A couple of days ago I was at home with two friends and, as usual, we returned to the “single topic.” On this occasion we were analyzing what the changes — what is happening now — could be called: the right to buy and sell cars, the right to buy and sell houses, licenses to open barber shops and beauty salons.
We came to the conclusion that the only thing that could call itself a change lately, was the way the new laws they are passing come to terms with, as the absolutely normal beings that they are, people with different inclinations and sexual practices.
As for the rest, it’s not about changing anything, but simple reestablishing the rights that have been violated by the same regime that now appears to be kindly awarding them to us. Rights that were torn from us for half a century, and that they now would have us believe are changes that don’t exist.
It’s said that many others will come at the end of the year [2011] including possibly travel and emigration related ones. Wouldn’t it be easier and much more fair to lift all the prohibitions they themselves established? Respecting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to which Cuba is a signatory, would be a good start. All the rest seem to me to be palliative, bandages, that seek to heal the great wounds caused by the system itself.
In my view, this all could be a smokescreen to hide the great economic, social and moral crisis into which they’ve sunk the country. Meanwhile the people are excited about legalizing the purchase and sales of homes and cares, which should have never been illegal, just outside the law. Immersed the hassle of red tape, the lines, the taxes you have to pay, and so on, no one has time to think about the fact that they don’t have any food to put on the table. Meanwhile, the farmers markets and shops are empty, and the civil records offices are packed.
Despair grows in the population, and the leaders are struggling to make us believe in changes and improvements, but the fact is that to date, these new laws have not led to major improvements in the standard of living of citizens.
November 19 2011
