In a move that surprised, but didn’t shock me, Cuban dictator Fidel Castro resigned from his post as leader of Cuba and handed over all of his powers to his brother, Raul Castro. Fidel had temporarily ceded powers to Raul in 2006 after undergoing intestinal surgery, making few appearances in the time since. While I don’t want to undermine what is really a good day for Cubans everywhere, we should be careful how we choose to perceive, interpret, and more importantly respond to this event.
Many Cuban residents in the United States are calling for a Cuban-led revolution to overthrow the communist government that has been in power since 1959 and replace it with, of course, a democracy. President Bush also announced during his tour in Africa that if the Cubans are ready to overthrow the government, that the U.S. will be there to help, and that this marks the beginning of a “democratic transition” for Cuba.
His remarks should come as no surprise. We’re living in a time where many nations in the Western Hemisphere are beginning to give the cold shoulder to the U.S., which in recent years has not lived up to its end of the bargain in playing a positive role in the region. Any additional friends that we can find would be nice! Not to mention overthrowing the communist regime in Cuba has been near the top of the wish list of Presidents since Kennedy.
Leading the charge of spreading anti-American sentiment is, of course, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a big fan of Fidel. Even with Raul in power, I have a feeling that Hugo’s relations with Cuba will likely strengthen, especially in light of recent encouragement from the U.S. to overthrow the Cuban government.
This time around, lets learn from our mistakes (Bay of Pigs) if we choose to support any sort of pro-democracy movement in Cuba. We must walk cautiously. Venezuela is still one of our primary suppliers of oil, and they are already prepared to sever those ties if need be. All the more reason to look to alternative energy! Plus, if this falls under Bushie’s control, it could make or break his presidency.
On the bright side, for cigar connoisseurs out there, the day when you can go out and purchase legal and authentic Cuban cigars is perhaps just over the horizon.