Havana tells US to let the Cubans decide their own future

[Judi Lynn]

Source: El País (Spain)

Havana tells US to let the Cubans decide their own future
Government criticizes Obama for trying to "give lesson in democracy"
US and Canada only countries to reject petition to allow Havana to attend next Americas Summit
El País Madrid 19 ABR 2012 - 19:51 CET

The Cuban government on Wednesday told US President Barack Obama that Washington should not be concerned about Cuba because it is up to the "Cubans to worry about" their island.

In a statement published in the official newspaper of the Communist leadership, Granma, the government criticized Obama for trying "to give lessons" in democracy to Cuba during last weekend's Summit of the Americas held in Cartagena, Colombia. "President Obama should have discovered that the Cartagena summit wasn't held to teach Cuba about democracy," read the statement under the headline: "Cubans will worry about Cuba."

Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper were the only two leaders in the 33-member summit who rejected a petition by other countries to allow the Havana government to attend the next hemispheric meeting in 2015.

Granma called the regional support in favor of Cuba joining the Americas summit in three years "impressive." The meeting concluded on Sunday without a final statement from the leaders.

Read more: http://elpais.com/elpais/2012/04/19/inenglish/1334857293_766975.html

[dipsydoodle]

1. Associated link from Granma

THE Summit held in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, gave evidence of the ever-growing abyss that exists between "Our America", as Martí called it, and the "turbulent and brutal North that despises us." Cartagena witnessed a rebellion of Latin America and the Caribbean against the imposition made by "one and a half governments" which applied their imperial veto to paragraphs in the Draft Final Declaration of the so-called Summit of the Americas which demanded an end to the blockade and Cuba’s exclusion from hemispheric events.

Since the celebration of the former Summit in 2009, the illusions about the policy of President Obama vanished; a gap between his speeches and his actions widened. There were no major changes in the policy towards Latin America and the Caribbean. The blockade against Cuba continued and it was even tightened in the financial sector, despite the international condemnation and the overwhelming vote against it at the United Nations General Assembly. The purpose of the blockade is "to bring about hunger, desperation and overthrow of government", which is now known as "change of regime".

The ALBA group met on February 4 last in Caracas on the occasion of the celebration of an anniversary of the historical Civic and Military Rebellion of 1992. It adopted one Declaration on the Sovereignty of Argentina over the Malvinas Islands, another on the blockade and described the imposition of Cuba’s exclusion from these events as unfair and unacceptable. President Correa resolutely stated that if this issue was not resolved, Ecuador would not attend the Cartagena Summit. This statement shook the entire region. That courageous stand was the prelude to what happened next.

President Raúl Castro expressed at the ALBA meeting: "I would like to thank President Correa, Evo and all of you for your statements…You are absolutely right; this is an issue of utmost importance. We have never asked for such a measure, but that does not mean we will not support this one, which we think is only fair."

http://www.granma.cu/ingles/cuba-i/18abr-17gobierno.html

[sabrina 1]

2. The US and its remaining European allies are still living in the Cold War Era while the rest

of the world leaves them behind. The world has enough of US style democracy. About time we start listening and start rebuilding our own Democracy which has been seriously eroded because of our various 'wars', on Drugs on Terror etc.

[lsewpershad]

5. declaration should be made anyway even with the two.

[Nihil]

16. Perceptive

> ... the illusions about the policy of President Obama vanished;
> a gap between his speeches and his actions widened.

Doesn't just apply to Cuba either does it?

Still, when has actual historical behaviour governed the result of an election
when there's money to be made (and spent) persuading people that black
is white, down is up and poison is just yummy?

[magic59]

3. The pot calling the kettle black

The US should look inward, we are no longer a democracy. Our government is corupted by greed, we the people no long exists. We should stop telling other countries what to do, the US is a joke and the people the butt of that joke.

[hack89]

4. Decide without free and open elections? Don't think so. nt

[Diclotican]

6. hack89

hack89

After the "election" of mr Bush jr, and the horrible 8 year with Jr in office I would claim US have nothing to learn others, to start making decent, free elections... They better clean up their own house, before learning others to elect their leaders...

And even Cuba is no democratic country - at least not yet, it is still better of, than most country in the caribian... And I believe Cuba maybe have the best chances, to go from what they have today - to a democratic country, if they get the chance to decide for them self..

Diclotian

[hack89]

7. America elected a progressive man of color.

Last edited Thu Apr 19, 2012, 09:48 PM - Edit history (1)

because we have free and open elections where people are given clear and different choices.

