Op-ed:

Raul Castro's Puppet-On-A-String

By: Diane Sori / The Patriot Factor / Right Side Patriots on American Political Radio

“His election is not by chance. It was planned by us in group, and we decided that he’s the best option in our opinion.”

- Raul Castro on Miguel Mario Díaz-Canel Bermudez becoming Cuba's next president

For six decades they ruled with an iron first...first Fidel and then Raul...the infamous Castro brothers. Turning the once beautiful island nation of Cuba into a third world nightmare of sorts, this once thriving nation saw its economy and infrastructure crumbling under the 'bearded one's' communist rule.

And the Cuban people hoped that economically things would at least get a bit better upon Fidel's death, but those hopes were short lived for Raul was cut from the same cloth as his brother but just in a slightly less in-your-face mode.

So as a new Cuban president now takes over the reigns of power know this transition is not quite what it seems on the surface for Raul's hand-picked successor is nothing but a Castro puppet-on-a-string. How so...with Raul Castro remaining in place as First Secretary of Cuba's Communist Party...the most powerful position of all...and with Raúl’s son Col. Alejandro Castro Espín heading intelligence and domestic security for the army and interior ministry...Raul's actual control shows no real signs of abating especially with his now being freed from the day-to-day responsibilities of a figurehead presidency. And this means the agrarian revolution started by his brother Fidel...a revolution fueled ever forward via pages taken from the communist manifesto by a man who in reality was not unlike a Mafia don...that revolution remains in place...at least for the time being anyway.

And so with orchestration courtesy of all-powerful Raul Castro...who was also the founder and head of the Revolutionary Cuban Armed Forces...party loyalist Migel Díaz-Canel...who came up through the ranks...became the sole candidate nominated to head Cuba’s Council of State...the presidency if you will. And then in a vote of 603 to 1...remember there are no direct 'by the people' presidential elections in Cuba just the nominating of municipal representatives who in turn pick the president...the 57-year old Diaz-Canel...Cuba's then national assembly vice-president...became what was being portrayed as a consensus builder when in reality he is anything but.

So now as the reigns of power shift somewhat to a younger but still decidedly communist leaning generation, know that this generation born after the revolution is still a generation indoctrinated into the ideals and tenets of communism, socialism and most decidedly Castroism. This translates into Diaz-Canel's presidential “anointing” being but a dog and pony show for all the world to see while the Cuban people's sorry lot in life will see no change for the better as this so-called election was but a regurgitation of socialistic continuances of everything that was.

And while last year then President Raul Castro himself spoke that economic reforms were soon to come, even going so far as to say that, “We haven’t renounced the pursuit of private-sector work”...know those words were also just for show for now President Miguel Diaz-Canal has said that, “There is no room for those who aspire to a capitalist restoration...We will defend the revolution and continue to perfect socialism.” In other words, it's more of the same old, same old, for what the Cuban people have to look forward to is as per Diaz-Canal's own words, a “continuity to the Cuban revolution,” and that if any changes are to be made that they will always be in the “context of existing Cuban socialism.”

So why did Raul Castro bother to relinquish the presidency when Miguel Diaz-Canel is Raul Castro...just minus 30 or so years of age?

Before that question can be answered certain facts must be known, first of which is that during his two terms as president, Raul did bring a certain amount of “cautious reform” to Cuba including the introduction of term limits (two 5-year terms total), in fact he himself will step down as the head of Cuba's Communist Party in 2021. And Raul together with then President Obama (calling him that still leaves a bitter taste in my mouth) opened diplomatic but somewhat shaky relations with the United States in 2014; he lifted some restrictions on commerce and travel for Cuban citizens; and he also initiated the legalization of the sale of real estate. 

But even those reforms in no way went nearly far enough in regards to actual economic reform as new licenses for up and coming small private businesses...businesses like restaurants, taxi companies, and operations aimed at the “big money” tourism industry...while still leaving the Cuban economy’s most important economic sectors like energy, mining, telecommunications, medical services, and rum-and cigar-production in the hands of the state...those licenses have not only slowed down but have for all intents and purposes stopped with Cuba's rank and file Communist Party officials claiming that they need to make sure these new private businesses are paying taxes and obeying the law. 

