by Jason Beaubien
Jason Beaubien/NPR
"Here, there's only one line. There's no change. Here we have one
revolutionary life. There's no change."
Eduardo, a Cuban in the audience for Raul Castro's speech
Weekend Edition Sunday, July 27, 2008 ·
Cuban President Raul Castro led the celebrations Saturday night to mark
the 55th anniversary of the revolution that brought his brother Fidel to
power. But he urged a crowd in Santiago to remain patient when it comes
to reforms. And he offered no major new initiatives.
About 10,000 Cubans chanting "Fidel" filed into rows of blue plastic
chairs for Raul Castro's speech at the Moncada military barracks.
Almost every member of the audience had a small, single-starred Cuban
flag in one hand and a black and red 26th of July flag in the other.
This was Raul Castro's first 26th of July speech since officially taking
over as president in February. But he has been in charge of the
government since July 2006, when his brother fell ill.
Recently Raul Castro has lifted bans on some consumer goods, including
cell phones. He's also proposed letting farmers cultivate fallow
state-owned land essentially as private entrepreneurs.
Before the speech, many people here said they thought he might use this
address to open Cuba's economy and society even further. But he didn't.
His biggest announcement was a prediction that an aqueduct renovation to
provide water every day to Santiago should be completed by 2010.
Residents there complain that the water is often out for days and even
weeks on end.
Earlier this month, Raul Castro suggested that workers might no longer
be paid equally. He said that socialism means equality of rights but not
necessarily equality of income. But in Saturday's address, he tempered
expectations.
"We are aware of the huge quantity of problems left to solve," he said.
"and most of these problems affect the population directly."
Cuba, which used to be the world's largest sugar exporter, is facing a
crisis in agriculture. It is now heavily dependent on U.S. food imports,
which have been exempted from Washington's long-standing embargo.
Cuba's infrastructure is crumbling. Raul Castro said the government has
plans to rebuild roads, pipelines, houses and railways. But he didn't
address whether Cubans might be allowed to freely leave the country or
whether they can buy and sell houses. He avoided mentioning the dilemma
of Cuba's dual-currency which often forces people to buy necessities in
a currency they're not allowed to earn.
Raul Castro spoke in front of a giant banner of his brother. In the
photo, Fidel Castro thrusts his fist triumphantly in the air.
"Long live the revolution," Raul Castro said, concluding the speech.
"Long live Free Cuba."
Cuba can be a dangerous place for people to talk to reporters.
Dissidents can lose their jobs or even get sent to jail. Earlier in the
day someone in declining to be interviewed said that only "drunks,
children and fools" would be quoted in the foreign press.
After the event, a man who gave his name as Eduardo praised the speech
as very patriotic. He dismissed the idea that Raul is trying to change
Cuba and said Raul Castro's presidency is an extension of Fidel's
glorious revolution.
"Here, there's only one line. There's no change," Eduardo said. "Here we
have one revolutionary life. There's no change."
And in this speech ... by not offering any radical policy shifts or
significant new plans ... Raul Castro suggested that as president, if he
does offer more changes, they're going to be gradual.
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