By Daniel Nardini
In Cuba, those Cubans who protested in July against the Cuban government asked the Cuban government if they can be allowed to hold peaceful protests in six of Cuba’s 15 provinces in November. The Cuban government flat out said “no.” This is not surprising because the Communist Party of Cuba has already condemned any and all those who protested back in July as “spies” and “saboteurs” “working for the U.S. government.” The problem is that everything in Cuba is controlled by the Communist Party—the courts, the police, the prison system, the news media, and any and all organizations.
There are no independent institutions or other political parties in Cuba, and so how can any Cuban be able to find a way to express themselves within the system? Because there are no independent institutions in Cuba, ordinary people cannot get what they want. The Communist Party of Cuba is the judge, jury and executioner, and there is no force to tell them otherwise. For all the growing dissatisfaction of the Cuban people, there is no outlet, no mechanism for them to change their circumstances. This is a fundamental problem the people face, and has been with them since 1959. The Communist Party of Cuba wants no change to its rule, no reforms, and no protests.
The basic problem is that when there is too much dissatisfaction, and no outlet, this can lead to either far, far more repression or an incredible explosion of violence. Even one-party states have their limitations, and when the economic situation of the people is so bad this is a recipe for disaster. Most Cubans are sick of the economic stagnation, the extreme poverty, the food lines, and the brutal political repression. I have a feeling we will see more protests in the not-so-distant future.
Judge, Jury and Executioner
By Daniel Nardini
There are no independent institutions or other political parties in Cuba, and so how can any Cuban be able to find a way to express themselves within the system? Because there are no independent institutions in Cuba, ordinary people cannot get what they want. The Communist Party of Cuba is the judge, jury and executioner, and there is no force to tell them otherwise. For all the growing dissatisfaction of the Cuban people, there is no outlet, no mechanism for them to change their circumstances. This is a fundamental problem the people face, and has been with them since 1959. The Communist Party of Cuba wants no change to its rule, no reforms, and no protests.
The basic problem is that when there is too much dissatisfaction, and no outlet, this can lead to either far, far more repression or an incredible explosion of violence. Even one-party states have their limitations, and when the economic situation of the people is so bad this is a recipe for disaster. Most Cubans are sick of the economic stagnation, the extreme poverty, the food lines, and the brutal political repression. I have a feeling we will see more protests in the not-so-distant future.