When Raul Castro succeeded his brother, Fidel, as president of Cuba, world leaders and human rights activists hoped the change in leadership would bring some modifications in the harsh rules that had governed life in Cuba for more than half a century. Indeed, Raul Castro seemed to suggest, ever so slightly, that might be the case. The passage of time suggests otherwise. Life for most people in Cuba is as grim today as it has been at any time in the recent past.
There’s considerable evidence as well as anecdotal information to support that fact. The U.S. State Department’s human rights report issued last week broadly condemns the Cuban government for an array of pervasive actions against its own citizens. Also last week, the European Union publicly denounced Cuba for the “avoidable and cruel” death of a dissident hunger striker. Cuba rejected both the report and the EU criticism, saying it would not respond to any form of international pressure to mend its ways.
This week, Amnesty International, the human rights group, appealed to Raul Castro to release all political prisoners and to end the routine use of the law to restrict fundamental freedoms. At this writing, Cuba had not commented on the Amnesty International report. Typically, though, Cuba refuses to recognize human rights groups, generally saying they are doing the bidding of the United States. Cuba’s failure to acknowledge the issues raised by the charge or to answer it speaks volumes.
There is growing evidence that Cuba systematically denies its citizens basic human rights, including the right to vote, the right to freedom of speech and press and the freedom of religion. There is ample testimony, as well, to support charges that the Cuban government regularly employs various forms of harassment — including beatings, denial of fair trials, refusal of medical care and inhumane prison conditions — to intimidate or control political opponents. Cuban leaders, of course, reject such claims, though they offer no acceptable evidence to refute the charges.
Given that intransigence, it is increasingly clear that the Raul Castro regime is no different than the Fidel Castro regime. Whatever brother is in charge, the main goal is to retain control of the government at whatever cost, including the lives and liberty of the Cuban people.
The United States and other nations have few options left in their campaign to promote democracy in Cuba and thus improve the lot of its people. President Barack Obama has tried, and properly so, to honor a campaign promise to reduce tensions between the nations. He unilaterally changed some U.S. policies toward Cuba — about money transfers and family visits, for example — to little avail. The Castro regime remains intransigent.
If Cuba won’t respond to Mr. Obama’s overtures, European Union entreaties, Amnesty International requests or long-standing sanctions, efforts to bring change should be redoubled. The goal — to promote democracy and to restore full diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba — remains the same. Only the way to achieve it should be expanded.
The United States and other nations must move with caution. Care must be taken, though, that any new policies do not prompt harsher treatment of Cuba’s people. A highly public effort to expose the repressive regime’s practices paired with promises of aid and assistance, could bear fruit. It’s worth a try. A positive response to such overtures from Cuba would signal a willingness to restore rights to its citizens and to become a more responsible member of the global community.