Cuba: Discussion on Democracy and Institutions

Cuba: Discussion on Democracy and Institutions
September 11, 2012
Fernando Ravsberg

HAVANA TIMES — A group of Cuban intellectuals of various political
perspectives presented a collection of essays titled "For a Consensus
for Democracy," which was the prelude to a broader debate organized by
the Catholic magazine Espacio Laical.

The authors met with about a hundred persons at the Father Felix Varela
Cultural Center to discuss the institutionalization and democratization
of the island, each from their own political slant but in an atmosphere
of mutual respect and seriousness.

Among the participants were Catholic, liberal and Marxists panelists –
even a priest who is a descendant of Carlos Manuel de Cespedes, the
first rebel who in the eighteenth century stood up for the independence
of the island against Spanish rule.

Paradoxically, those most notably absent from this academic consensus
building exercise for democracy was the Cuban government (which excludes
itself from these debates) and dissidents (who were only allowed
participation from the audience).

The end of taboos?

The discussions included topics that until recently were taboo in Cuba,
such as the multiparty system, democracy, citizens' participation in
decision making, the unconstitutionality of some governmental actions,
and political change.

Despite coming from varying ideological currents, there was consensus
among the panelists concerning the need to go beyond clichés; instead
they appealed for a form of democracy not limited to the "representative
democracy" of capitalism or the "participatory democracy" of socialism.

Both systems have failed in building democracy, said sociologist Mayra
Espina, adding that this provides an opportunity for Cuba to move
towards a new alternative. She maintains that the notion of
"citizenship" could give continuity to the discussions.

Most panelists felt that what's most important is to build a form of
democracy in which citizens discuss problems, propose solutions and
monitor the implementation of these measures – something that's possible
today thanks to new technologies.

Building democracy

Everyone agreed that any solution to Cuba's problems must guarantee
national sovereignty, popular sovereignty, social equity, respect for
civil rights, a viable economy and political, social and economic democracy.

"The construction of rights, the construction of equality and the
building of freedoms are interrelated and contribute equally to the
building of democracy," said essayist and University of Havana professor
Julio Cesar Guanche.

Roberto Veiga, the editor of Espacio Laical said, "The great challenge
before us is to design the structures and mechanisms that the government
should have, those that society must have and all the guarantees of
political freedom for these to be possible."

"Debate in Cuba around the construction of a different sociopolitical,
economic and legal model is obvious" said Veiga, who added, "There must
be the institutionalization of the ideas that are the consensus of the
majority of Cubans, for which we need a much broader debate."


Those absent

The Felix Varela Cultural Center, which is part of the Cuban Catholic
Church, is the locale of the most plural debate in the nation. It is a
center where people exchange liberal-academic, religious and Marxist
opinions. Only those holding the most rigid ideological positions stay
on the sidelines.

Nonetheless, the audience included members of the opposition, among them
dissident journalist Reinaldo Escobar, who complained that the initial
discussions didn't invite political opponents who "aim not to modernize
the system but to demolish it."

Indeed, among the essayists chosen to participate in the publication and
to be panelists at the discussion there appeared no members of any
dissident faction. However, they were allowed to ask questions and could
comment freely.

On the official side, there were members in attendance from important
social research centers very close to power, but no Cuban government
official was present – something quite normal since they don't
participate in these types of debates.

Relatedly, one of the recurring criticisms leveled by almost all of the
panelists and the audience was the high degree of political
centralization that exists in the country and the marginalization of
citizens in making decisions about issues that directly affect their lives.

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