If the Cuban people themselves, through free and open elections with multiple political parties, get the chance to decide for themselves then they will be a democratic country. But until their government gets out of their way, it will never happen because the Cuban people will not choices to decide between.

[Diclotican]

9. hack89

hack89

I agree that Cuba have a long way to go, before it could be called anything near "democratic". And if Cuba had the possibility to elect leaders free and in fair elections, possible with multiple political parties, it would be a long way to make Cuba better than it is today..

The Big problem, is what would happened with that little embargo, who have in place since Nixton "nixed" Castro - and Castro decided to be an communist instead of a nationalist.... Many powerfully Exile-Cubans still dream of the past, and will not give up their claims to get what become them, even if Castro and the communist regime was to be replaced by a democratic elected government... Claim of
compensation worth billions for the land-size that the communist regime did when they nationalized the land is still a hot issue for "normalization" between US and Cuba.. And everyone KNOW that Cuba have no possibility of compensate exile-cubans who lost their land in 1959, by the billions... So either US have to play the game for as long as everyone with a connection to Cuba and the cold war still is alive, or someone have to quit been an ass, and decide it is more important to have a democratic Cuba, than to play hardball and live in a world, where it is still the Cold War...

And, again, after 2000 I doubt US could stick their finger up in the air, and waying with a "teacher mood" about the importance of democracy and free elections... GWB did more harm than good, when he was "elected" president - not by the people of US, but by the Supreme Court of the United States of America.. In a Farce election.. It was an embarrassment looking at it, on this side of the Atlantic, I have no clue how painfully it was, when the election in Florida flunked, and was made into a 3 stage circus..

US elected a man of color in 2008 thats correct.. And I for one was impressed by it.. He was the first-africa-american candidate to be elected to the presidency of the United States.. And it was a joy to look how Fox news took it, when they had to admit, they have gotten a BLACK PRESIDENT IN THE WHITE HOUSE!!.. And after that, we also discovered how many lunatics it was in the US...

Dicloticna

[roody]

10. Choice between two corporate parties

is not much choice.

[hack89]

13. More of a choice then the Cubans have

why don't you go over to the Cuban DU and ask them what they think .... oh wait a second.

[roody]

20. Better yet, I'll go to Cuba.

I have been there before. I liked the freedom women have to not have 5 babies by age 25.

[hack89]

21. Why don't you engage them in unfettered political discussion on an internet discussion board?

they do have that basic freedom, don't they?

[roody]

22. Better yet, I'll go there and see for myself.

I'll also talk to people face to face.

[hack89]

23. Talk to all the opposition political leaders?

the independent candidates running against Castro? The editors of the independent newspapers? Are you going to talk to people like that?


Why is it impossible for you to at least recognize the obvious - that Cubans lack basic freedoms you and I take for granted? The Cuban government is scared shitless of sites like DU - unfettered political discussion is the last thing they want. Can you at least acknowledge that?

[Zorro]

8. Latin American governments should pressure Cuba to hold free and open elections

without government threats or reprisals against candidates that don't toe the party line.

That would be a big step in normalizing relations.

But I don't see any real progress until Fidel takes his dirt nap.

[Daniel537]

32. Why wait for any of that to happen to normalize relations?

Isolation never works. Lifting the embargo and the ridiculous travel ban will go a much longer way towards a more open and free society than continuing on the road we've been on for the last half century.

[Zorro]

34. Here's a LTE from today's LA Times that sums up the reason for "Why wait?" rather effectively

In criticizing the United States for excluding Cuba from the Summit of the Americas, you argued that "engagement, not isolation, is the best way to encourage change." Cuba's record in other international forums demonstrates the opposite.

In 2006, the United Nations Human Rights Council elected Cuba as a member and then dropped Havana from its watch list. In return for this engagement, Cuba has vehemently opposed efforts to scrutinize abuses by China, Iran, Sudan, Syria and other repressive regimes. Cuba takes a leading role in sponsoring resolutions that justify terrorism and advocate cultural relativism instead of universal human rights.

Should Raul Castro's communist government really be given another forum to subvert?

