Haroldo Dilla

One of the political facts that has surprised me most in the recent period is the number of people, networks and organizations on the left that have adopted critical positions towards Raul Castro’s “updating” of the Cuban economic model.

It appears that a romance with no future has been struck in Cuba between the party bureaucracy and military technocrats, who apparently started their maiden voyage with the most recent party congress (April 2011).

There can be no taboo or de-prioritized subjects. Issues such as democracy and participation, social autonomy, systems of political representation, political pluralism, freedom, and so on are all as vital as economic performance.

The recent authorization given to different types of cooperatives to sell products directly to the tourism industry is positive. However, in politics, the Cuban government will only concede what’s necessary to assure that its economic model functions on its behalf.

Despite the proclaimed “national pride” that we Cubans show through thick or thin — as well as our obsession with looking at the world as a sphere that rotates around our problems — perhaps no other country in the world has been subsidized for a longer period of time and with so many resources.

Taking advantage of the government’s new permissiveness, the Catholic Church convened a conference entitled “Current Challenges of the Cuban Nation” led by Alfredo Guevara. According to some reports, those in attendance included some dissidents as well as important Cuban academics.

Cuba’s foreign minister Bruno Rodriguez said the blockade has been a failure, but I disagree. On the contrary, I think it’s been quite successful. However, I do agree with the conclusions reached by the foreign minister and with those who voted against the embargo at the UN.

The death of Laura Pollan occurred at a time that the Ladies in White were redefining their place on the Cuban political scene.

With the new rules regarding the sale/purchase of vehicles, the government persists in its intention to monitor the processes of social mobility. Not like before, not in all the detail, but still managing the key variables and reserving a veto power.