Interview by María Piñeiro

The current situation in Cuba is very difficult. The economy is still hit by the dual currency situation because the majority of people do not earn enough and do not have enough to live decently because our island depends on foreign imports. More than 70% of what we consume comes from abroad. Also daily life is affected by what we miss out on a daily basis, the long queues to get products, but also by the lethargy, apathy and frustration felt by the majority of the population. The population looks outwards – towards emigration to solve its problems. The young leave, disillusionment is growing, the political discourse is repetitive, bread – a basic product, has practically disappeared these last weeks, it’s difficult to find a glass of milk for kids these days.

When Raul Castro took power in Cuba on the 24 February 2008, he raised expectations inside and outside the island. I think foreign media helped in creating this illusion of “raoulist” changes which for a while spread around the world. But reality is far more stubborn than that. May be with Raul Castro we have shorter political speeches, maybe he isn’t the kind of person to systematically appear on TV or in the press to remind us he is there – but the repression remains the same as under his brother Fidel Castro.

I’ve noticed in the last few months a rise in repression and an increase in the punishment of those who think differently. We’ve seen this during several events and rallies in the street, a crackdown on the opposition, dissidents, independent bloggers, demonstrations that differ or have a criteria contrary to the state.

During several public interventions by the President of Cuba, Raul Castro, said that the dialogue with the EU and the US has to respect our sovereignty and not be an interference in Cuban internal affairs. For him non-interference signifies no more demands for freedom of expression from Cuban citizens on the island. For him non-interference means that no-one raises an accusing finger or a voice to demand Cubans have freedom of expression and association or more economic freedom. As a consequence I don’t think it possible to have a dialogue on an equal basis, if one ignores the majority of the country, the Cuban population – without denouncing, saying and imposing conditions for dialogue so that Cubans live in freedom.

The big challenge for Spain in the next few months as it holds the EU presidency is not precisely to put an end to the common position of the 27 member states in relation to the Cuban government, but it is more to look for a common position of solidarity with the people and the citizens, and to make a clear distinction that Cuba is not its government, that Cuba is neither a party nor an ideology, but its the ordinary people that form this society, and they need your solidarity and that the outside world needs to demand freedom of expression and the rights which all Cubans need.

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