50 Chapter 2
ent political and economic program and are characterized by impreci-
sion: calls for “national reconciliation,” the “strengthening of the civil
society,” “pluralism,” and the restoration of capitalism as neoliberal-
ism, whose pernicious consequences for Latin America are well
known.^32
The dialogue of the island with Washington advanced more in
2009 than in the 10 previous years: conversations were resumed on
migration and direct mail; semiofficial groups are exploring avenues
of cooperation in intercepting drug traffic; without lifting the restric-
tions imposed by the Bush administration in 2005, visas have been
granted to academicians and artists; currents in the U.S. Congress are
working hard to restore the freedom of Americans to travel to Cuba.
In relation to the European Union, in spite of the “Common Posi-
tion” adopted at the end of 1996, the policy of the EU, led by Spain,
has substantially improved relations with the government of Raúl Cas-
tro since June 2008 through the lifting of the sanctions imposed in
- Contributing to this change were increasing ties between Cuba
and the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean, not only with gov-
ernments of the left and center-left but also with others such as Mex-
ico. For the previously mentioned sectors of the extreme right, it was
necessary to stop this process of negotiation and recognition of
Cuban reality.
Cuba does not agree to pay any tribute for the limited concessions
of the United States, which in any case has been unwilling to lift the
blockade, asking for changes in Cuba as an excuse to maintain it.
It is predictable that the Cuban political system will move toward
decentralization and increased pluralism. Substantial changes in the
constitution, the juridical system, and political culture will be neces-
sary to achieve this. Popular participation will fortify the system
because of the development of organizational measures and institu-
- Between 1996 and 2008 some US$83 million were distributed to universities and
organizations by USAID's Cuba Program with the purpose of regime destabilization
(Lutjens, 2009: 7). The so-called Independent Libraries Project is also financed in this
way (Neugebauer, 2003).