INTERVIEW OF AMBASSADOR AGUIRRE BY RADIO MARTI

September 1, 2006

Programa Transición
Ambassador Eduardo Aguirre
Pedro Corzo & Laida Carro

Pedro Corzo: Welcome to “Transición” [Transition]; this is a special afternoon for us. We have on the phone, from Spain, the Honorable Ambassador of the United States to Spain and Andorra, Mr. Eduardo Aguirre. In the studio with us is professor Laida Carro, and I’m Pedro Corzo. In this program, we will discuss a topic of the utmost significance today: political transitions in the modern world.

Laida Carro: Good afternoon, Pedro. I feel honored to be able to speak with Ambassador Aguirre, so that the Cuban people know that there are successful Cubans throughout the world. Because our program is called “Transition,” we would like to address this topic, which is crucial to Cuba right now. Ambassador, you recently published a beautiful article called “The Future of Cuba.”

Ambassador Aguirre: Thank you very much Laida and Pedro, and greetings from Madrid. I´m very happy to be doing this interview because it gives us the opportunity to share our ideas on Cuba with Radio Martí’s listeners, not just those in Cuba but those tuning in around the world. So thank you for this opportunity.

Indeed, I recently published an article in the Spanish newspaper La Razón that was later picked up by the Miami Herald and the Houston Chronicle, among others. It gave me the opportunity to share with readers my opinion, which reflects that of the United States to a certain degree, that the Cuban people have a unique opportunity to begin a transition toward democracy. I make a distinction between transition and succession. I think president Castro’s health crisis is causing him to implement a succession strategy which, obviously, has been in the works for some time. I think the video we saw of Castro with President Chávez gives us an idea that Fidel probably won’t be returning to governing on a day-to-day basis. That’s why he’s put Raúl Castro in charge, but I think what Fidel is doing is handing over fragmented power to institutions instead of individuals. Institutions that are obviously part of the totalitarian Cuban regime will wrestle internally to negotiate what, who and why those powers will be shared. Historically, there have been no successions to dictatorships. That’s why I think we should take the time to tell Cuba that Cubans can determine the future of the island, that Cuba is for Cubans and not for other countries or external forces to mold, and that the best way to ensure Cuba is for Cubans is through democracy.

Pedro Corzo: Ambassador Aguirre, we’re a month away from the transfer of power in Cuba. Can the United States do anything in favor of that transition, or Europe, particularly Spain, which has just as many important historical ties to Cuba as the United States?

Ambassador Aguirre: I think so; let me answer yes, but let me explain a little further. I believe the future of Cuba must be determined by Cubans, especially those living in Cuba. The United States, Europe, Mexico, Canada, and many other countries with an historical interest in Cuba can do things. The first thing we can do is say that we are confident that the Cuban regime will realize this is the moment to leave the dictatorship behind that has lead Cuba to an era which, I believe, has been harmful, and has lasted 47 years now. A dictatorship that has benefited an elitist group and harmed the Cuban people in general, stranding it in an economic and social limbo for almost half a century. But what the United States, the European Union and others can do is witness future events in Cuba. We are only in the position to give Cuba ideas, expectations, hope and even our prayers so there can be a transition to democracy. We’ve sent messages and, in particular, the report prepared by the U.S. government, to share what we would do once Cuba is free and democratic, such as offering food, water, medicine, fuel, provisions and other humanitarian aid Cuba needs right now. We want to be able to help, if the Cuban government asks us for it, to help it work toward democracy by giving technical assistance to those in charge of elections, helping the Cuban military adjust to its new role in a democratic society, and do many other things. But, again, this would only happen if our help is requested. We are not in the position to think that Cuba is or will be subjected to the wishes of the United States. What we want for Cuba is freedom.

Pedro Corzo: Europe, and especially Eastern Europe and Spain, went through their own transitions from dictatorship to democracy. Can Cuba learn from other countries’ experiences?

Ambassador Aguirre: I think so. In regards to Spain, it is a country that was under Franco’s dictatorship for several decades, forty some odd years, and its transition has resulted in a democracy that is now 30 years old. It’s not exactly the same situation, but there are certain similarities, and the Spanish military was able to achieve a transition from a completely dictatorial government to democracy, and the Spanish armed forces are respected here in Spain. We also know that ex Soviet block countries such as the Czech Republic, Hungary and East Germany, among others in a long list, have slowly entered the democratic system. I think they’ve done exceptionally well and they’ve been able to tackle the problems inherent to abandoning decades of dictatorship, in their case, a communist one and in Spain’s case, a fascist one, for something representative of the 21st century.

