with the full support and blessing of the U.S. government but we still can't buy a good Cuban cigar. The aforementioned countries have exacted far more blood and/or treasure from the U.S. than Cuba ever thought of. And all are still far more guilty of human rights abuses. When I was in Vietnam during the war, we use to joke that if we really wanted to fight communism why couldn't we do it in Cuba so we could come home on the weekends. It's time for us to grow up and leave our schoolyard squabbles to the past.
Oh I love those Cuban cigars.
Cuba is a large sugar and tobacco plantation with slave labor .....
Well, at least it's a country that produces something besides a BigMac and Supersized order of fries with slave-labor wages.
That's not what my friends, who go there all the time, say about Cuba. Canadians have been vacationing there for years and all I hear from them are good things about the place and its' people. I'll have to go soon before it gets crowded.
You must be logged in to comment. Log in or connect with
