The recent announcement of the death of Cuban revolutionary and Communist dictator Fidel Castro sparked spontaneous celebrations in the streets of Miami that featured chanting, singing and dancing among the exiled Cuban community.
But this joyful atmosphere stood in stark contrast to the somber calmness of the streets of Havana, where Communist supporters mourned and dissident groups remained quiet out of respect for the demise of a 90-year-old man who, despite his brutality, ranked as one the most influential contemporary leaders in the Western Hemisphere.
While Cubans in Miami may perceive the death of Fidel Castro as a chance for the long-awaited liberation and democratization in their home country, the people in Cuba, who still suffer under the repressive regime of Castro’s Communism, realize that the path to complete freedom is likely to be a long and perilous journey, and that the death of their leader, who had not even been in power for the last decade, will probably not have any immediate effects.
Leading the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro built a Communist country right at the doorstep of the United States. He defied five decades of an American embargo and military attempts to overthrow his power, withstood the collapse of its greatest ally, the Soviet Union, survived numerous assassination plots, and built a government apparatus specifically designed to endure long after he was gone. Furthermore, Communism is not just a system of government, it is an ideology that penetrates and molds every aspect of the society and culture. Religious faith is replaced with state-sanctioned atheism; traditional holidays are abolished and new Communist celebrations established; national symbols are altered or replaced; all folklore and social groups are managed by the government to conform to the socialist ideology; and, little by little, an entire nation is stripped of its soul. And while one of the main accomplishments of the Castro regime is universal access to education, this education equals Communist indoctrination of more than two generations over the course of almost 60 years.
The establishment of authoritarian institutions combined with decades of indoctrination led to a smooth transition of power between Fidel and his brother Raul Castro, who formally took office in 2008. Human Rights Watch periodically reports that repressive policies in Cuba continue under the administration of Raul Castro, including censorship, unlawful imprisonment, instances of torture, and severe restrictions of the freedom of assembly, expression and movement. According to the Freedom House, Cuba is the most repressive regime in all of the Americas.
Despite warming relations between Cuba and the Vatican, multiple papal visits and other promising developments, freedom of religion remains out of reach for the Cuban people. The revised Cuban constitution of 1992 changed the definition of Cuba from an atheist country to a secular country, and six years later Cubans were allowed to celebrate Christmas for the first time after a 30-year ban. Catholics are no longer forbidden from being members of the Communist party, and the last visit of Pope Francis culminated in the success of a joint effort to reestablish diplomatic ties with the United States and allow limited travel.
However, as the U.S. State Department reports, all institutional, group and individual religious activity remains under strict government supervision and control. This includes the confiscation of church properties, closing of churches and other places of worship, and the imprisonment and forced exile of clergy and religious. A historic Franciscan monastery in the town of Guanabacoa was forced to close in 2014 after years of waiting unsuccessfully for the government’s permission to perform necessary repairs. Most of its monks then had to leave the country. Only an estimated 6 percent of Cuban Catholics regularly attend Mass, and they are still sometimes harassed by the police. Last year members of the dissident group Ladies in White, which includes wives of political prisoners, were dragged out of church, beaten by the police and arrested. These most recent atrocities are being carried out under the leadership of Raul Castro.
On the other hand, there are some signs of hope that Cuba might embark on the path towards freedom. Such political development might be fostered by the gradual softening of U.S.-Cuban relations and opening of the borders, leading to greater human interaction through tourism. Recent government policies have allowed small businesses to operate, and that might lead to a development of self-reliance that could provide the necessary foundation for future democratization. Increased technology and flow of information, even though still under the government’s monitoring, could inspire people’s movement for change. And perhaps continuing cooperation with the Vatican might eventually lead to a greater relaxation of restrictive policies against religious freedom and awaken the people’s faith.
Even though the death of Fidel Castro marks the end of an era, it will not bring back the hundreds of executed innocent people or the countless victims who perished trying to cross to America on homemade boats. It will not restore the many lives destroyed due to unjust imprisonment or separation. And it will not magically revive a culturally, socially and spiritually devastated nation. Only after all political prisoners have been freed, families are reunited, forced exiles are allowed to return, human rights are restored, and the Communist apparatus collapses, will the people of both Miami and Havana be able to joyfully unite in one voice: “Viva Cuba Libre!”
Dr. Kamila Valenta is a member of St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte and a part-time professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where she teaches courses on ethnic conflict.