Raul Castro making changes in Cuba

Wed27Dec2006

Raul Castro making changes in Cuba

In the few months that Raúl Castro has taken over power from his brother Fidel, he's changed a few things. Most notably, he's freed some dissidents and has suggested that he'd like to open dialogue with the U.S. Now, Raúl is saying that there is no excuse for the dilapidated state of the Cuban transportation system and is calling for major changes:

Cuba's acting President Raul Castro has said Cuba's transportation system is practically on the point of collapse.

Speaking to members of the National Assembly, he also said there was "no excuse" for many of the problems the communist-led island faces.

Maybe I was wrong when I suggested that Raúl was just more of the same. I mean, aren't comments like the following direct criticism of his brother's government?

Raul Castro said the revolution was tired of justifications. He said it was "inexplicable" how bureaucracy was delaying payments to farmers, and warned that simply buying thousands of new buses was no solution to Cuba's transportation problems.

The younger Castro is also reported to have urged more debate and self criticism in the media, which is entirely state run and has tended to take a congratulatory tone.

I could be wrong, but at least from here it sounds like he's trying to fix some stuff that's been broken under his brother for a long time.

Via / BBC News

Andy Garcia: Ambivalent about Change in Cuba (Thursday, Feb 21 2008)
Video Shows Cuban Youth Discontent or Freedom of Speech? (Monday, Feb 18 2008)

Jennifer

Feedback (4) | Del.icio.us

Feedback (4) » Share your opinion

1. El Cubano ~ Wednesday, Dec 27 2006 | 17:56H:

Cosmetic changes are just that..Free political prisoners, freedom of expression, free multiparty elections, freedom of the press, respect of basic human rights..This would be a good start.
Then we can say changes are a'happening..otherwise, they're just cosmetic and inconsequential..

2. RenegadeLatino ~ Thursday, Dec 28 2006 | 09:46H:

I feel that bureaucracy is a huge problem because it effects so many different aspects in life. Everything just goes so slow and in the mean time the people wait and sometimes suffer. It's everything, insurance claims, lawsuits, obtaining documents, its everywhere. I'm glad "He said it was "inexplicable" how bureaucracy was delaying payments to farmers".

At least on paper it's a step in the right direction.

3. Jason ~ Thursday, Jan 04 2007 | 09:40H:

Interesting thoughts, but Raul is not critisising Fidel. He is critisising the bureaucracy, which is something that Fidel always does as well. Curiously, Fidel is the revolution's biggest critic.

Obviously there are differences between the two leaders which will become apparent in due course, but it would be a mistake to assume that Raul is not a committed revolutionary. The debate in Cuba is about how to make socialism better, not about how to get rid of it. Everybody has seen the disasterous consequences of the end of the USSR and eastern Europe, disasterous at least for the average person.

There is a very persuasive editorial on the 21st century socialism website arguing that Cuba is unlikely to take a "Chinese path".

Sorry, dunno how to do the clicking link, but the webpage is here:
http://www.21stcenturysocialism.com/article/small_earthquake_in_cuba_-_no_casualties_reported.html

4. Cubanoloco1972 ~ Friday, Jan 05 2007 | 10:31H:

Well it's so hard to belive that he is trying to change things in cuba, After so many years of tirany and miss treating their people, But like like someone said i could be wrong about it.
It will be nice to see a little bit of freedom for the people of cuba i think they had enough

VivirLatino