The Trump administration’s maximum pressure tactics against the Havana regime are producing two immediate results. On the one hand, there is widespread anxiety among the leaders of the Palace of the Revolution. On the other, there is a feeling of both hope and uncertainty among Cubans on the island and in exile.
In Cuba, Alex Sal, dean of the Cedars of Lebanon Theological Seminary, urged the faith community to intercede “for respite and liberation” for their homeland. “My Cuba needs Jesus Christ. My Cuba needs godly leaders who fear God and seek His will, showing love for their neighbor in word and deed. My Cuba needs to be rebuilt on the principles of the gospel,” he commented, implying both a plea and a dream.
Of course, the future of the country from the perspective of a Christian man may not be the same as that of other people in exile or on the island.
But what steps would be key and have sufficient consensus to guide the course, first, of a transition toward a new Cuba? Many organizations, such as Archivo Cuba (whose proposals I largely agree with and which serve as a reference for this article), have long pondered this.
In 2013, the Emilia Project, led by the opposition figure and Christian Oscar Elías Biscet, emphasized that the legal framework in Cuba should be based on the democratic principles that prevail in other nations of the civilized world. “Sovereignty of the people, government based on the consent of the governed, majority rule, minority rights, guarantee of basic human rights, free and transparent elections, equality before the law, due process, constitutional limits on government, balance of independent powers, social, economic, and political pluralism; as well as the values ??of tolerance, pragmatism, cooperation, and commitment,” it summarized.
Today we could add other elements to that picture. The release of political prisoners (more than a thousand today) is the first step and, possibly, the one that generates the greatest consensus among civil society.
Next, the Communist Party of Cuba’s control over the government and the State must be repealed, disqualifying it from political activity until a new Constitution comes into effect that clearly expresses the will of the people in this regard — I, personally, believe it should be banished from national political life, as other countries that have suffered prolonged leftist tyrannies have done.
It would also be crucial to dissolve organizations and organs of power such as the GAESA military conglomerate and the political police, among others, that have served to sustain the dictatorship.
Furthermore, in a country ravaged by centralism and economic and administrative inefficiency, it is imperative to stimulate productivity, supply, and access to essential goods and services. Measures should be enacted that prioritize agro-industrial production and trade in Cuba’s fertile lands, the private practice of professions, and exports and imports.
In this regard, the creation of foundations for citizen participation in economic development, as well as for competitive and transparent foreign investment subject to anti-corruption standards, should not be delayed.
Regarding the national legal framework, it is essential to suspend the current Constitution, Penal Code, Family Code, and all laws, regulations, or practices established under Castroism. This would be the first step toward fully establishing a state governed by the rule of law with freedom of religion, expression, association, and assembly, among others, and respect for private property.
Along the same lines, the new Cuba must recognize and guarantee the right to operate freely for civil society organizations and political groups or parties compatible with building a democratic system.
In foreign policy, it would be urgent to invalidate political, military, economic, and other agreements and treaties that do not serve the interests of democracy and the national good. No more terrorism-sponsoring states as friends; more allies in the West, to which orbit the island has to be restored.
Internally, state officials and employees who have committed serious human rights violations must be prosecuted, including members of the armed forces and security forces, the justice system, the business sector, and others. And, as a priority, state monopolies over education, communications, and the press must be dismantled. In these sectors, free enterprise will prevail.
To take the reins politically, it is essential to establish a new Constitution as the fundamental law of the new republic, subject to a future national referendum certified by international observers.
And as the culmination of this process, a period of general elections by direct, secret, and universal suffrage must be planned, in which all political voices wishing to compete on equal terms may participate.
When the leader of the new Cuba is sworn into office again on a Bible, it will not be the end of the road, but the beginning of what few living Cubans remember on the island: the rough and desired path to democracy.
