El Yuma

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Party Congress on TV

Paul Haven (AP) & Randal Archibold (NYT) on Cuba's Party Congress, economic "updating," and political shuffle

Cuba approves economic changes at party summit

PAUL HAVEN, AP, April 19, 2011
HAVANA — A day after Cuban media revealed that a Communist Party summit had approved sweeping economic changes and elected a new leadership — without saying what the changes were or who is now in charge — Cubans hoped to get details in a closing speech by President Raul Castro on Tuesday.
In a Changing Cuba, Many Remain Skeptical
RANDAL C. ARCHIBOLD, NYT, April 18, 2011
HAVANA — For months, Cubans have been treated to an uncharacteristically blunt assessment of their future by none other than their president, Raúl Castro.

Cuba Lays Foundation for a New Leader
RANDAL C. ARCHIBOLD, April 19, 2011
THE NEW YORK TIMES

HAVANA — Cuba made the most significant change to its leadership since the 1959 revolution on Tuesday, possibly setting the stage for a post-Castro era by naming someone other than Fidel or Raúl to the second-highest position in the Communist Party for the first time.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Se puede tomar Cafe Fuerte en Cuba?

I'm sitting in the Hotel Melia Cohiba connected to their slow but functional WiFi signal.

I have been able to read the Miami Herald blog "Cuban Colada," Ernesto Hernandez Bustos' "Penúltimos Dias," and even Yoani's Generación Y.

However, I have been unable to access Wilfredo Cancio's "Cafe Fuerte" site.

Does anyone know if you can drink this dose of "Strong Coffee" in Cuba?

Socialism, Nationalism, Anti-Imperialism, and la actualización del modelo económico cubano: Lo que dijo (y no dijo) Raul

Here is a link to a rush English translation (sent to me by Ned "el guru" Sublette) of Raul Castro's 2.5 hour speech on Saturday to delegates at the opening of the 6th Party Congress.

The translation is the official one from Granma.

The Spanish version is here.

And Raul's speech at the closing of the Congress today is here.

For your reading pleasure, I have added my own lengthy observations and commentary below.

***

While Raul's suggestion that there be term limits of 5-10 years for high-level Cuban politicians has gotten a lot of press both domestically and internationally, personally, I was struck by a number of other key themes. They are:

1. US imperialism is alive and well.
2. Fidel is our oracle.
3. Only socialism can ensure our sovereignty and independence.
4. Equality of rights and opportunities should not be confused with a harmful egalitarianism.
5. In socialism you will be rewarded according to your work, not your need.
6. We must continue to remove all bureaucratic obstacles in the way of expanding micro-enterprise.
7. The buying and selling of housing and automobiles will soon become a reality with Decree-Law 259.
8. Affirmative Action a la cubana: There is an urgent need to promote more youths, blacks, mulattoes, and women to positions of political power.
9. The work day is sacred and should not be violated with meaningless and interminable meetings filled with rigid dogmas and slogans.
10. We will defend the principle of the equal sovereignty of states and the right to free self-determination of peoples, but stand ready to enter into a dialogue with the US to achieve a normal relationship on the basis of mutual respect and non-intervention on the internal affairs of others (despite the fact that the US continues to demand our unconditional surrender and actively support internal "mercenaries" who systematically violate our laws).
11. We must keep fighting for full religious freedom and thank the Catholic church for it's constrictive role in facilitating the release of a group of "counterrevolutionary prisoners ... who had conspired against the Patria at the service of a foreign power."