There was a time in the mid-20th century at the height of the Cold War and for many years beyond when every political event in Cuba was watched and analyzed closely by U.S. policy makers and the American public. Geopolitical realities have reduced that need and interest, but it would be a mistake to completely ignore what takes place in the Communist nation that is less than 100 miles from the United States. Directly and indirectly, Cuba still can influence hemispheric and global diplomatic and economic activity.
The just-concluded Communist Party Congress in Havana – the first in 14 years – is a case in point. The event marked the official end of the Fidel Castro era. It did not, however, signal the major changes in government that many in Cuba and elsewhere had hoped to see.
The Congress simply acknowledged fact. Fidel Castro surrendered the Cuban presidency and effective leadership of the Communist party in 2008 because of ill health, and that Raul Castro, his brother, assumed both posts. The conclave did provide a stage for Raul Castro to unveil his plans for the future in a more than two-hour talk. Unfortunately, the speech suggests that little will change anytime soon.
Raul Castro’s elevation required a replacement in the party’s No. 2 post. It went to a hard-liner, a longtime supporter of the Castros. The No. 3 post went to someone with similar credentials. There were, in fact, few new faces on the new governing council.
Most appointees are in their 70s and 80s and have been associated with Fidel and Raul Castro since the early days of the revolution. They likely will support the status quo rather than a progressive agenda.