It’s wrong to say that the
United States has not tried engagement with
Cuba, even under hard-line policies.
President Bush offered scholarships to Cuban students and credits to Cuban entrepreneurs – but the scholarships were part of his policy to bring a “transition” to Cuba and were offered only to children of dissidents and political prisoners, and the credits to entrepreneurs were conditioned on Cuba first making a series of deep political reforms. One can like or dislike President Bush’s regime change objective or his use of conditionality, but the result was that the proposals delivered lots of moral satisfaction and no results. In some cases the results were negative, such as when the Archdiocese of Havana backed out of a program where American students taught English in one of its civic centers because the program began taking funding from USAID.
Spain is trying something different, and seems to be on the verge of delivering real help to Cuba’s private farmers.
The news is contained in this IPS report on the latest iteration of longstanding UN programs that have addressed food security, mainly in eastern Cuba.
Spain is the main donor behind a $7 million initiative that will provide credits and material aid under UN auspices to private farmers in five provinces. The initiative is framed as supporting the Cuban government policy of “decentralizing” farm production, most notably through more than 80,000 land grants to individuals and small cooperatives.
There is a crying need for credits for Cuban farmers, acknowledged in Cuban media last March. Spain and other donors to this UN program are thus addressing a critical weakness in this sector, and if the program succeeds it will result in higher incomes for private farmers, higher food production, and perhaps lower prices at farmers markets.
Let’s hope the program does succeed, and let’s hope governments on both sides of the pond study the example.
It’s wrong to say that the 
13 comments:
Spain tries engagement with results?
Spanish businessmen and their representatives arrested for various reasons.
Their intelligence contigent asked to leave Cuba under duress so their ability to monitor ETA personnel in Cuba is severely curtailed.
Spanish business interests have their Cuban bank accounts frozen, and their payables remain so.
Vecino de NF
Results, huh? Phil, your naivete has reached new depths. Moratinos bragged about "winning" the release of two token dissidents. Over the next day or so, several other dissidents were arrested or assaulted.
After 50 years of this crapola, it is long past time to wake up and smell the coffee (if there is still any coffee left in Cuba to be smelled.)
So who exactly is in jail? And who was beaten?
Lefty wrote: "So who exactly is in jail? And who was beaten?"
Since your sole source of "reputable" information is Granma, you won't know anything about it, Leftoide.
and that answers the question how anon 743? vecino, more accusations from your fantasy land. at least quit the facade of moderation.
your support of isolation, aggression, hostility and terrorism has worked so well.
Actually I checked a couple of the usual Miami sources and found nothing. So again, please tell us the name of who is currently in jail and who was beaten. Or is this just another case of someone being taken into a police station (and released) - and people in Miami falsely calling it an arrest and assault?
Vecino references the Spanish businessman accused of bribery, who was set free under house arrest until his trial (a clear result of the engagement).
Then he references the case of Spanish intelligence agents who arrived without notifying Havana. According to El Mundo, the agents were coming to meet up with collegues in the NCI intel agency. But following longstanding agreements, Cuba was to have been notified. Rest assured Spain is not allowing the ETA members to disappear.
And yes, some businessmen (from many countries)have had their lines of credit essentially put on hold. Cuba said the other day that all contracts will be honored.
Anonymous November 4, 2009 1:10 PM,
Could you please a single instance that I have supported "isolation, aggression, hostility and terrorism"? I have singed all my comments btw.
Leftside,
The point was that the Zapatero/Moratinos' policy of engagement has not resulted in any significant advantages for Spanish interests in Cuba. At best they have achieved minor concessions like the release of the Spanish businessman who was being held without formal charges. The only Spanish interest that is served by Spanish engagement of the Cuban government is the appearance of protagonism in a diplomatic situation that is anything but dynamic.
Vecino de NF
"Anonymous November 4, 2009 1:10 PM"
he goes by the handle Bootlicker...
Vercino, you and I don't know what advantages for Spanish interests may be being advanced by their slightly revised approach. These things are rarely made publicly known at the time and often take years to become clear. But the scary stories you tried to link obviously have no linkage and are not quite as scary as you implied.
Leftside,
The stories listed are documented by independent news reports. Extensive coverage have been given to each by Spanish newspapers. There is nothing scary for adults in them but they add up to no short term advantage to Spanish interests in Cuba.
Cautionary lessons about cultivating long term advantages in Cuba can be learned from the falls from grace of Aldana, Lage, and Perez Roque. Each was cultivated by foreign interests "investing" in Cuba's future. The investment did not pay up in any of hose cases so far.
The only way to exact a benefit from engaging the Cuban government is to find out what Fidel Castro or now Raul Castro wants, get it for them and get paid cash in a foreign bank account! Nothing personal, just business!
Vecino de NF
Leftside,
The following blog gives some details about the goings-on around Vladimiro Roca's home this last weekend.
http://redcubanacc.blogspot.com/
The assault was against Vladimiro Roca. His nephew got hit by rock on his head. Marta Beatriz Roque got a broken finger out of a melee with the guy that assaulted V.Roca.
Vecino de NF
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