Translation: private business owners and young so-called “upstart entrepreneurs” were making more money than said rank and file Fidel loyal officials were. Jealousy and envy are powerful weapons in the hands of those who wish for a slowing down or a halting of economic reform for to them economic reform signals a flaw if not a failure of the revolution's socialistic collective agenda.

And failure of the revolution remains most decidedly not an option.

So where will this once minister of higher education and former Raul Castro bodyguard's hand fall in all of this, for if now President Miguel Diaz-Canel delays for too long the public's call for much needed and much demanded economic reform, a dangerous precedent will be set with both generalized economic collapse and general discontent hanging over the horizon. And if he decides that economic reform is not to be addressed, Díaz-Canel's painting of himself as both an adherent to the economic policies of Raul Castro and as a consensus builder...while at the same time disavowing the entirety of capitalism...will all be for nought. 

“There’s no space here for a transition that ignores or destroys the legacy of so many years of struggle,” now President Miguel Diaz-Canel said in his acceptance address.

But Diaz-Canel...who Raul says will now hold power until 2031...knows that if he plays his cards right a loosening on private enterprise might still be in Cuba's future without compromising Fidel's dream of a socialist utopia. And to accomplish this he must put in place a version of what's known as “market socialism”...the very system China now uses to bolster its once dragging economy.

But will “market socialism”...which is a predominant state-owned sector within an open market economy...as in a government controlled compromise between socialist planning and free enterprise...a blending of the two is you will...will that be enough to herald in the true economic reform the Cuban people both need and want? It seems only time and Diaz-Canel's promise of reform...albeit cautious reform on his timetable and willingness alone... will tell, for no matter if “market socialism” does become the answer to Cuba's economic woes it will still see businesses being publicly owned but with production and consumption being guided by market forces instead of by government planning, but sadly those businesses would still not be owned by the Cuban people themselves. 
 

But at least that's a start and reform does indeed have to start somewhere for otherwise the now Cuban stagnant economy, along with most cities and towns in a total state of disrepair, will continue on its downward spiral. Remember, the revolution under Fidel's guidance saw Cuba’s economic model being dependent upon having a patron...a sponsor...and while the Soviet Union picked up the country’s tab, if you will, Russia for the most part no longer does. And the economic help gotten from Hugo Chávez’s Venezuela, both before and after his death and Venezuela's own political and economic collapse, is now almost nonexistent, leaving Cuba mired in debt and despair it seems it will never see its way out of. 

Now as for the answer to the question of why Raul Castro really stepped down. Claiming that by his stepping down he now looks forward to having more time to travel the country...I ask Raul travel to do exactly what...and all I can come up with is he will continue to push forward the revolution's now failing agenda in a last ditch attempt to ward off what might be yet a new Cuban revolution...one to bring Cuba into the 21st century and finally leave the 1950's behind.

But sadly for now the Cuban people's suffering continues on for not much relief is expected for the island nation, for while some Cuban's hoped that Raúl’s stepping down as president might be their long awaited relief from a revolution proven to have gone sour...all sadly remains status quo for now. And while there might be a new presidential figurehead in town running Cuba's daily operations...Miguel Diaz-Canel neither stirs the Cuban people's passions nor is he expected to bring much change for Raul Castro still controls the army and the party, and the reality is that he who controls those controls Cuba. It cannot be said any plainer than that.

Copyright @ 2018 Diane Sori / The Patriot Factor / All Rights Reserved.
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To read more on my personal take on the situation in Cuba...and why I see it as I do...please go to my blog The Patriot Factor to read my article A Personal Glimpse Into Castro’s Hell.

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For more political commentary please visit my RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS partner Craig Andresen's blog The National Patriot to read his latest article The Evolution of Monumental Idiocy

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RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS...LIVE!

Today, Tuesday, April 24th from 7 to 9pm EST on American Political Radio, RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS Craig Andresen and Diane Sori discuss Raul Castro's New Puppet-On-A-String; The Evolution of Monumental Idiocy; and important news of the day. 
 
Hope you can tune in at: http://listen.samcloud.com/w/73891/American-Political-Radio#history