US-CUBA: While it is true that representatives of the US administration in power have made clear that they will continue their aggressive policy on some issues –such as human rights, freedom of expression, what they call police repression, freedom of association, freedom to demonstrate, and freedom of assembly– they have raised those together with other matters that may be of interest to both countries, and on which it would be possible to reach mutual agreement. How will this work? On areas of mutual agreement, the activity will grow as time passes. But activities in areas in which agreement has not been reached will grow as well. If the Cuban government begins to curb these activities, the US government will stop actions on those agreed upon, or on the regulations amended following Obama’s "initiative". Take for example one of those initiatives: remittances. According to the latest regulation issued, remittances can reach $2,000 quarterly. Not all people in Cuba receive remittances. This, of course, widens the gap between those who receive remittances and those who do not. It divides the population between the haves and the have-nots, between those who can buy things without major limitations and those who have to make big sacrifices to buy the most basic items. (Objective: to divide the population) In a few months, the Obama administration will say that they are being pressed by a number of forces who oppose Cuba, because their followers in Cuba do not have all the "democratic" freedoms they need to express and associate, and that they continue to face police repression. The US Ambassador will explain that his/her government is in a difficult situation: The Cuban government should give more freedom to those groups, or some of the initiatives that were taken would have to be changed, for example: remittances. If there are no liberties, quarterly remittances will be set at $500 again. Who will take the blame for that? The Cuban government, of course. Because it has not changed its policy and continues to limit the "democratic" freedoms of its people. Everyone who received $ 2,000 quarterly –and will now get less– will put the blame for their misfortune on the revolutionary government. This will be done with each of the issues agreed upon, or with Obama’s recently-announced initiatives: not only on remittances, but also on travel to Cuba, facilities to trade, credit-card payments, the buying of rum and tobacco to take to the US and, in short, on everything that has to do with our relations. If we do not behave as they wish, every day they will try to put us in a difficult situation, and will use the argument that they had a whole series of initiatives that were not matched by the Revolutionary Government. How is it that the US is showing its "good will" in trying to solve the problem with Cuba, and the Cuban government is not changing to give its people more freedom, more democracy, more respect for human rights? If Cuba does not change, there is no reason to change the provisions intended to drown it. The main objective behind the restoration of diplomatic relations is precisely to speed up changes in Cuba and promote a strong opposition, both politically and economically so that, at a certain time, there will be no choice but to open the possibility for the existence of other political parties which will try to occupy positions within the government. This is the beginning of what Americans call TRANSITION: the movement that should put an end to what they call SUCCESSION. This TRANSITION implies that in Cuba there be more than one political party; that those parties participate in elections to enter the government; that even Cubans who do not reside in the country may hold positions in government; that a number of principles that the revolution has maintained about property, health care, education, the role of the mass organizations and homeland defense are changed. Furthermore, one of the aspirations for this TRANSITION is to amend the constitution so that the Cuban Communist Party does not play the role that it presently has which, in their view, is the basis of SUCCESSION. This is their true aspiration, of which they have not yet spoken, but for which they believe they may create the conditions during this stage that begins with the restoration of diplomatic relations.
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From:
"sarahnes@cubarte.cult.cu [GRUPOELHERALDO]"
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