Cuba’s slow walk to freedom

Cuba's slow walk to freedom
The United States and Cuba officially reestablished diplomatic relations
on July, 20, 2015. ASSOCIATED PRESS

The symbolic hoisting of the Stars and Stripes by U.S. Marines — the
same men who lowered the flag more than five decades ago — over the
newly proclaimed U.S. Embassy in Havana on Friday will signal the start
of a new era in U.S.-Cuba relations that holds the promise of a better
future for the Cuban people.

When President Obama announced Dec. 17 that the two countries had
embarked on a path to restore the full diplomatic relations that were
broken more than a half-century ago, we labeled it a "roll of the
dice."And so it remains — a work in progress that has been painfully
slow on those issues that mean the most.

Mr. Obama said the new policy was based on the belief that, "We can do
more to support the Cuban people and promote our values through
engagement." It was gamble, but one worth taking in an effort to break
the stalemate that has kept Cubans frozen in an economic and political
time warp that stifles their freedom, self-expression and creativity.

To date, dictator Raúl Castro has shown no sign of relenting on the
human-rights front. According to Cuba's Commission on Human Rights and
National Reconciliation, there have been more than 3,000 political
detentions since the thaw. There will be more, no doubt, because Cuba's
people feel emboldened to challenge a regime that dares not loosen the
restrictions of a police state lest it all come tumbling down suddenly.

But the new relationship will give American diplomats greater leeway to
reach out to dissidents. Instead of asking permission to travel around
the island, diplomats simply have to notify the government of their
travel plans. Not ideal, but then Cuba is not a free country. That's the
whole point of the new policy, to achieve by engagement — soft power, if
you will — what hard power could not achieve during the Cold War and beyond.

Secretary of State John Kerry has insisted that human rights will remain
at the top of the agenda. The United States must show it is keeping up
the pressure, especially in the face of criticism that Cuba's regime
hasn't given up much, if anything. But let's not kid ourselves: It took
six months for the United States and Cuba to negotiate the relatively
straightforward matter of restoring full diplomatic relations. It will
take much longer to make progress on those issues that so deeply divide us.

In the meantime, there are other, little-discussed changes that could
have a significant impact on the Cuban people if the government could be
persuaded to put them into effect. Most are in the realm of economic
policy. As the economy becomes more open — it's already happening —
Cubans' entrepreneurial spirit will give them a greater degree of
economic freedom and, thus, pave the way for a political opening.

The government should be encouraged to take steps to allow private
business to flourish: Get rid of the parallel dollar market that works
to the disadvantage of ordinary Cubans as it enriches government
coffers. Update the primitive banking system so the government cannot
freeze dollar deposits on a whim. Update the civil-court system so small
entrepreneurs can resolve conflicts with the government in a fair,
impartial manner. And, for heaven's sake, allow Cuban workers of foreign
businesses to be paid their full wages in a foreign currency so that the
government does not reap the benefit.

The final goal is political freedom, with everything that implies. It's
not going to happen overnight. But we have no doubt that this will,
indeed, be the ultimate outcome.

Source: Cuba's slow walk to freedom | Miami Herald -
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/article31066803.html