Cuba: Achievements and Crossroads

Abstract

The destructive obsession of the United States with Cuba persists after six decades, and the blockade continues with as much intensity as the counterrevolutionary plots. The reforms to reverse the stagnant economy have been postponed for fear of undermining the social gains of the revolution. However, a mixture of market and combined forms of accumulation with state protagonism is unavoidable to recover growth. The recent protests reflected these tensions, which the government managed by neutralizing the right-wing exploitation of social unrest. Renewing the political system would allow processing the economic and social mutation underway. The feat of sustaining the Revolution is recognized internationally by the significant regional current of solidarity and ignored by social democracy, which covers imperial harassment with a polite mask. The experience of Eastern Europe has debunked the illusion of a socialist denouement from actions sponsored by the right. Left critiques must offer viable alternatives based on contemporary experiences.