CUBA: Castro Rules Out Capitalist Transition After His Death

By Dalia Acosta Reprint | | Print |

Dalia Acosta

HAVANA, Feb 25 1998 (IPS) - Fidel Castro returned for another five-year term as president of Cuba with a seven-hour speech in which he staunchly denied that socialist Cuba would undergo a transition towards capitalism, even after his death.

“Our political system does not change. It is untouchable,” Castro told the Council of State – the highest state body active during the parliamentary recess – after his fifth consecutive election.

“The future belongs to what Cuba does,” said the 71-year-old leader, who criticised the recent increase in tolerance on the cultural front, defended women’s rights, condemned the U.S. embargo and denied having named a successor.

The characteristically lengthy speech, which lasted more than seven hours, was a reaffirmation of Cuba’s socialist system and a counter-attack – both ideological and political – to Pope John Paul II’s Jan. 21-25 visit.

On his visit to Cuba, the Pontiff called for a transition to “a new Cuba,” a society that could combine social justice and individual freedom.

Although John Paul II criticised economic sanctions against Cuba, he also came down hard on the state’s atheism, restrictions on certain civil rights, the supposed crisis of traditional family values, divorce and abortion.

Castro, who was unanimously reelected Tuesday by the 601 National Assembly deputies, responded to several of the Pope’s criticisms.

The daily ‘Granma’, the official publication of the Communist Party, said 45 percent of the seats on the Council of State were renewed through a process of “natural access by the new generations” and as a “guarantee of continuity” of the 1959 revolution.

The constitution of the fifth legislature laid to rest talk – widespread last year – that Castro might leave aside one of his duties as both head of state and government.

“To suppose that the death of an individual could destroy the work of an entire people, a revolution and generations who have made sacrifices is truly ridiculous,” said Castro, who added that capitalism and imperialism were doomed to disappearance.

“There is no playing with luck and the destiny of countries,” said the president, referring to reports in the foreign press that he had designated his brother Raul as his successor.

Army General Raul Castro – who was reelected as first vice- president of the Council of State, is second secretary of the Communist Party as well as Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces – has been at Fidel’s side since the struggle that overthrew dictator Fulgencio Batista nearly 40 years ago. Since the 1960s, analysts have considered Raul as the man who would take Fidel’s place when necessary.

The president underlined, however, that any designation of a head of government would be up to the corresponding institutions, and in accordance with the constitution. He added that “not even if this were a monarchy” would he have the authority “to name a successor.”

Castro maintained that “what bothers some people” is that the revolution has survived nearly 40 years in spite of predictions of an imminent east European-style collapse of its socialist system. “Why don’t they leave Cuba alone! If the war against Cuba ends they will see what Cuba can do,” he added.

He stressed that even if the United States sent humanitarian aid, Cuba would not accept such assistance because “we do not need any kind of charity.

“This revolution does not skimp when it comes to saving lives,” said the president, criticising those who discuss Cuba’s problems while ignoring the strides made in health, education and social security.

But his criticism was not limited to reports published abroad. Castro mentioned films produced with public funds “by certain currents” in Cuba, which he described as “counter-revolutionary films that are not a call to struggle and resistance.”

Analysts say his remarks could signal the start of a return to the intolerance of the past, after a brief period of relaxation on the cultural front since the 1980s.

“Transmitting the idea that every revolution and every socialist system is bureaucracy and poverty is to discredit the ideas of a country where the lives of 300,000 children have been saved and infant mortality is 7.2 per 1,000 live births,” he asserted.

In a clear allusion to the Pope’s remarks on the loss of traditional family values, Castro said his government saw family stability as extremely important.

And while he cited the need to educate the younger generations to prevent them from turning to abortion as just another method of birth control, he added that it was impossible to prohibit abortion, “because a woman cannot be forced to have a child she does not want.

“If we are accused of granting women a treatment that makes them more free, let them accuse us,” said the president, thus reaffirming his policy of gender equality and legal abortion.