Foto tomada de Internet.
Cuban authorities announced last September 11th the arrival of a “cyclical economic period” involving a “glitch” in the transportation of fuel due to increased blocking measures by the United States government.
Administrative decisions have begun to be executed in order to decrease usage and also to restrict processes and activities that significantly affect the daily lives of Cubans. These decisions, so far, do not structurally change the economic and political model of the Country: they constitute survival measures.
It is true that there is a short-term situation, specific circumstances are present, but at the bottom of this specific problem there are internal and external causes that converge to make the situation in Cuba a structural issue. Obviously, this structure is formed by several conjunctural connections. When the entire structure becomes dysfunctional as it has for 60 years, it is at least simplistic to treat only one of several conjunctural issues. Symptomatology will be relieved or alleviated but the underlying problem persists. Therefore, short-term anomalies only serve to once again alert us to the fact that we need to provide structural solutions to structural problems, i.e., in the economic, political and social model. And we have to do this among all Cubans. It is our responsibility. We have to be purposeful, proactive; but above all inclusive. Let’s try to sketch, once again, some exit points:
The first thing would be to conduct an objective analysis of reality, serene, not ideologized or manipulated. In that analysis slogans and harangues are of no use. What is of value are the facts, figures, ongoing processes, citizen awareness, the correlation of internal and external forces, the degree of real and effective citizen participation, not just support. In this sense, we could list some of those factors that, interrelated to each other, make up our current reality:
Some internal factors:
Some external factors:
In summary:
– It can be considered that the conjunction of these internal and external factors, with their synergistic effects between them, has built a scenario unprecedented in the last six decades, which impacts in a way that makes the current crisis not just a cyclical problem.
– High level negotiations and the goodwill of all parties is necessary to avoid a scenario that nobody wants for Cuba and its sister countries: neither internal disorder, nor regional destabilization, much less violent outcomes.
The Cuban people have a vocation for peace and desire for material and spiritual progress. Our noble and suffering people deserve an orderly, peaceful departure, with the participation of all, without unnecessary delays and with much intelligence and purposeful character. Thinking Cuba, which is the motto of our Centro de Estudios Convivencia, CEC, (Center for Coexistence Studies, COS), is not only a right of all Cubans but a sacred duty in these critical moments.
José Martí said: “Thinking is providence.” “In prevention one finds the art of salvation.” “To guide is to prevent.” “Looking ahead is the essential quality in the constitution and government of people”.1
For this reason, the CEC has wanted to carry out an “Itinerary of Thoughts and Proposals for the Future of Cuba” (www.centroconvivencia.org/proposals) in order to anticipate and propose for public debate a vision of the future we would like to reach among all, so as not to fall back into the improvisations and experiments of the past, and to be able to find the best inclusive, plural and peaceful paths that lead to a democratic, prosperous and happy future.
Let’s look for deep solutions, not short-term ones. Some of these backdrop changes could be:
This should be the time for the opening of public spaces to all Cubans of goodwill who wish to participate in a real and effective process of structural and sustainable changes.
Then, and only then, could we say that: Cuba lives at a juncture between continuity and real change.
This is the real situation that Cuba urgently needs.
Pinar del Río, September 15, 2019