Spend your holiday in Cuba


US: Cuban Government Becoming More Rigid

The U.S. State Department's top official forfrankly we don't see any significant
Latin America said Wednesday Cuba'spossibility of change of any kind until Fidel
government has become more hard-line sinceis  gone."
the ailing Fidel Castro transferred power to
his brother Raul in late July. AssistantShannon said the United States has no
Secretary of State Thomas Shannon says U.S.independent information on the condition of
officials see no reformer in the currentFidel Castro, who underwent intestinal
Cuban political lineup. VOA's David Gollustsurgery in July, but he termed it significant
reports  from  the  State  Department.that the Cuban leader was not able to make an
appearance at the birthday events early this
Raul Castro made an overture for dialoguemonth.
with the United States in a speech December 2
at a rally marking his brother's 80thHe said if the past is any indicator, Raul
birthday.Castro, known as a brutal enforcer of
communist rule, will not be an agent of
But the State Department's top diplomat forchange in Cuba and none of the other senior
Latin America says if anything, the communistfigures in the hierarchy have shown any signs
government in Havana has become more rigidof  being  reformers  either.
and orthodox since the transfer of power, and
the Raul Castro gesture is not being viewedShannon said after Fidel Castro passes from
here  as  a  real  opportunity  for  change.the scene, Cuban leaders will have a
strategic  choice  to  make:
In a talk with reporters, Assistant Secretary
of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs"Once he goes, the successor government is
Thomas Shannon gave a bleak assessment ofgoing to have to chart out some kind of path
prospects for early change in U.S.-Cubaninto the future," he added. "The question is
relations.what kind of path does it chart out? Does it
chart out a path that only deepens the
He said there is no doubt that responsibilityrepression and deepens the misery? Or does it
for running day-to-day affairs in Cuba hasattempt to chart out a path that is one of
been passed to Raul Castro, the longtimeengagement with the world and an opening,
defense minister, but that there is no hintboth political and economic. But there are no
of  change  in  the  government's  approach:clear signals about what that path is going
to  be."
"With Fidel still alive, the regime has
actually become harder, more orthodox," heShannon said the Bush administration is
said. "And it's not in a position to signalcomfortable with the terms of the 1996
in any meaningful way, what direction it willHelms-Burton Act from Congress, which forbids
take post-Fidel. So we don't feel that we'veU.S. recognition of any transitional Cuban
lost an important moment, because quitegovernment that includes Raul Castro.



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