Fernando Ravsberg

Fernando Ravsberg’s last article Cuban Civil Society and Debate (I) was the subject of much debate both on his personal website and in Havana Times. Today Fernando brings us a part 2, detailing some of the arguments made.

Relations between Cuba and the USA are entering a new more complex stage. It began with current peace negotiations, which still haven’t managed to secure a complete ceasefire. Havana continues to publicly condemn the “empire” and Washington is still imposing sanctions on those who have business dealings with the island.

The rapprochement between the US and Havana is starting to have repercussions around the world, even though the economic embargo is still in effect and only the first steps towards the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries have been taken.

In addition to being illegal and immoral, or precisely because of this, the restrictions on doctors’ families exposes Cuba’s medical brigades to ferocious criticisms from their enemies. These shady, absurd and insensitive measures are the ammunition they need.

These conversations may seem like a joke, but they’re absolutely true. We could say they are part of the everyday, “magic realism” of socialism (perhaps not as “real” as Soviet socialism, but certainly a lot less “updated” than we would want). Many tourists come to the country hoping to plunge into this fantastic, Caribbean isle, but most like to look at it from the outside, without the wheels of bureaucracy grinding their vacations into bits with absurd resolutions and restrictions.