Will Cuba Survive the Americanization of Havana?

Blake Fleetwood - Former reporter for the New York Times and Daily News;
taught Political Science at NYU

Will Cuba Survive the Americanization of Havana?
Posted: 04/03/2015 3:46 pm EDT Updated: 04/03/2015 3:59 pm EDT

Americans are flocking to Cuba by the tens of thousands this year. Next
year it may be millions.

The architecture of Old Havana has lasted hundreds of years, but will it
survive the onslaught of tourists and rampart commercialism that so
despoils other Latin American capitals?

Most Americans will marvel at the magnificently preserved
pre-revolutionary building and the colonial architecture dating back
centuries.

But they will also see thousands of decrepit structures that are falling
down and badly kept. In other cities, these crumbling vacant lots,
behind magnificent facades, would be quickly replaced by modern
monstrosities.

What most visitors do not understand is that the Castro brothers have
treated Old Havana as an archeological and historic site -- the finest
and largest example of Colonial architecture in the Americas.

UNESCO declared it a World Heritage site in 1982.

The government does not have the money to restore all the old buildings
at this time, so they are forced to leave them vacant and crumbling
until they get around to it. They are making great progress -- The Plaza
Vieja is completely restored on all sides with splendid arch-covered
walkways all around.

But other buildings are not so fortunate. The government is also
committed to keeping many of the poor people who live in the historical
district in their homes while restoration goes on around them. This is
an anomaly among historic districts around the world.

Source: Will Cuba Survive the Americanization of Havana? | Blake
Fleetwood -
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/blake-fleetwood/will-cuba-survive-the-americanization-of-havana_b_7000828.html