Hillel C. Neuer

Geneva

The writer is executive director of U.N. Watch.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/letters/

[Daniel537]

38. Effectively? Hardly.

Cuba was isolated by most nations in the Western Hemisphere for decades, a lot of good that did. Anyhow, my reasoning isn't so much in hopes that the Cuban govt. will respond to the lifting of the embargo with immediate free and fair elections and a pro-US stance, it won't, but rather the Cuban people will have access to technology and commercial goods from their capitalist neighbor to the North. More trade leads to greater opening in the public sphere. See China and Vietnam for examples. History has shown us that sanctions never hurt dictator's, they always hurt the people. I've visited Cuba dozens of times and have never met a single person, on any side of the political sphere, who supports the US embargo against their country. If change ever happens there it will come from the people, not from politico's in DC. Also, on the domestic front, i don't like the idea of the govt. telling me where i can and can't travel.

Credit to Pres. Obama though for following through on his promise to at least lift restrictions on Cuban-Americans traveling to Cuba. Thanks to that i no longer have to visit via a third country.

[provis99]

11. looks like Canada is as idiotic as the US.

whatever happened there? Did they import a lot of yahoos from America?

[Tax Man]

12. i'm biased on this

one of my closest friends immigrated from cuba in 1998. he tells me how awful the average person haas it there.

[dipsydoodle]

14. Yes its awful there

they've got socialised healthcare.

[sylvi]

24. So do prisons. nt

[dipsydoodle]

25. How droll.

.

[Tax Man]

26. sorry, che

if you're from cuba, i'd like to hear your story. honestly.

[dipsydoodle]

29. I'm English so can travel as I please.

The simplest description of Cubans is poor but contented. I'd say that whatever has happened there since 1959 is for the overall good. No other country for example has ever equaled this : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_Literacy_Campaign
That was a promise made and kept - that most government building would become either hospitals or schools.

[Tax Man]

30. attitude explained

and you're basing your assessment of conditions in cuba on a wikipedia entry. ohhhhhhhh-kay.

[dipsydoodle]

31. No

From having been there. Have you actually been there or do you just believe what you read in comics ?

[roody]

19. I've been to Cuba. It did not seem awful.

You don't see women, especially young women, carrying multiple children and babies around. Most people are not rich, but the dire poverty I have seen in Mexico and Central America is not there.

[hack89]

35. Did you visit the political prisoners? What was their condition? nt

[Comrade Grumpy]

36. No, they wouldn't let me into Guantanamo.

[hack89]

37. So that makes Cuban political prisoners OK with you? Interesting. nt

[Bacchus4.0]

15. completely agree, when can we expect that Cubans be allowed to do that? n/t

s

[Lydia Leftcoast]

17. And yet, we're supposed to have "free" trade with Colombia

which still has death squads.

Look, I've been to Cuba. It's no paradise, but people in our group who had been to other parts of Latin America and the Caribbean said that the living standards for the average person aren't so bad compared to certain other countries. Yes, parts of Havana look fairly slummy, but evidently that's true in every Latin American capital.

The thing that most distinguishes Cuba from the rest of the Caribbean is the lack of telecom and commercial connection to the U.S. Oh yes, and the fact that all the children are in school instead of working in sweatshops and everyone has health care.

Also, things have loosened considerably in recent years. Restrictions on religious activities are gone, and people are allowed to run private businesses.

[dipsydoodle]

27. Part of the reason that Havana looks "slummy" in parts

is a combination lack of the materials necessary for restoration, due the US embargo , and hurricane damage over a long period of time especially along the coastal strip. They're doing what they can especially on restoration needing wood using mahogany which is natural to Cuba. To me Havana is a beautiful place - I'll be back there in a few days time on holiday.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

28. Oh yes, the parts that have been restored are stunningly beautiful

Once they finish the restoration of the Old City and the Malecon--and they're doing it without yuppifying it or permanently displacing the current residents--it will be an amazing area of Spanish colonial architecture about 2 miles by 2 miles in area.

Sure, there were tourists in the restored plazas, but one day, I had afternoon coffee watching kids from the nearby school have soccer practice in the Plaza Vieja. (We stayed in a working convent between the Plaza Vieja and the Plaza San Francisco.)

Ironically, the revolution saved La Habana Vieja. Batista was drawing up plans to bulldoze the whole area and replace it with high rises.

Havana is also a museum of 1950s architecture in the newer areas.

[otohara]

18. I Bet, Good Old Boys

mentality all around.

Men with guns, macho, mouthy, brothers.

[Paladin]

33. Considering Our Current Relationship With China......

...I think it's sheer hypocrisy on our part to continue our restrictive policies against Cuba. Castro has outlived 10 U.S. presidents; all we're doing at this point is keeping the Cuban people hungry. Enough. Being engaged with Cuba will bring about much-needed policy improvements a lot faster than the outdated position we're currently clinging to. Again: enough......