IPRIS

Por Pedro Seabra

Many eyes were set on the celebrations of the 57th anniversary of the start of the Cuban revolution. Many were expecting to hear President Raúl Castro indirectly signal further ‘minor adjustments’ to the island’s crumbling economy. Many more expected to see Fidel himself, as a revived revolutionary icon now apparently out from reclusion – six public appearances in the last two weeks – and keen on warning the world of an impending nuclear war.

But whoever held such expectations, was surely left frustrated. Not only Raul did not speak at the ceremonies but he also left such daunting task to Vice President José Ramón Machado Ventura, who ended up claiming that “We will proceed with a sense of responsibility, step by step, at the rhythm we determine, without improvisation or haste so as not to make mistakes”. A bucket of cold water, for all it was worth.

However, one cannot help think that it’s surely taking them long enough to decide which steps to take. Indeed it has already been 4 years, since the 2006 unofficial leadership transition – consecrated two years later – that brought around promises of greater openness, or at least, of more chirurgical improvements to the worn-out economic model, inherently iconic to the Cuban Revolution itself. The possibility of owning cell phones or planting crops in unused farmland were quickly applauded and led to a semi-euphoria that inevitably proved ill-fated.

Taking in mind the recent context – specifically, the current international momentum over the latest dissidents’ release – once again, Cuba’s stalling political process is put in display by its own contradictions and by the barely-inexistent pace of its alleged reforms. The reality is, the Cuban leadership sees no rush in pursuing what ultimately could mean its very end. It’s therefore, not a question of pace, but a matter of absolute lack of will.

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