Sunday, January 4, 2015

Different Disputes

Different Disputes / Fernando Damaso
Posted on January 3, 2015

The initiation of changes in the historical dispute between the Cuban
government and the different government administrations of the United
States that has begun with the reestablishment of diplomatic relations,
should address, as has been pointed out by both leaders, other issues
that may not be so easy to resolve.

Despite this first step and the others to come influenced from within
Cuba, this does not mean that the other important dispute will be
solved: that between the Cuban government and its citizens.

This dispute has become more complex because for too many years power
has been exercised by only two people, supported by their closest
generational followers, who have committed multiple and costly
political, economic and social errors, which were never addressed in
time and which have affected the entire country, precipitating a too
prolonged crisis, due to which they have lost credibility with the citizens.

For some time, despite the fact that the authorities do not want to
recognize it and continue to bet on a national unity that we all know to
be in form only, a great number of Cubans demand changes, not only
economic but also political and social. They demonstrate it with their
families, friends and even neighbors, although they still don't dare to
express it out loud.

Those who think that economic reforms will not generate demands for
political reforms are mistaken. The Cuban nation needs to renew itself
and catch up with the times. Will this be facilitated by the few living
representatives of the historic generation in the time they have left to
them, or will it be done by representatives of new generations, who
still, perhaps, remain unknown to the majority of the people?

On officially letting go of the "external enemy," the authorities will
find it very difficult to continue to use it as a pretext to block the
exercise of the individual rights of every citizen. They can continue
talking about general rights, as they have done up until now, but they
cannot ignore the others. Resolving the external dispute requires them
to begin to resolve the internal one.

31 December 2014

Source: Different Disputes / Fernando Damaso | Translating Cuba -
http://translatingcuba.com/different-disputes-fernando-damaso/

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