In Cuban daily life, which is beginning to experience something similar to pre-Covid normality with many people in the streets and without excessive queues in the markets, There seems to be a mutual agreement of support for President Miguel Díaz-Canel not to participate in the Summit of the Americasto be held from next Monday in Los Angeles.
(Read: Alba Summit accuses the United States of discriminatory treatment)
And it is that although the US Department of State assured last week that it will not invite Venezuela and Nicaragua, in addition to the island, to the regional forum, Díaz-Canel went ahead by assuring that, even if he was finally invited, he will not attend. to the meeting accusing the US of exercising “anti-democratic” and “interfering” practices, when “neither politically nor morally corresponds” the right to decide who can attend the meeting.
Specifically, he criticized the fact that the US arrogates a “democracy monitoring power” and affirmed that there “they are not capable of ensuring a plural space” and “disrespect differences” between different political systems.
Several compatriots commented positively on his decision, according to the official website Cubadebate. Rolando, from Pinar del Río, summarized: “This is how you become president, now you are our commandertheir presence at the Summit is not necessary, in short, the dignity, the principles, the ideology, the position, the courage, the morale of the Cuban people are maintained with or without the Summit, everyone knows it”.
This is added to the fact that numerous countries, including allies of Washington, insist on conditioning their assistance to that of these States, considered by the US as “anti-democratic”.
Cuba’s “allies” at the Summit
One of the most active rulers has been the Mexican Andrés Manuel López. And they add Bolivia, Chile, Argentina and Guatemalawho also criticized that the exclusion has not given results, like Honduras.
With this accolade, Cuba opted to anticipate the meeting in Los Angeles ten days, receiving last Friday in Havana the XXI Summit of Heads of State and Government of the ALBA where, together with Venezuela and Nicaragua, they ratified that the “unilateral decision ” from the US “is a serious historical setback in hemispheric relations that offends the Latin American peoples”.
This meeting marked, before it began, the agenda of the Summit of the Americas, chaired by Washington, because far from concentrating on the contents that were intended to be debated, the forum seems to be focused on the debate on whether it should be inclusive and accept countries that The US considers dictatorships or accepts exclusions as normal, as it has been until now.
Some on the island question how to understand Joe Biden’s reversal of Donald Trump’s punishments to approach those adopted by Barack Obama, allowing the return of flights to the entire island, the sending of remittances without the limit of one thousand dollars per quarter and other measures, still without a date for their application, but that did not invite Cuba to Los Angeles, also safeguarding the unilateral embargo imposed in 1962 and tightened during the Trump era.
Analysts have warned that the Summit has become a fiasco before it begins, due to these claims. And although for the Cuban administration this Summit has not been usual. He attended for the first time in 2015, when there was an air of harmony with Washington and he had a second participation in 2018 in Peru.
With the lesson deeply internalized through 11 US administrationsIsland officials wary of Biden’s intentions by softening the measures designed to benefit the Cuban people and not their government or the military.
For the US, moreover, it seems imminent to build bridges when the numbers of Cuban migrants who crossed the land border with Mexico break records. From October 2021 to April there were 114,916, approaching the alarming figure of 125,000 migrants who left through the port of El Mariel in 1980.
However, it is very difficult to separate. The more tourism, the more income for individuals, but also through taxes for licenses for work activities and consumption, end up reaching the state coffers.
But the tourists do not arrive en masse. “It’s below zero,” a horse-drawn carriage driver tells El Tiempo. They do it slowly.
According to the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI), “Until the month of April, 639,660 travelers were received, which represents 631.7% compared to the same period in 2021, which is equivalent to 538,405 more travelers.”
Of these, “447,847 international visitors until the month of April, which represents 5%, that is, 383,177 more visitors than in the same period of the previous year.” But the figure is far from the 2.5 million that the government expected and far from the almost 5 million that arrived in 2017.
‘The city is no longer the same’
This newspaper spoke with two American friends who were making their sixth visit to the communist island. “We noticed a certain sadness, the city is no longer the same.” One of them told us that, although he had his return ticket for the 9th, he was thinking of moving back.
We had to visit several establishments until we found one that accepted Cuban currency for us.
They give an example. “We wanted to buy a bottle of rum and because we didn’t have valid cards – those from US banks are not accepted – they wouldn’t let us pay in cash.”
The paladares -private restaurants- are beginning to open after the lockdown imposed by the restrictions due to the pandemic, but they face very strong competition from hotels.
Individuals have to buy everything in currency and the prices of their services are charged at a rate of 100 CUP (national Cuban peso) per dollar. In many menus the prices appear in CUP with the printed conversion 1 glass of wine 700 CUP/7 USD. While the cafeterias and restaurants of the hotels place the full sign.
It is understandable because a menu of two pizzas, two soft drinks and two desserts costs 1,300 pesos, which converted to the black market exchange rate is barely 13 dollars.
ABefore Biden’s announcement, the euro was exchanged up to 130 and the dollar at 125.
Also the MLC (currency with a currency value that works through transfers to bank accounts and purchase cards) is also quoted at the same rate as the dollar. The problem is that not everyone has access to that card or salaries that support it. The government tries to control all these movements.
Migration, the only solution
The difficulty in buying basic consumer goods is pushing many families to seek life abroad through irregular routes: as rafters, leaving for a Latin American country to embark on a dangerous journey across the continent to cross the US border and ask for asylum.
The United States Customs and Border Protection Office indicated in April that in the last six months they detained 79,800 Cubans at the land border, slightly more than double the entire fiscal year (October to September) 2021 and five times more than the 2020.
The numbers of Cuban migrants who crossed the land border with Mexico break records. From October 2021 to April there were 114,916. They are close to the 125,000 that left through the port of El Mariel in 1980.
With that count in the background, Washington announced the return to the rounds of migratory talks – interrupted for 4 years – that regulate the legal entry of 20,000 Cubans per year.
Shortly after, he announced the opening of the consulate to process visas and family reunification interviews, which even today Cubans could only manage by traveling to third countries such as Mexico or Guyana, among others, which meant the significant increase in the cost of the trip.
However, the normality, the hustle and bustle characteristic of Cuba before COVID seems far from returning.
During the pandemic we didn’t have to pay the tax, but now there is no tourism.
The thermometer is measured by tourism, the second source of income. Mmany hotels remain closed and the open ones have rooms available, the private accommodations also have no occupation. The drivers of the typical horse-drawn carriages that toured the city with tourists colored by the sun make trips with Cubans.
“We are a cooperative with 60 carriages and we have to take turns charging 1,500 pesos for 4 people to be able to get out at least to maintain the license.”
The Russian market was the first issuer of travelers to Cuba in 2021, surpassing the Canadian market, which historically ranked first.
Due to the war in Ukraine, Russian airlines Aeroflot and Azur Air have temporarily canceled their flights to Cuba after most European countries closed their airspace to them.
According to industry specialists, the situation will affect the Caribbean country. Another blow is added to the battered island economy.
The embargo, the shortage of food and medicine continues to take its toll on Cuba. In addition to the bad external image left by its repression of the July 11 protests and the harsh prison sentences for many of the participants.
But now it seems to find echo and weight to force a more open and frank dialogue with the United States.
MILAGROS LOPEZ DE GUEREÑO
Weather Correspondent
Havana Cuba
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