As the Jan. 1 anniversary of the revolution's triumph approaches, many of the social welfare achievements that were the trophies of the communist regime have rusted. Years of failed economic policy, waves of mass exodus, and Cuba's inability to recover from the collapse of its patron, the Soviet Union, have dulled Castro's touted crown jewels -- the advances in health and education. Full Story »
Posted by Kaizar Campwala
This piece presents a sweeping generalization -- that life in Cuba is at least as miserable as it was before Castro -- but provides only anecdotal evidence that this is the case. Facts and statistics presented do a good job of quantifying Cuba's current day status vis a vis other nations in the Americas, presenting a mixed picture. But the gist of the article is clearly pessimistic ("por que?") and one would hope the writer would have some sounder socio-historical evidence to support that view. It's a very brief article to make such a bold point, and unfortunately does not support its thesis convicingly. (As much as anything, it feeds on and reinforces the negative expectations of US readers with regard to the Cuban economy.)
In my view the Castros and the Cuban "revolution" are dead letters with regard to US journalistic criticism. I would like to see more constructive feature journalism on the prospects for improved US-Cuban relations as Raul succeeds Fidel, Fidel fades away, and global economic reality sets in. Will Raul be a western Mugabe? No? Will he be Fidel? No? Will he survive in power? Why? What other possibilities might arise? Instead Robles treats us to an unedifying account of Cubans complaining about their lot.