Pedro Corzo: How can the United States and Europe help a post-totalitarian government strengthen democracy, without political interference?

Ambassador Aguirre: I think we have to realize that Cuba is part of the Americas, and that there is an inter-American democratic treaty whose first article states that all citizens of the Americas have the right to democracy, and that their governments have the obligation to promote and protect that right. Once a country, in this case, Cuba, has agreed to uphold that article, it becomes part of the democratic countries of the world, and that’s when the United States, the European Union and other countries in the Americas will give Cuba the help, support and encouragement it needs. That may come as economic aid, free trade or investments to improve Cuba’s infrastructure. We must admit that Cuban infrastructure doesn’t work: electricity, public transport, foodstuffs are all typically absent from the lives of everyday Cubans. Homes must be rebuilt and even now, modern household items don’t exist. The refrigerators, washing machines, etc. belong in antique shops, not modern homes, and Cubans have no access to modern cars. So if it were in a free trade zone, Cuba could become part of that community of democratic countries whose citizens live well. Another thing we can do is make sure Cuba can reenter the democratic world and share ideas on how democracy should work in Cuba.

Laida Carro: I would like to read something that President George Bush said on July 10, 2006 regarding the U.S.’s commitment to the Cuban people: “All people who live under tyranny and without hope should know that the United States will not ignore their oppression, nor justify their oppressors. When they rise up for their freedom, we will stand beside them. Democratic reformers who face repression, prison or exile should know that the United States sees them as they are: the leaders of their free country.” Ambassador Aguirre, what message do you have for those leaders within the Cuban human rights movement who are listening right now?

Ambassador Aguirre: Well, the first message is that they, along with the rest of Cuba, have very limited access to the information that free citizens around the world receive. The regime controls public information and if it weren’t for Radio Martí, I don’t think the public would have access to anything. We have to remember that the Cuban government tries to draw the world’s attention away from its constant economic, political and social failures, and especially uses the United States as the scapegoat for those failures. There are many things missing in Cuba, and there are too many queues for everything you want to buy, too many empty shelves of what people want to buy, too much fear to talk frankly, and too many political police inspectors and officers. Cubans deserve and have the right to normality. It is not normal for a government to restrict the right of its citizens to go out of their country; it is not normal for a government to impose limits to the access to information by the citizens, or to prevent access to international news and the Internet. There are many examples. Unfortunately, Cubans in the island know better than us the problems they face in their daily lives, but what we would like is for a free election to take place in Cuba, candidates of many parties, an independent legal system, independent press, unions that are independent from the central government, guarantees of freedom of speech, association and other basic rights that dissidents in Cuba don’t have, those dissidents who are exposed to rejection, which is frankly nauseating, what they are doing to those persons of great moral and personal integrity. I think it’s time for freedom for political prisoners, it’s time for people to be able to express their opinions without being imprisoned for a great number of years and humiliated and abused; I think we have to respect and protect human rights as it happens in most of the free world, for God’s sake. So what I would say to those who are listening to us is that this is a moment for reflection, that this is a moment of change in Cuba, that Fidel is an elderly and sick dictator who is planning not only to put his brother in charge, but a political bureaucratic machinery, the “polit bureau”, which is proven to have failed and be useless, and only protects himself by using the “bogeyman” of the United States: “Here comes the bogeyman.” The “bogeyman” is not going to come. Cubans have to take advantage of this opportunity; there are even some within the government who say this is the moment to go around the corner to democracy, to freedom, and for Cuba to be for Cubans. Cubans in Cuba will decide its future, I already said it a moment ago, and Cubans outside Cuba are free to give their opinion about the future of Cuba, but Cubans in Cuba will be free to listen and decide what they consider is best, and that is how democracy works.

Pedro Corzo: It’s true what you just said, certainly true, and the situation really changes if a Cuban is ready to make a sacrifice and contribute to the future of his country by returning there. Now, Ambassador, you have vast experience in the economic field. How can Cuban economy be recovered? You obviously know this field very good because you have held high-ranking positions.

