‘Communism or death' not such a bad option

WINNIPEG (CUP) -- With speculation growing surrounding the health of President Fidel Castro, many are wondering what will happen to Cuba's communist movement. Late last July, presidential duties were temporarily delegated to his brother and vice-president, Raul Castro. Although Cuban officials deny that Fidel is suffering from any terminal illness, rumours are circulating about the possibility of stomach cancer.

Fidel Castro became the prime minister of Cuba in 1959 following the revolution in which the corrupt government of Fulgenci Batista was overthrown. Castro has since then held effective power in the country, becoming president of the Council of State and president of the Council of Ministers in 1976.

Castro's popularity was last tested with the fall of the Soviet Union, the supposed model of socialism, in 1991, which came as a huge economic loss to Cuba. With new allies in place by the end of the decade, namely Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and Evo Morales of Bolivia, Cuba has stabilized.

The Cuban standard of living is something that most Canadians can only imagine. The current tourist apartheid may be an attempt to make the class segregation less visible to visitors, but is in fact working to make the distinctions that much more apparent.

Security guards standing in dark suits around the outskirts of the hotels to keep out the unwanted, and the only locals you will meet are those that work at your hotel or for your vacation services. That is unless you venture out on your own: at which point it will be hard to miss the small, crowded, and worn buildings that house thousands.

With a salary of roughly C$20 a month, personal needs fail to be met. Workers rely heavily on tips from tourists. In 1996, tourism surpassed the sugar industry as the largest source of income for Cuba and has continued to grow steadily over the years.

Many Cubans are educated and qualified people, speaking several languages or with university degrees in a variety of professional fields. Unless they have found an additional source of income, which many do through relatives living in other countries, they lack what we as Canadians take for granted.

They have extremely limited access to the Internet, the media is controlled by the state, and in order to be granted travel privileges, which are rare, citizens must prove they will be returning.

So with the possibility of change around the corner, are Cubans looking for a new democratic future? Do they imagine the “American dream?”

The question was on my mind when I visited the country recently, and the locals were happy to share. Speaking with a few people the feeling was one of contentment, not resentment. The loyalist attitude of every person I met, irrespective of class, was somewhat surprising to me -- especially because I come from a country where almost everyone has something to add, on any and all government issues.

I found it almost impossible to believe that not one person I spoke to had anything remotely negative to say. Residents of Cuba must find it comforting to live in a country where the rules are set, and the same hand feeds everyone. I can't help but question and wonder if, in fact, this country truly is the model of equality that its citizens would have you believe.

Perhaps these people have more insight into the simple and important things in life. Maybe it is possible that my “democratic,” sheltered and privileged life in Canada has skewed my perception of need versus want.

Or maybe it's possible that the huge sign plainly visible outside of my airplane window, in bold red letters, reading “Communismo o muerte” “Communism or death” is exactly what it seems.

Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.