We read in these pages a great analysis about Cuba’s new constitution by Andres Oppenheimer. It was really good and I loved this:
Article 224 says that “under no circumstance can the clauses about the irrevocable nature of socialism and the political and social system established in Article 3…be subject to reforms.”
Translation: If there is one thing that can’t legally be changed in the future, it’s the dictatorship’s right to remain in power forever.
So there you have it. The new dictator is just like the old except that he has a new constitution.
It would be interesting to see how advocates of democracy in the West react to this travesty. What we are seeing in Cuba is the consolidation of the Castro family rule with a fellow named Diaz-Canel as the president of the month.
What can President Trump do? Continue to call for real change in Cuba and tighten the screws. In other words, the best way to help the Cuban people is to stop travelling or spending money in Cuba.
Last, but not least, did anyone really think that old communists would turn into liberty loving democrats because they talk about reform or change? I never did.
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