“Raul, Prince or Pawn?”

Cuba in the 21^st Century

J. C. Perez.

                                                         Political Transition in Cuba.

                               Everything seems to be going as Fidel planned, transitioning his undisputed power to his brother Raul seems to be going without a hitch, and not that he would allow any hitch, or allow his subservient brother to make any changes that would challenge his 50 year grip and autonomous rule on his Island nation. We must remember what he has touted as Cuba’s objective, “Socialismo o Muerte”, “Patria o Muerte”. “Socialism or death”, “Patriotism or Death”.  

                              With this in mind we must remember that little brothers transition into pseudo power did not occur overnight, but through 50 years of communist indoctrination at the hands of the world’s longest lasting dictator, big brother Fidel. The meek and mild look that we see strewn across Raul Castro’s face whenever we see photos of him is not one of kindness and compassion as the pictures might suggest, but that of a man who has been brow beaten and made to be subservient to his older brothers overpowering alpha male personality. The face is that more of a man who fears his older brother and the consequences that might be incurred if older brothers word is not followed to a tee. Change, I don’t think so.                                       

                             Let’s not forget that at the onset of the revolution one of Fidel’s closest comrades “Camilo Cienfuegos” was assassinated upon the orders of Fidel simply because he did not agree with his political philosophy or the road he was paving for Cuba and its already unstable situation. Rumors also ran rampant that Fidel had something to do with “Che Guevara’s” untimely death in Bolivia. Che was getting to many headlines, becoming too famous, and Fidel was not happy with the Argentinean garnering a following. Are we to believe that Raul Castro was not aware of these atrocities, or what his arrogant, overbearing, dais slamming older brother was capable of? There are countless examples throughout history of brother killing brother over power issues. Change? I think not.  

                              The look on Raul’s face is one of fear and retribution if big brother Fidel’s words and orders are not adhered to there entirety. You don’t have to go far to see those same expressions; just look to the faces of the Cuban people who have lived under that grip of fear for the last 50 years. I think little brother Raul is feeling the heat a little more than he’d like to and the realization of the consequences if he doesn’t do as told are all too real to him. He is a reluctant figure head at the behest of his older brother, he was not asked if he wanted the position, he was told to do it, and do it as told.

                             Examining some of Cuba’s so called political changes since the transfer of power to Raul Castro only adds to the ongoing comic relief that the Cuban people both in and out of Cuba have become accustomed to. As a nation and a people who have lived under the gun for those 50 years, Cubans have learned to take a bad situation and turn it into a joke so as not to be weighed down my more rhetoric and lies from the central Politburo. Laughing in the face of the odds that are stacked against them and not allowing their absurd living standards and ridiculous political system which has failed them for those almost 50 years, (Just take a look back in history; there’s something to the fact that the Cuban Peso has no value anywhere in the world except Cuba, and even there, the Dollar and the Euro are the preferred currency.) Amazing, can one really believe that if there is fiscal stagnation, social stagnation, and the complete inability to provide the basics of life to a people in need is any kind of progress, I think not. When a leadership fails to provide, and does not allow its people the freedom of choice, then it is an oppressive leadership. I’m sure I have not awakened anyone to this realization on the Cuban situation, but then again no one should think that under Raul Castro things will get better. Human rights are still nonexistent, freedom of speech is a jail able offense, and arrests are up.

        Change in Cuba under Raul; see for yourself, I think not. Until the regime is gone, or better put, the Castro brothers are gone; the road to change in Cuba will be slow and arduous if not at all.

JCP