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Column 062209 Brewer

Monday, June 22, 2009

Cuba, with Castro's Ideology and Heavy-hand, is a Pariah

By Jerry Brewer

A quintessential theme, which is not necessarily popular by a

majority, is the restoration of relations and lifting of the
described embargo of Cuba by the United States. Acquiescing
to a form of romanticism with the Cuba of the 1950s and former
President Fidel Castro’s despotic and ideological influence
throughout Latin America is irresponsible rhetoric. His four-
decade rule has brought death and misery throughout Cuba and
Latin America.

What is the real issue that democracies of the world should

embrace as they look to the future of Cuba and its citizens?
Fidel Castro’s venomous hatred for the United States started
long before he came into power. Castro’s establishment of a
Communist state came quickly with his intervention of personal
property and businesses. Cuba’s firing squads were quick to
execute dissidents as well as U.S. citizens on the Cuban
homeland.

Protagonists for the end of the Cuban embargo cite the ending
of the Cold War of the past, as well as a no longer need to
protect the U.S. from Communism. Is Fidel Castro’s past
relevant to today?

It is important that we focus on past and current facts to

proactively circumvent any memory recall deficiencies that may
exist on these critical decisions. Too, those that have fallen in
defense of homeland freedoms in Cuba, and those who fled the
island, as well as those that faced ruthless and bloody
confrontations against Cuban insurgency on other foreign land,
deserve consideration and respect.

Fidel Castro has stated “America is weak and will be brought to

its knees.” Why has the U.S. become the scapegoat for the
misery of the Cuban people who cry out to the world for the
freedoms and the rule of law that they deserve from their
government and leaders?

U.S. President Barack Obama stated recently that we would

“extend a hand to the Cuban people in support of their desire to
determine their own future.”

Support for Cuba must circumvent mere opinion. World support

will come to Cuba’s doorstep with action and not mere words by
Cuba’s ruling government. The fundamental issue is for Cuban
leaders to allow citizens the ability to attain the freedoms they
deserve and the ability to join those where the rule of law can
prevail.

What have Cuban rulers recently done to demonstrate to the

world their sincere desires to provide for citizens?

Fidel Castro retained his post as “First Secretary” of the

Communist Party of Cuba. President Raul Castro has claimed
“Second Secretary.” The Cuban Communist Party (PCC) is the
highest rule of decision-making and controls the election of the
members who serve the Central Committee.

Communist ideology and action by Fidel Castro has graphically

meant death and destruction. Cuba has trained thousands of
Communist guerrillas and terrorists. In fact, ties to rogue states
such as North Korea and Iran continue today. Cuba sponsored
terrorism and subversion in Africa and the Middle East, among
other regions. Prior to Castro’s illness, his travel destinations
included Syria, Libya and Iran.

Miami has seen a violent and pervasive anti-Castro struggle for

decades. The newer generations of Cubans and Cuban
Americans voice their vociferous recriminations to the Cuban
leadership model demanding peace, freedom, technology, and
other Western comforts.

President Raul Castro should unequivocally and publicly

renounce terrorism and revolutionary violence, and extend new
freedoms for his people before a world audience. Generations
of Cubans would welcome sweeping changes, both socially and
economically, and the restoration of liberties. This in graphic
contrast to Cuba’s past in which opponents were imprisoned
and executed. Castro’s rule began with over 700,000 citizens
fleeing the island, mostly to the U.S. The U.S. “weakness”
apparently only demonstrated by its heart and soul.

Cuba chose communist bloc aid early. This mistake evident

with the collapse and breakup of the former Soviet Union in
1991. Stiffer trade sanctions against Cuba by the U.S. followed
in 1992, and again in 1996, with Cuba’s aggression in Latin
America and Angola from the decades of the 1980s and 1970s.
The threat to the U.S. by Cuba allowing Soviet nuclear weapons
on its soil in 1962 was a grim reminder of Cuba’s leadership
ideology.
Lift the embargo and allow trade normalization with Cuba?

Communist rule unscrupulously forced horrific sacrifices upon

the Cuban people. No one must encourage others to emulate
the Cuban Revolution. The suffering Cuban population
demands freedom and world support. Recent Cuban espionage
incidents against the U.S. demonstrate the ruling party’s
motives. Let us help Cubans to define their destiny and help
themselves to establish a democracy.

——————————
Jerry Brewer is C.E.O. of Criminal Justice International
Associates, a global risk mitigation firm headquartered in Miami,
Florida. His website is located at www.cjiausa.org.
jbrewer@cjiausa.org