NotiCuba

As soon as the news was out about Fidel Castro´s illness, so were the prescriptions from the U.S. as how to deal with the situation. The first dictate was for the Cubans in Miami not to move and those living in Cuba to "work for democratic change" accompanied by all sorts of promises of U.S. aid, i.e. intervention, in the island´s domestic affairs.
Repercussion has been overwhelming, mostly wishes for a speedy recovery of the President´s health, from the own Cuban people and from abroad. Others, the few, prematurely rejoicing and bluntly saying they were packing their bags to recover their abandoned (and put to better use) properties in the island.
Rhetoric about a "pacific transition" is accompanied by calls on the Cuban military to bring about the change, i.e. carry out a coup d´etat. Alienating all internal support, the current Administration even includes in the Bush Plan for Transition in Cuba the radical cut in social expenditures like retirement benefits and pensions to the disabled.
Who is going to enforce such actions? The Miami hard-core terrorists or the Marines? Whichever force they pick, there has to be an expert, analyst or the like in the dozens of think-tanks and University institutions in the U.S. who is rational enough to tell Washington they will only obtain the opposite effect by using force.
Living in Cuba for the past six decades, having experienced the before and after of the Revolution, I can tell you that resistance to any foreign intervention, be it rhetorical or physical will only bring about more suffering and a meaningless bloodbath.
In spite of the hardships endured, domestic or imposed from abroad, Cuba surprises the world with its achievements in health and education, egalitarian system, protection of the most vulnerable segments of society, making every resource count. That´s why the same people who fight corruption, demand more transport and food on their tables will take a stand beside the Revolutionary government, because it has delivered the goods, those of a dignified human living.
The majority is convinced Fidel will recover his health. If he assumes command of his previous posts or decides to retire because of ill health or old age, that will not cause an upheaval in their life.
That explains why for the last week, this small still underdeveloped country, has gone about its daily activities as usual, a little sadder, but confident that the people in charge will put their interests first.