The winds of change blow gently in Cuba

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At a new café in Miramar, a swanky neighbourhood in Havana, cappuccinos and cortados are served amidst flowing fountains and potted plants. The vibe is far more European than Caribbean, and the patrons include some of the well-heeled expats who returned home following the renewal of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the US on 17 December 2014.

Inspired by the foreign trips of a relative, Luis opened the cafe after years of working for the state. He used to earn around US$15 per month; although he refuses to reveal how much he earns now, he says his lifestyle has improved significantly.

“We are doing well because we have clients in the area who work for big foreign firms,” he tells Equal Times while he picks up an empty mug. “The majority of Cubans can’t come here. They order a coffee across the road, where they pay one peso. They can’t afford good coffee like this.”

Over half a million Cuban workers (out of a population of 11.2 million) are now self-employed since Cuba passed a new law permitting private enterprise four years ago.

But the expectation that improved foreign relations would change the lives of everyday Cubans have been hampered by the reality on the ground. Most people still rely on the “daddy state” to buy every day necessities – or on the remittances of relatives abroad.

“The reforms change nothing for me,” says Ibelice, who works as a waitress in a hotel in central Havana. She says she has tried to leave Cuba several times by sea but has been caught and returned by the authorities each time.

“The reforms mean you can supposedly buy a new car or a house, but I earn US$20 a month. How can I have access to these things?”

Last year, foreign-made cars went on sale in Cuba for the first time since the 1959 Revolution. But there was a catch: the cost. In Australia, for example, a top-of-the-range Peugeot 4008 costs approximately AUS$38, 490 (US$27,000); in Cuba the same vehicle costs about US$190,000.

 

Embargo debate

The 55-year-old US embargo remains a sobering reality for Cubans, with its endgame uncertain. December marked a year since the US restored relations with Cuba, leading to a boom in tourism and foreign trade. US and Cuban embassies have reopened in Havana and Washington and commercial flights to Cuba from the United States have been restored.

But Cuba is treading carefully and US President Barack Obama, who has called for the embargo to be lifted and the military base at Guantanamo Bay to be closed, is facing stiff resistance.

His final second term ends in January 2017 and the Republican candidates hoping to succeed him insist that Guantanamo is vital to combat terrorism. They also believe that lifting the infamous trade embargo will only reward Cuba for imposing censorship and limiting freedom of speech.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) says that while the embargo was unsuccessful in its attempt to bring democracy and improved human rights to the island, Cuba “can no longer play victim” now that the embargo is expected to be lifted.

“The status quo has allowed the Cuban government to exploit US policy to garner sympathy abroad,” stated José Miguel Vivanco, executive director of HRW’s Americas division in a 2014 opinion piece.

Cuba still has one of the most restrictive environments for communication in the world and only around five per cent of the population has access to the open Internet, according to Freedom House. In its 2015 report on Cuba, the island scored a freedom rating of 6.5, with 7 being the worst score possible.

In March last year, Cuba’s state telecom company ETECSA allowed a cultural centre, established by the famed Cuban artist Kcho, to launch the first WiFi spot on the island.

While Cubans are still banned from having Internet access at home, there are now over 40 spots across the capital where people can go online. However, the Internet still remains a luxury for most Cubans due to the high cost of devices and surfing. Connectivity is also slow and government controls remain in place.

ETECSA sells cards to access the Internet for US$2 per hour, while web access at tourist hotels costs around US$5.

Vitor, an IT technician, says the restrictions on Internet usage is a huge handicap, especially for IT professionals. Anywhere else in the world, he says he could benefit from easily learning about new technology using video tutorials or he could upload his files to the Cloud, but in Cuba he is hampered by censorship.

“The government used to blame the embargo for the lack of Internet. But last year Venezuela gave us an undersea optic cable so they no longer have that excuse,” he says.

Meanwhile, some older Cubans are suspicious of what renewed relations with the US will mean.

“Things need to change but gradually. We have to be careful so as for the Americans not to dominate us,” Vitoriano, a pensioner, tells Equal Times, with a book about Fidel Castro sitting across from him on the dining table. “We cannot yet trust completely.”

This article has been translated from Spanish.