Raul Castro continues to be nonplussed about the Obama Administration, saying that “in essence nothing has changed” in his National Assembly speech: “Although less rhetoric exists and occasional bilateral conversations are held on specific and limited topics, in reality the blockade continues to be applied and we shall continue to act with the serenity and patience we have learned in more than half a century.”
That passage was translated by the tireless Renato Perez at Cuban Colada, where more excerpts of that speech are translated: on the economy (where Raul says that the payments backlog to commercial suppliers has been cut by two thirds); on employment and trabajo por cuenta propia; and on prisoner releases and the dissidents.
Phil Peters is absolutely correct to point out the changes in rhetoric. In working on and receiving a license to conduct debates in Cuba, we have found the toned-down rhetoric of this administration to be very helpful. Reducing hostile political rhetoric on both sides is absolutely essential to building constructive ways to solve problems.
ReplyDeleteObama is a genius by ignoring Cuba and maintaining the embargo. That drives Castro nuts; Castro needs all that attention and the rhetoric to keeps his policies alive. Like now, he is terrorizing the people with the “upcoming nuclear war”.
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