we are in the midst of an historic moment for Cuba. I cant get The Granma to load, the world is eager to read what the government is saying. Viva Cuba! Hasta la Victoria Siempre! Ron Berzan wrote: Well Amigos de Cuba - The only way I can see this news is that it is truly (to grab a chronically overused word) EPIC! The first talk of full diplomatic relations between the US and Cuba since 1959. That is HUGE. What that will look like is anybodys guess and I was revolted by some of the gospel of capitalism happening in the news today. But I also have faith that Cuba will approach this on their own terms and will fight tooth and nail for the cornerstones of the revolution -the social programs and social values. The fact that the 3 remaining of the Cuban 5 are by now back is Cuba is also INCREDIBLE! This will be psychologically a tremendous lift for the population, who, as you know, have been militant in calling for their release for the past 15 years. Just a couple of weeks ago while in Cuba, I had conversations with folks who were cyncial that Obama would get anything done vis a vis Cuba and today I have heard from a couple Cubans who are in somewhat of a state of disbelief. The other side of this will likely be that when you have built a lot of your identity around, and blamed your political failings to a large extent on the big aggresor just off your shores - what happens when that begins to shift? What fills the void? And yes, there will be certainly those who rush to embrace all the extra goodies that may soon be arriving on store shelves -and who can blame them really. Again, I have faith that the values of the revolution have been inculcated very deeply within the population, even among youth though they may not be completely conscious of this. Cubans will decide what to make of this new future. There will be tensions within the population, as there have always been, some will be thretened and some will idealize. Will they be the able to resist the corporste machine that will eventually want to eat its way though the island. the pressures will be tremendous but if there is any country prepared to confront and limit capitalism, it would be Cuba. Viva Cuba! Hasta la Victoria Siempre!
Posted on: Fri, 19 Dec 2014 15:46:12 +0000