Former revolutionary commander says Raul Castro reforms will fail
When Fidel Castro's Cuban revolution triumphed in January 1959,
Huber Matos was a top revolutionary commander – up there with Fidel and
his younger brother Raul. The picture at left shows Matos with Fidel
Castro when they were allies.
But Matos quickly fell from revolutionary favor when he began
questioning the undemocratic tendencies of the Castro revolution. In the
end, Matos was imprisoned for 20 years -- released only in 1979 in
response to international pressure.
Matos, now 89, says Raul Castro's recent economic measures amount to
nothing but window dressing – perhaps designed to impress the next U.S.
administration.
Asked in an interview Wednesday at his southwest Miami-Dade home
what Raul Castro is trying to accomplish by allowing Cubans access to
cell phones and tourist hotels previously reserved for foreign
travelers, Matos (above) replied:
"He's trying to gain time. He wants to see how far he can go,
rehearsing the Chinese or Vietnamese model, then wait and see what
happens in the U.S. elections. He will maneuver depending on who the
American people choose at the polls.''
Matos' mention of the "Chinese or Vietnamese model'' was an allusion
to speculation that Raul Castro favors opening up the economy to
generate revenue -- without allowing political freedoms.
Raul Castro was installed as president of Cuba in February after an
ailing Fidel resigned the post.
In the end, Matos says, any and all measures Raul Castro implements
will fail.
"If things don't work out, he will get on a plane, plan a trip to
Europe and Asia and stay over there,'' Matos said. "Raul is not a very
courageous man.''
-- Alfonso Chardy
April 09, 2008
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/cuban_colada/2008/04/former-revoluti.html
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