Ambassador Aguirre: I think the first thing we have to acknowledge is that Cuba has rather than deficient, collapsed infrastructures; they don’t work, so the new Cuban government of the democratic transition will have to look for external support from international banks like the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank to rebuild road networks in order to be able to take its products to the markets; they will have to repair and improve things at 21st century level, infrastructures for energy generation, not only electricity, but also gas and other things; they will have to improve water quality, all what makes people live well. I think it is essential that, once Cuba can healthily operate within the country, then the Cuban government will have to decide how it is going to facilitate investment in the different sectors, either agricultural or production or tourism, so many things. It’s not my role to make that decision, it will be in Cubans’ power. Cubans have shown again and again, either in Spain, Mexico, Venezuela or the United States, they have great creative industrial capacity if they are given the opportunity. In their country, poor Cubans in Cuba, despite their intellectual capacity and their education… you find a doctor driving a taxi, a person with education serving in a hotel or a restaurant. These persons have to be given an opportunity to live the life for which they are prepared; and infrastructures, as well as freedom of movement, would give them those opportunities. In which places are citizens prevented from going to the beach and the hotels reserved for foreigners? I don’t know any.

Pedro Corzo: That’s certainly true what you just said. Ambassador, you got out in the very special group called “Pedro Pan”. Laida Carro told me her husband got out in the same way, like thousands and thousands of young Cuban people. Many of them, adults today, hold important positions in international companies in different governments and particularly in the government of the United States. Their parents remained in the island due to their age. What would you say to the young people, the men of your age who have an experience different from yours and are in the country and can participate in a transition process; who are professionals like you are, who are men with talent and capacity like you, but unfortunately don’t live in democracy or freedom?

Ambassador Aguirre: Pedro, let’s explain what Pedro Pan is. Pedro Pan is a group of 14,000 children who got out with no structure, and after 20 months 14,039 children had gone out of Cuba right under Fidel Castro’s nose because our parents sent us to freedom. I left when I was 15 years old, my wife was also 15 when she left. I didn’t speak English, I didn’t have a cent in my pocket, no one was supporting me except for the Catholic Church through the donations of the American people. What I have learnt is that with freedom and education you can get anywhere in the United States, and that means that those Cubans who have the opportunity to have education —and I know the island of Cuba is well educated in general and in some cases very well educated, I think that people will have the same opportunities once they are in an environment of freedom, democracy, with a wide market where they can work and earn their living and more than their living, money to enjoy the comforts of the 21st century. Cuba has shown that its best quality, its most valuable raw material is the people of the island, and those people should know that once the reactionary regime where they live disappears and they put a government that allows people to decide their future, then they will have the opportunities that belong to them. It is offensive to suggest that in Cuba, such educated and prepared people don’t have maturity to exercise those rights.

Pedro Corzo: Ambassador, thank you very much, thank you to the honorable Ambassador Eduardo Aguirre and to professor Laida Carro for giving us such an interesting program, and to you in the island for sharing your time with us. But before we say good bye, we must remind that a nation is sovereign when the citizens of that country have the right to change those who govern them, when the citizen has the power to express his will without fear of being suppressed, because his human rights are respected. Ambassador, please, could you tell us after this goodbye some words for the Cuban people?

Ambassador Aguirre: Pedro and Laida, thank you very much for this opportunity. I would say to the Cuban people that they must have faith, they must have faith, I think they have had faith for many years, we all outside the island have interest in Cuba and this not only includes the citizens of the United States, but the government and other countries. We have great, great faith that the opportunity for an integral change, an absolute change towards transition, towards democracy, towards freedom is near, but it has to come from Cubans, it has to come from Cubans in the island, no one, no one is going to interfere with Cubans in the island, and I think integrity is needed, I think many people of the Cuban government may be listening to this program and should recognize that, inside themselves, they have to look for the opportunity to institute a change, a change towards democracy, to simply let Cubans choose how, when and why they are going to rule their island.

Pedro Corzo: Thank you very much Ambassador, we look forward to having you in the future in this or in other program of Radio Martí. I invite you again, if you come to Miami some day, contact us to make a program for Televisión Martí.

Ambassador Aguirre: Thank you very much, Pedro, Laida, and well, “que viva Cuba libre” one of these days.

Pedro Corzo: Thank you Ambassador. Laida Carro: Bye. Ambassador Aguirre: Bye. Pedro Corzo: Bye.

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