IDENTIDADES 1 ENGLISH IDENTIDADES 5 ENGLISH | Page 81

of society because they are identifying with
topics like citizenship and leadership.
There are increasing societal demands for
change and a growing social malaise. People are less and less likely to acknowledge
the legitimacy of the authorities.

are paid via the slavish sacrifice of the Cuban people.
Poverty, illiteracy, inequalities and injustices are some of the assumed consequences
of the application of liberal and democratic
thinking, according to our official press and
those who officiate at these antidemocratic
meetings. The governing, Cuban elite presents this line of thinking as if it were one
of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse,
blaming it for all possible ills, and seeing it
as responsible for the lack of progress and
poverty that so terrifically assails so many
of our citizens. They publish photos and
reports to show just how harmful it would
be resort to formulas that decentralize
things (are against State intervention) and
make in the hands of individuals the responsibility for their own lives.

Even the very process of adjustments implemented by the government has ended up
convincing people that its policies are erratic and ideas inappropriate for creating and
sustaining wellbeing. At the same time, the
limited nature of these changes reinforce a
view that the authorities have not only
made a mistake, but also that they lack the
will and ability to make easily available
possibilities for development and social
progress.
All the above is preparing the way for better
interaction between the Cuban political
opposition and citizens. This means that the
idea and opportunity for political change is
becoming increasingly clear; the acceleration of this process and its legitimation
depend on the citizenry. This requires the
deployment of appropriate political and
social resources, so a change that effectively benefits and impacts the citizenry can
come about.

Yet, is there or isn’t there any truth to these
accusations presented as irrefutable truths
the way they present them? There are the
United Nations’ Declaration on Human
Rights, Treaties on the Civil and Political,
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,
among many more agreements, treaties,
protocols and conventions that guarantee
the fundamental right of individuals and
position their rights as superior to those of
the State.

To speak of democratic ideas in Cuba today
is painful for anyone who wants to hold
them up as a social project. In the first
place, the mass media continues to carry out
an intense, ferocious assault on them; they
present them as an economic strategy of the
powerful who want to become wealthier to
squash those who are weaker and dictate
unilateral, global policies.

The constitution of any country that considers itself democratic always safeguards the
rights of citizens over those of the State and
government. This is permanently monitored
by the country’s citizens and not vice versa,
as is the case in Cuba, unfortunately.
Today, at a time when the government is
selling to the world the notion that 21stcentury socialism is a perfect and viable
option, we must find a way for the ideals of
democracy and freedom to be embraced by
Cuban civil society.

In order to promote this perspective, they
don’t just limit themselves to mere trivialities, but organize great symposia, conferences, meetings and myriad forums and
talks at which there is a fierce attempt to
discredit our ideas. This is achieved by
securing the participation of certain invitees
and presenters from all over the globe who

There are enough of us who are thoroughly
convinced that we must have the true par-

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