Cuba's Number 3 Passed Away

As the revolutionary leaders age and pass away, and Cuba begins to emerge and move toward establishing relations with the United States and other countries, we can hope that the lives of Cuban people will benefit from the evolution.

Some believe that Cuba is now in the position Japan and Germany were in at the end of the Second World War, which resulted in a complete rebuilding and movement toward industrialization. This massive construction gave these two countries a brand new industrial base. Cuba's industrial infrastructure is obsolete and will have to be replaced if they are going to compete in the new world economy. Cuba has two choices to follow. Either they do it on their own and never catch up or they encourage offshore investment to bring them up to modern standards.

President Obama and the new Democratic Congress have finally dropped that failed policy, at least in part, allowing travel and more openings with Cuba.   In response Cuban President Raul Castro announced that Cuba is willing to enter into talks for major human rights reform,  freedom of the press, and anything the US wants to talk about.  It appears that wanting positive change in Cuba was best served by relaxing restrictions rather than maintaining them.

 Castro was successful enough that the Cuban people did not revolt — his regime is relatively popular.  But even those sympathetic to Fidel believe Cuba needs to change.   The time is right for an opening, Barack Obama took the first move, and now it looks like Cuba is reciprocating.