Example Note 1

Regular Comments Based on Issues Raised by BBC Haveyoursay: Cuba under Fidel Castro, an Ailing Island

Fidel Castro is one of the rare surviving leaders in the world despite attempts at destabilising his regime mainly from the US government and the Cuban community living in Florida. His rule is only a glory to himself but the Cubans have seen their dreams evaporate under economic hardship and political repression.

Under Fidel Castro’s rule, Cuba missed the chance to be a prosperous island. It has been under the dictatorship of a communist regime which sees its neighbour the USA as a giant worthy of fighting instead of becoming liberal and enjoying the benefits of a political and economic alliance with it.

Its proximity from it could have made it a tourist resort for the wealthy Americans. But Fidel Castro opted to make a pact with the Devil by allying with the Soviet Union. During this alliance Castro regime had a honeymoon period. He enjoyed full support from Soviet leaders. Cuba had good social services, for example it had the best health care, not enjoyed in the Soviet Union itself. But Cuba was only exploited by the USSR. It wanted to make of it a window/ façade for other countries to show them the prosperity communism can bring to people.

With the fall of communism, Cuba economic situation plunged. Fidel Castro became like Dr Faustus who had sold his soul to the devil, faced with economic hardship and cajoled with lip services from “progressive” regimes.

Cuba altogether needs a surgical operation to recover from its accumulated ills. While Castro is fighting for his life, the Cubans need a healthy prescription for their lives, not through colourful parades but through a shining economy and a democratic political system.

The continuation of a dictatorship will make no difference if either of the Castros, Fidel or Raul, is in power. What Cubans need is a new era where they can get the breeze of freedom and not a bloody nose when they try to revitalise their political scene with a new, vigorous and young blood.

Castro, due to his apparently incurable illness, has become the symbol of an incapacitated regime which legally should democratically be replaced by a healthy one.

Posted by Abdelilah Boukili

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