Tracie Powell, writing for the Congressional Quarterly, addresses a little-understood aspect of Cuban-American relations-the role that the politics of race has had in determining what aspects of American culture (and which Americans) have been under attack from the Castro regime. Powell argues that “Fidel Castro’s relationship with blacks in the U.S. goes all the way back to when he stayed in Harlem after getting rejected by Western and European leaders attending a UN General Assembly meeting in 1961; he was welcomed by El Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (also known as Malcolm X). Castro has chosen to visit and deliver speeches in Harlem ever since.” Over the years, Powell argues, Castro has encouraged Cubans, most of them of African descent to identify themselves with African Americans and to condemn American racism. As a result, “Obama’s election means the Cuban regime might not be able to demonize the U.S. as it once did. “
The article also addresses the dangers to the Cuban economy of a too-rapid end to the embargo. Having watched as the Soviet economy collapse after its own opening to the West, the Cuban regime fears being overwhelmed by the much larger U.S. economy. For the Cuban population, especially that of African descent, there is a fear of losing the social gains of the Revolution. Afro-Americans, the article argues, “tend to want the embargo put to rest; but they also want their families to maintain the gains of the revolution, such as universal health care and a guaranteed quality education. (Cuba has one of the highest life-expectancies in the world, and Castro is credited with basically eliminating illiteracy in the country.)” A reintegration of Cuba into western-dominated institutions like the International Monetary Fund could jeopardize those gains by “forcing the country to put caps on how much money it spends on education, health and poverty reduction. And it could affect how much Cuba can tax remittances. Currently taxed at 20 percent, that money allows Cuba to provide social services to its citizens.”
For access to the article go to http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000003103256&cpage=1
