Osmel Ramirez Alvarez

The revolution is like a faulty car that has a lot of flaws which moves forward slowly, starting and stopping and is too much of a burden for all of us unlucky passengers. Getting off is a risky dream…

Once again we’ve fallen into the same problem: depending on the fraternity of a prominent trade partner and then entering a crisis when our “great ally” withdraws or falls into disgrace.

A Cuban who exercises their profession in Cuba earns some 50 to 100 times less than someone doing a similar job in other countries of the region – Panama or the Dominican Republic, for example. I don’t even want to make comparisons with Europe or the U.S.

It doesn’t matter how they are run or the efforts they make, funds are distributed according to other criteria. That’s why in a municipality which is very rich in financial resources, such as Mayari, you can still find potholes that are half a meter deep on the main road, for years, and it seems like nobody cares. This is just one example of the many unfathomable consequences of this system.

In order to build a truly fair society you have to inevitably “put up a fight”. This won’t be a violent fight like we used to think it had to be in the past; on the contrary, it should be peaceful and civil like Gandhi once advised us and what Mandela ended up putting into practice.

According to the Cuban government there are only two groups: those who support and praise the system unconditionally; and those who criticize it and fight against it, however they can. The latter includes a different kind of socialist, like the one I am.

I don’t care what the experts, or the classical thinkers, have to say. They still believe in a socialism for 19th century men and women with 19th century ideas and ideologies. However, 21st century citizens have other needs and hopes…

There is no doubt then that the Cuban government exercises great influence in global politics, for many reasons. It doesn’t matter that most everybody thinks that we have serious problems with respecting our most basic and fundamental human rights…

Yesterday, I tried to do buy some simple things and had to visit the three stores here in my town. I was unable to find a single jar of jam for my children. There wasn’t any chicken, mincemeat, shampoo or conditioner. Not even ready-made soda which I always used to buy for my kids’ snack at school.

It’s been a few days now since the 32-page tabloid detailing the conceptualization of Cuba’s social and economic model and the National Plan for Economic and Social Development through 2030 has been on sale at Correos de Cuba stands. I bought it straight away and read it..