The Government We Need

The Government We Need / 14ymedio, Regina Coyula
Posted on August 9, 2015

14ymedio, Regina Coyula, Havana. 2 August 2015 — In light of the
government's refusal to dialog with the nonviolent opposition, the
latter should start a discussion within itself, an exercise unfamiliar
to Cubans. Instead, we are accustomed to extremes ranging from the
consistent unanimity of our parliamentary sessions, to the commotion of
a "disqualifying"* act of repudiation.

Change – gradual or drastic – is the possibility of change in the roles
of power and the government is not interested. But society needs all its
actors, whether they are dissidents or government supporters. One must
be blind not to realize that Cuba is on the road to change. So for
starters, our government should uphold its own laws that it disobeys
time and time again when they are not in keeping with its interests.
This would be just a beginning. However, as we already know, the
authorities are not interested in what would follow. The experiences of
Eastern Europe are still fresh in their minds.

The Cuban government behaves ­– if not by decree or law, certainly in
deed – as if it rules by divine right. It bases its authority on a form
of anti-imperialism that on many occasions turns into anti-Americanism.
Despite all the anti-imperialist warmongering and siege mentality
indoctrination we have been subjected to for more than half a century,
it was no match for the Cuban people's jubilation upon the announcement
of the process of normalization of relations between Cuba and the United
States.

To speak of civil society in Cuba leads almost obligatorily to the
dissidence, civic institutions that in other countries would be
self-governing are subordinated to the state. According to this type of
Socialism "we all support," the only civic institutions are those
recognized — and for the most part funded — by the government.
Non-governmental organizations, especially those espousing independent
political viewpoints, do not count.

Whether it is dissidents, government backers voicing criticisms,
advocates for an independent civil society, or the "trusted opposition,"
these groups highlight the existence of political pluralism in a country
that is intended as a monolithic unit. Every individual is diverse and
complex and if people don't unite on issues far more simple than
politics, it cannot be expected that a single political party could
represent the interests of all its citizens over a timespan as long as
five decades.

Cuba's so-called "trusted opposition" is part of a larger ensemble that
includes the genuine opposition. Clearly some of the more active and
interesting members of this "trusted opposition" voice a type of radical
nationalism more akin to the 19th century, not to this era in which
national frontiers are blurred, among other reasons because of the
emergence of globalization and a growing international consensus on
protecting the environment, the eradication of poverty, and the
marginalization of whole groups of people.

I do not support Cuba's annexation to the United States, but if an
annexationist** movement were to exist on the island, the level of
support that it or any other political movement enjoys should be decided
at the ballot box. Only the use of violence and discrimination in all
its forms must be excluded from the national scene. Despite all the
sloganeering to the contrary, Cuba is indeed moving towards a
pluralistic future and it is not healthy if the government or the
opposition flout the law.

By airing grievances before the authorities or the public, Cuban
citizens are actually voicing their hopelessness in regards to what they
expect from their government, which is the embodiment of the political
system itself. Therefore it is absurd to think that Cubans will not
switch ideologies, or "come out of the ideological closet" once we enjoy
freedom and access to information. We will represent a wide spectrum –
ranging from Christian democracy to the aforementioned annexationist
movement – while never feeling any less patriotic than the most devoted
member of the Communist Party.

It will be very difficult to ask for decency from an endogamous group
that many years ago turned itself into the government and whose players
defend their power at all costs. In their long manipulation of both
information and nationalistic sentiments, we have inverted the concept
of the presidency and the president. Therefore, instead of wasting time
debating the limits of the "trusted opposition," and consequently of the
"other opposition" as well, we should begin to use the term "trusted
government" to define what Cubans really need, a government we can trust
based on the rule of law.

Translator's Notes:
* The regime commonly uses the term "disqualified" towards its
opponents, as a way of completely dismissing them and their opinions, a
strong assertion that they do not even have the right to speak. For
example, in this post Yoani Sanchez is told: "You have transgressed all
the limits… This totally disqualifies you for dialog with Cuban
authorities."
** Historians estimate that during the last half of the 19th century,
Cuba's political class was divided into three equal parts: one third
strived for more autonomy for the island while securing its place as an
overseas province of Spain, another third fought for Cuba's absolute
independence, and the last third wanted to apply for U.S. statehood. The
latter were known as "annexationists." The current Cuban regime often
dismisses dissidents with this term, which it considers pejorative.

Translated by JoséBadué

Source: The Government We Need / 14ymedio, Regina Coyula | Translating
Cuba -
http://translatingcuba.com/the-government-we-need-14ymedio-regina-coyula/