Since that handshake between President Obama and President Castro in November 2014, changes have happened in Cuba. There are more tourists wanting to spend more money. There are more modern coaches carrying groups from tourist destination to tourist destination. There are more visits from US sporting and cultural groups. The biggest change for Cubans has been easier access to the internet. Most things, however, for most Cubans are unchanged.
What do Cubans think of the changes taking place? It depends who you ask. Some are suspicious, about the US’ motivations, some are wary of renewed US exploitation. Many are hopeful for improvements in their living conditions and an end to the economic blockade, bu most realise that Obama cannot remove the Congress-imposed trade embargo.
Since the historic meeting between the presidents in November 2014, change has been in the air. Since then, working groups from both countries have met quietly to work to normalise the relationship that has been testy since Cuba rid itself of the US backed dictator Fulgencia Batista in 1959.
The US flag flew prominently around Havana when President Obama paid a visit in March 2016
Viewed from Australia, the changes seem momentous i.e. the fact that the two nations were meeting and working together. Embassies have been opened in each country, one in Havana and the other in Washington. President Obama has relaxed the restrictions on Americans sending money to help their families in Cuba, and on Americans visiting Cuba. And most recently, he and his family visited Cuba – arriving on 21st March 2016 .
Cuban flag on the Malecon, looking towards the USA across the Florida Straits
So, what has changed in Cuba?
After visiting Cuba many times since 2002, and travelling extensively through the island, I returned in February this year to see first hand what was going on – excited by the prospect of positive changes for the patient, long-suffering and beautiful people.
After visiting Havana, Santa Clara, Matanzas, Varadero, Trinidad, Guantanamo and Baracoa, and speaking with Cuban friends and families that I have known for 10 or more years – sadly, daily life is unchanged and just as much of a struggle as before – for 99% of Cubans.
The most obvious positive and significant change since I was last here in May 2015 is that access to WiFi is now available in public places around the country. Hundreds of people, their faces lit by the glow from their smart phones, tablets and laptops, can be seen sitting by day and night on steps and on park benches in places where WiFi reception is strongest – usually outside large international hotels and central plazas.
Cubans absorbed in using WiFi in the central park of Guantanamo City
Everywhere young, computer-literate people are selling cards for $US3 to give access to the internet for one hour. One example, Fernando, who I met one evening outside Hotel Habana Libre, helped me download Facebook onto my smart phone. He is 22 and studied information science at Pre-University College before doing his compulsory two year military service. He told me that when he finished “I just wanted to earn some money, and so decided not to go back to study at University”.
Cubans use the WiFi outside the Hotel Habana Libre, to use their mobile phones, tablets and laptops
Access to the world wide web is a huge change in a country where previously only tourists could afford $US10 per hour to use the computers available in big hotels. Even so, $US3 is a week´s wage for most Cubans. But this technological change is a heartening sign that more things may follow to ease the burden on Cubans in general, for many of whom life continues to be a struggle – la lucha sigue!
Tourist buses line up waiting for groups of tourists
The other obvious changes are that tourism from the USA is booming and there are many more groups of “yumas” (as white Anglo-Saxons are called here) on the streets of Old Havana. Most of these tourist groups stay in government owned hotels in Old Havana and Vedado, and travel in organized groups in air-conditioned buses (“Yutongs” bought by Cuba from China). They visit the national monuments, like the Museum of the Revolution (formerly the Presidential Palace), the National Museum of Cuban Art, Ernest Hemingway´s home, the Revolution Square, El Morro – the World Heritage listed Spanish colonial fortification that dominates Old Havana, and the plazas of Old Havana, including Plaza Vieja, Plaza de Armas and Plaza del Catedral. Rows of restored luxury US cars from the 1940s and 50s still wait outside these tourist attractions, now joined by rows of Yutong buses.
Cadillacs, Dodges, Plymouths, Oldsmobiles… luxury US limousines from another era take tourists around the sites of Havana
As well as the authorised groups in hotels, many people are making their own way from the US, via Mexico or Canada, and staying in private bed and breakfast Cuban homes – by far the best way to meet Cubans and be well cared for. AirBnB now operates in Cuba and is a great way to find a place to stay and get to know a Cuban family.
So, the visible changes initiated by that meeting of Obama and Castro are few. A lot of extra tourist dollars are flowing into hotels – which benefits the Cuban government and economy in general. The Cubans who benefit privately are those who own restaurants – and the number of good quality restaurants is soaring, bed and breakfast businesses (casas particulares), old American cars… and the callejeros, who make their living on the streets among the tourists, encouraging them to go to this bar or that restaurant, or buy black market Cuban cigars etc.
For most of my Cuban friends, life only gets tougher. Aunt Maria needs to find a boarder to help make ends meet because her son has married a New Zealander and left for a better life abroad; Rafael has got 3 days of back-breaking laboring work for $US10 – but has to pay $US60 per month for his tiny bedsit in a “solar” in Havana; José is a skilled tiler-builder in Guantanamo, where there is no paid work, so he works for meals alone.
So, “Welcome President Obama – thanks for what you are doing (and please try to do more)”. What do Cubans think of it all? Their hopes for positive change have been raised and dashed many times over the past 50 odd years. Cubans are not sceptical – but realistic, and patient. Nothing much will change for them in the short term. They continue to hope and pray to their God, saints and Orishas, that, step by step, little by little, their lot in life will become easier.
Well written, Steven. I observed many of these same changes during my trip to Cuba in March. We are all holding out breath in the US over the election with hopes that our next president continues to lead us towarsd normalizing relations with Cuba.
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