Thank you for inviting me here today. The timing and objective of this seminar is particularly propitious as it comes at a time when institutions and governments around the globe are looking at Cuba and asking themselves, “After 45 long years of dictatorship, how can we help the Cuban people out of this nightmare?” For many people, this represents a sea change in thinking, in no small part brought about by last March’s brutal crackdown.
Most of Castro’s long-time friends no longer express solidarity with him or trumpet the so-called Triumphs of the Revolution. They no longer cast a blind eye to the egregious human rights violations that the Cuban people have had to endure for 45 years.
The March crackdown was critical in another respect: it demonstrated the regime’s palpable concern that there is something growing in Cuban society that it cannot control, specifically, a nascent democratic element that is losing its fear of the regime and dares to stand up and criticize it. That is the reason Castro reacted so harshly: he does not want a democratic opposition to grow and topple him just as it had toppled regimes in Eastern Europe and elsewhere. The crackdown was his attempt to eradicate civil society at its roots, to strangle it in its cradle before it could become a threat.
But the amazing thing is that, despite the long prison sentences, despite the oppression and harassment, there are still Cubans courageous enough to stand up to the regime. Castro will not live forever; there will be a democratic change in government in Havana. We need to do all that we can to help ensure that it is a successful democratic transition rather than a succession in tyranny.
That is the goal for the Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba, which the President announced on October 10: to hasten a democratic transition and to be prepared to assist a free Cuba. Its aim is to help ensure that the hangover after a 45-year dictatorship does not interfere with transition. We must be prepared to be agile, and decisive, when that day finally arrives in order to end all vestiges of the corrupt Castro regime once and for all.
Specifically, the Commission is examining ways to assist in: (1) establishing democracy and the rule of law; (2) creating the core institutions of free enterprise; (3) modernizing infrastructure; and (4) providing health, housing, and human services. Cooperating with international organizations and keeping the multilateral community focused on Castro’s continued human rights abuses will also be part of our efforts.
Secretary Powell and then-Secretary Martinez convened the first Commission meeting on December 5, with high-level participation from the Commission’s core group -- State, USAID, HUD, Commerce, Treasury, the Department of Homeland Security, and the National Security Council. Working groups are established, focusing on the priority topics. When the working groups started deliberating in late December, I told them of President Bush’s personal interest in their work. The Commission has been tasked with presenting an initial report to the President by May 1.
This is a tall order, given the number and scope of the problems to be addressed. The Commission working groups seek to benefit from the existing work that has been done by private individuals, academia, and institutions. This includes tapping into the excellent, ongoing work of the Cuban Transition Project, which has produced a number of thought-provoking monographs that often provide different perspectives on problems. I applaud the efforts of Jaime Suchlicki and the CTP collaborators, who have devoted considerable energy to examining a number of these issues.
My State Department colleagues will be listening to your presentations today. I believe there is a growing urgency in this kind of planning, as we must prepare to work with the Cuban people toward a common goal: a rapid transition to a democratic and free Cuba. Thank you.
