scipaCuba's Communism & Rwandan Revenge
February 20th 2008 04:47
February 20, 2008.
As Fidel steps down, what road will Cuba take as it moves towards life without their 54-year figurehead
Fidel Castro - the symbol of socialism in his Cuban heart-land - has led his people for almost five decades. The land of free food, education, health and housing - that was initially modelled on the Soviet and East German system - has long been the thorn in America's thigh. Though even through the unsuccessful Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 to the never-ending economic and social blockade and various CIA-backed assassination attempts, communism still lives and breathes in Havana.
With Fidel now leaving his post, citing on-going health problems, The United States now, of course, are hoping for a swift democratic transition in Cuba. This transition has been unattainable for so long now. The likes of Chile, Nicaragua, El Salvador and countless other nation-states in the region have had their Socialist governments brought to their very needs by intense US pressure (and in some cases) through blatant aggression and even White House-led coup d'état’s. But Cuba, for over five decades, has repelled any such pressure from their hegemonic neighbour. Those in the White House now believe that this is their best chance to pressure Cuba into accepting the market-economic model and move towards democratisation and capitalism.
The problem with this notion is that Fidel's brother, Raul (72) is almost certain to be offered the official leadership of the Communist Party. In fact, many commentator’s and scholars believe that this hand-over has already occurred.
Forget the rhetoric, there is constitutional civil rights in Cuba. Citizens have the constitutional right to guaranteed employment, food, free education, free health care, housing, political participation, freedom of expression, personal property and freedom of religion. The Cuban state is constitutionally bound to guarantee these rights. Western media and politicians have always been quick to judge Cuba as a rouge state, but this has never been the case – at least not since Castro’s revolution in December 1956.
However, as is the case in so many Latin and South American countries', there is a unequal distinction between the top and the bottom in terms of economic prosperity. Forget the theories of socialist equality, the rich are rich, and the poor are poor in Cuba. The country has a working-poor in the millions, living in fear of the unknown. The unknown in this case, is living without Fidel has their unchallenged leader. This fear is bound to continue for some time to come. But, as 90 per cent of Cubans vote in national elections – with the most recent being six years ago – the vast majority of the population are contend with the current economic, social and political situation. Over the next five years we will know whether Cuba’s transition is one towards democratisation and free-markets or the changeover from one political leader to another.
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