Americas Features
Cuba reacts coolly to signals from Washington
By Franz Smets
Aug 4, 2006, 19:00 GMT

Havana - The first words from the United States government since Cuban leader Fidel Castro's illness was announced Monday seem to have fallen on deaf ears on the island.

'I urge the Cuban people to work for democratic change on the island,' was the message delivered by US President George W Bush on Thursday. 'We will support you in your effort to build a transitional government in Cuba committed to democracy, and we will take note of those, in the current Cuban regime, who obstruct your desire for a free Cuba.'

Reaction from Havana came quickly. Cuban television gathered the leading pro-government journalists, who interpreted Washington's comments as yet another attempt by the US to carry out its longstanding plan to deprive Cuba of the achievements of its 1959 Revolution.

The show also presented views from the Cuban population, and for the first time spoke almost exclusively of Raul Castro, the man who on Monday took over power from his brother Fidel, albeit on a temporary basis. Commentators called Raul a strong man with precise ideas, who has the complete trust of the Cuban people - almost to the same extent as Fidel himself.

US policy is of great importance for the future development of the largest island among the Antilles. European diplomats and businesses hope that Washington will choose a discrete, prudent approach as it moves forward. Some are even of the opinion that the US should lift the blockade it has imposed on Cuba since 1962.

Lifting the embargo at this time would put the ball in Havana's court, one businessman said, adding that the Cuban leadership should first implement economic reforms to improve the daily life of its people before going about political changes.

But Bush indicated on Thursday that Washington wants political change first. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack called the transfer of power to Raul Castro an 'imposition' on the Cuban people, as it was not done through elections. The Cuban Constitution, however, states that this is the way power should be handed down.

Even dissidents on the island warned the United States not to meddle in Cuba's affairs immediately, arguing that it might be counterproductive. Washington should wait, they say.

These sources believe that democratic change in Cuba cannot be brought about from outside the island - and least of all with pressure from the US.

'It should not be up to the US to decide how things are supposed to continue in Cuba,' one dissident pointed out.

Encouragement for Cubans to rise up against the regime, with US help, has not borne fruit so far, and a group capable of organizing such action is nowhere in sight.

Even critics admit that Fidel Castro has had some successes in the last few years. He managed to bring the energy crisis moderately under control while in shops, businesses and markets there is once more a wide supply of products.

On foreign policy, Venezuela has taken over the role that the Soviet Union once played as Cuba's ally. Cuba has also established a good trade relationship with China, which has provided loans to the Caribbean nation, among other things.

'Cubans only get from Europe whatever they cannot get from friendly states,' an economic expert said.

Most Cubans cannot even imagine life without their leader Fidel Castro. He has governed the country for almost half a century, and many still do not want to believe that he could be seriously ill. The fact that Castro, set to turn 80 on August 13, may die some day is something that many have pushed far into the future.

'On December 2 we will see Fidel again,' the Communist Party daily 'Granma' said in its Wednesday edition. The Cuban leader has said that the transitional government will remain until then. Everything else remains a state secret.