Helping Cuba’s transition to democracy
José M. de Areilza
August 13, 2006
In a few weeks the European Union will re-emerge from summer reccess. High in the foreign relations agenda is the need to rethink its policy towards Cuba. The island has entered a time of flux with Fidel Castro’s illness and the appointment of his unpopular brother as successor. Even if Fidel survives a bit longer, his dictatorial regime is doomed and will most likely disappear when he does. The time has come to prepare a full fledged European strategy to help Cubans move towards democracy and reconciliation.
For many years, the European Union has followed Spain’s lead in the formulation of its Cuban policy. Many Spanish and Cubans have strong family and cultural links and feel very close, more than in any other “Ibero-American” relationships. All Spanish governments have tried to help the democratic opposition in the island, while keeping a “critical dialogue” with Castro’s regime. Lately, this balance has shifted, since Zapatero’s government has warmed up to Castro’s regime, but such a softer approach has yielded no political results. It is time to go back to a balanced European position, support fully the democratic oppossition and engage the Army and the Church, the only two strong institutions in the island.
Outside Cuba, the EU has to develop ties with the powerful exile community in Miami, which exerts an overwhelming influence on US Cuban policy. The Union has to act towards Cuba as a political actor well differentiated from the US, even if it pursues similar objectives of bringing democracy and freedom -this is a golden rule of European diplomacy in Latin America. At the same time, Europeans need to be in close and invisible coordination with the Bush Administration. The US will be fully involved in whatever takes place in Cuba. The need to bring about peaceful political change can be invoked now by the EU before Washington to finally end economic sactions and the embargo placed on the island, a set of measures that have been used by Castro’s regime to obtain unity in the fight with its Imperial enemy.
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