Odds and ends

● So he is running after all, for the National Assembly, in next January’s elections. Fidel’s appearance on the ballot – for a legislative seat in Santiago – enables him to continue as Cuba’s chief of state, but doesn’t guarantee that he will be a part of the Council of State or be elected as its President once the new National Assembly is seated. (Photo from Manicaragua.)

● We’re all familiar with stories about refugees from Cuba, but some go to Cuba too, because Cuba works with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to resettle refugees in need. This story from UNHCR tells about the hundreds of “lost boys” of Sudan who resettled in Cuba – and two who are on their way home.

● Jesús Gracia Aldaz, Spain’s Ambassador in Cuba during the Aznar government (2001-2004), writes an essay (pdf) on the current situation in Cuba and what other countries can do about it. He calls for a firmer posture on the part of the Spanish government, and calls on all governments to demand a transition rather than a succession, and respect for human rights. He is sympathetic to some elements of President Bush’s recent Cuba speech, but he calls for lifting of U.S. travel restrictions. Once again I’m struck by the narrow range of differences at issue in the European debate on Cuba policy; there’s lots of discussion of diplomatic postures and the level of official contact with government officials and dissidents, but no discussion of the limits on trade, investment, and travel the the U.S. government imposes. And in this case, a conservative analysis finds one part of the U.S. sanctions to be counterproductive.