Cuba's charm hides a dark secret

Cuba's charm hides a dark secret
The explorer finds a communist time warp means nothing has changed in
Havana in a decade
By Ben Fogle5:10PM BST 08 May 2015

The last vestiges of the Cold War may have finally thawed with the
recent announcement by the United States of a warmer relationship with
Cuba, but there is little hint of the end of the strangling embargo on
the island itself. It has been 10 years since I first visited the
largest of the Caribbean islands and last week I returned once again.
Unlike many nations that show signs of development over a decade, there
was no evidence of progress on Cuba. The island has been in a time warp
since Fidel Castro and Che Guevara seized power in the name of socialism.
The buildings, cars and people have been frozen in the Fifties. Huge
murals and propaganda across the island still evoke the glorious
revolution and the virtues of communism. While the extreme leftist
government may have excelled in eduction and health care, it has failed
the nation when it comes to communication, progress and consumerism.
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The people have been held in limbo by two stubborn governments, the
Cuban and the US, which have selfishly held on to their idealisms for
more than five decades. You only need to explore the island and speak to
the people to see the results of the destructive embargo that has
squeezed the life from this once-prosperous nation.
There is, of course, a breathtaking charm in the fleets of old cars that
still dominate the roads, the horse and traps on which people commute to
work, the cigar factories and the spontaneous music on the streets of
Havana. But the reality is much sadder. Concrete carbuncles and bunkers,
and the bleak food, are a stark reminder of the grey cloud that has
shrouded Cuba.
Crossing the island, I was captivated by the lush, green fields. The
land has been carefully utilised to maximise its potential and provide
enough food to sustain a nation. Workers toiled under the hot sun as
police and army patrolled the roads.
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I asked Eugenio, our guide, whether he had felt any changes since the
recent news. "Nothing," he replied, explaining that without access to
the internet and unbiased news, most Cubans were still not sure what it
meant.
I can only hope change happens soon. Free from the manacles of the
embargo, the people here will finally get the freedom and opportunity to
thrive once again.

Source: Ben Fogle: Cuba's charm hides a dark secret - Telegraph -
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/ben-fogle/11593406/Ben-Fogle-Cubas-charm-hides-a-dark-secret.html