“Raul Castro has started to make cautious changes in Cuba which could signal plans for political and economic reform,” reports the Guardian.

“Since he took over from his brother Fidel, dozens of dissidents have been released, an olive branch has been extended to Washington and there is talk of easing communist controls on property and agricultural production.”

Cuba analysts say that Raul, 76, has been the acting president since his brother Fidel was forced to step down due to illness. Raul’s experimenting with “stealth” reforms to improve living conditions and morale without eroding government controls.

But according to the Guardian, “restrictions on free speech and opposition politics have not been lifted and the tiny group of dissidents has not become more outspoken. ‘Still in force is a political state whose nature is reflected in almost every aspect of life,’ the human rights commission said in June.”

Some analysts presume that Raul is trying to emulate the reforms of Vietnam and avoid the Soviet Union’s unsuccessful ‘peristroika’s’ policies which ultimately led to the collapse of that Communist regime. 

To read the entire article from the Telegraph Unlimited, link here:

Comments (1)

Comment	smaller | bigger
Name
Write the displayed characters
Subscribe via email (Registered users only) I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.
	Add Comment