Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere THOMAS SHANNON INTERVIEW ON RADIO SER

December 2, 2006

What do you think about the fact that Fidel Castro is not at his birthday celebration?

I think it indicates that Cuba, at this time, is in a process of transition. But, the transfer of power has already effectively happened, from Fidel to his brother and a cupola of officials. The people of Cuba are preparing for a future without Fidel. This is a historic moment for Cuba and for Latin America because it offers an opportunity for the entire region to look for a way to help Cuba find a democratic future and to reintegrate itself into the inter-American system.

Will the transition be so minimal that, in the end, nothing really changes?

At the end of the day this is a change that the Cuban people must manage. We’ll see at what speed they can make this transition. The international community, the U.S. and countries like Spain have a big role to play – first by talking directly to the regime about the expectations of the international community but also by showing solidarity with the Cuban people; showing them that the entire world has a vision of a democratic future for Cuba.

What role will a big change in Cuba have on the region?

Cuba being part of the inter-American community and the OAS will make the Americas complete again after decades of a divided America. Among the 34 democracies, Cuba is the only totalitarian regime in the region, so it is politically important. Cubans have a lot to do, the Cuban people have a lot of energy, they have a great capacity to work and they can really change the face of the Caribbean.

What do you think about Latin America’s shift towards the Left?

If you look at all the elections in the region this year, the interesting thing is that in some of these there have been candidates who were self-defined as from the left, some from the center, and in other cases, such as in Colombia and Mexico, from the right. The most important thing is that this is all occurring in a democratic framework. What is important to us is not the left, or the center, or the right but that there is a democratic commitment. We are prepared to work with any candidate who has a commitment to democracy and economic integration and who really wants to work with us.

What about Mexico? The political situation has been very complicated since their elections?

The important thing is that Mexican institutions, the electoral institutions have determined a winner in the election. It is a decision that has been accepted by the majority of the Mexican people. Our conversations with the president-elect, who takes possession today, show him to be a person who truly has the intention of exercising power in democratic way and facing the social challenges of Mexico – we have a lot of confidence in President Calderon, the people of Mexico, and in Mexico.

Doesn’t it seem that the U.S. has lost some influence in the region?

Obviously, I don’t agree with that. My job is to work in the region. The U.S. has never had a more active president in the region than George Bush. He has visited the region 8 times, more than any other president. He has dramatically increased our assistance to the region, doubling our contribution. And, we have also participated in the Summit of Americas process. We have constructed a policy towards the region that is based on a commitment to the whole region based on this process. We are more involved than ever in the region.

How do you view the situation in Haiti?

I’ve worked on Haiti for many years, and I’ve never viewed the situation with more hope than today. Sure, there are big challenges in Haiti, but there is a democratic government, and this Sunday there will be local elections. This will complete an election cycle that will really reconstruct the Haitian democracy. For the first time we will have democratically elected leaders in all levels of government. So, in this sense, Haiti has made big steps in important ways, but there are still big economic problems and huge social problems, especially in delinquency and criminality, and, in this area, I think that the international community still has a lot to do in Haiti.

In the whole region, what worries the U.S. most?

That’s an excellent and very interesting question. What we are seeing in the region is an attempt to show that democracy is not a conservative system of government; on the contrary, it is a revolutionary system of government that has the capacity to confront the big social problems in the region – especially poverty and inequality. From our point of view, it is key that democracy be able to dramatically and directly show that it can deliver the benefits and the services that the people are waiting for because, if not, democracy will not survive in the region -- the social challenges are too great. So, from our point of view, we are focusing on helping democracy’s ability to face the big challenges and to act as a democratic partner. From our point of view, this is our most important role in the region.