The socialist vision came crashing down in 1989. But in many Latin American countries Fidel Castro still commands respect, the frontrunners being Venezuela and Bolivia. And it is easily understood why: Socialism gives the poor hope. The US gives the poor hate.
What a pity. The US revolution has lasted more than 200 years. It invented the Republic and federalism. It produced the richest and most powerful nation in the world. Its constitution is based on the soundest of principles: freedom, human rights and democracy. But the US itself is now undermining its very own essence. It is breaking down the civil liberties it created. It is scaring its own people and trampling on Christian values. And to top it all, it is the Christians in the US who are the driving force behind this insane breakdown.
The battle for democracy is now on in, of all places, the USA!
So why should we worry about Cuba? We should be worrying about the US! A country so rich, yet with such a poor health care system! Poor Cuba is only one place behind the US on this issue. If the two countries’ wealth is taken into account, Cuba leaves the US way behind. So, again, why worry about Cuba? Cuba has built an excellent educational system for its people.
It has sent thousands of doctors, all trained in Cuba, to Venezuela and Bolivia to provide health care to the poor. And this despite its own poverty! Is it not obvious why the Latin American poor still respect Fidel Castro? The US sends soldiers abroad to kill and maim. But poor Cuba sends doctors. Isn’t it obvious? We do worry about Cuba. We worry about its totalitarianism. We worry about its poverty and human rights violations. We support Oswaldo Payá’s movement for freedom and democracy in Cuba. But at the same time we wonder how the US can be so blind?