Fernando Ravsberg

No doubt there must have been a wedding here in Cuba that I wasn’t invited to; that’s the only explanation for how anyone can repeat — over and over again — that the case of Alan Gross spells an end to the “honeymoon” between Washington and Havana.

The greatest danger that Cuba faces is falling for the temptation to retrench and adopt a defensive position by “dynamiting” bridges — in this case the Internet — in order to impede any “enemy” advance.

Undoubtedly the changes taking place on the island have “disoriented” those who insist on assuring that nothing is happening. At times I have the impression that some fear the reforms more than the immobilism.

The greatest weakness in the reform initiative lies in the fact that the bureaucrats are in charge of its application, control, the establishment of norms, setting timelines, specifying procedures and deciding on punishment when “shortcomings” are discovered.

The recent events in Egypt stirred up surprising expectations among some Cuban exiles. Through Facebook they called upon islanders to rise up, even indicating the exact date that they should begin protesting.

It’s incredible that a country as small as Cuba — even tinier than Uruguay — can create such a racket in the world. Be it in politics, medicine or culture, or simply for its cigars, the name of the island always appears. The Wikileaks connection is no exception.

Although it was not the “appropriate channel,” it was in the street when we all gave our opinions. And it didn’t matter a great deal if we acted that way out of irreverence or wariness, because both are important qualities among journalists.

As if it involved Venetian traffic regulations, political critics in Cuba must always express themselves through what are called the “appropriate channels,” otherwise they can be taken as ill-intentioned or even counter-revolutionaries.

In any case — with or without pressure — the White House will negotiate for its man and we’ll only have to wait to see how much it will give up in exchange. For the time being, an atmosphere of “greater understanding” can be noted in bilateral relations.

They have asked me not to use the word “crime,” but I haven’t been able to come up with another term that defines the action better for killing people who are mentally ill through the use of hunger and cold to steal from them. It was such a cruel act that no one should benefit from extenuated words.