Hare Interviewed on Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel
Amb. Paul Webster Hare, Senior Lecturer at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University, was recently interviewed for an article examining what Cubans can expect from their new President, Miguel Díaz-Canel.
Hare was interviewed for an April 26, 2018 article in Latin America Advisor entitled “What Can Cubans Expect of Their New President?”
From the text of the article:
“Díaz-Canel’s tenure has just started. The first stage was the eulogy to Fidel and Raúl, which we saw on April 19. The second will be when he articulates policies to strengthen the Cuban economy without conceding political control. The third will be when Díaz-Canel gauges the reaction and decides how to proceed. The old guard will recognize that the Revolution needs to signal change. Díaz-Canel cannot simply project continuity for his entire 10-year term. He needs a new vision to win over an apathetic youth. A non-Castro is best placed to reject shock therapy but quietly dismantle some key features of the Revolution. To turn the economy around, Díaz-Canel must recognize that socialism does not equate to poverty. Free education and health care are important to Cubans. However, Canada, Scandinavia and Uruguay prove they do not prevent material prosperity. The only way to grow the Cuban economy is to expand the private sector and boost foreign investment. Both imply loosening controls and accepting inequality. Meanwhile, Cuba will change whatever Díaz-Canel does. First the Cuban-American interaction is driving business and information exchange. Second, Cubans know how others live through increasing digital access. Third, the ending of ‘Wet Foot, Dry Foot’ means that Cubans can’t avoid the Revolution by leaving. Fourth, China and Russia are not Venezuela and the Soviet Union. They will press Cuba to recognize economic realities. The European Union and Canada are already engaging in the diplomatic opportunities that the new era presents. Sadly, the United States is willfully ignoring them.”
Amb. Hare teaches classes at Boston University on Diplomatic Practice, Arms Control, Intercultural Communication and on Cuba in Transition. His novel, “Moncada – A Cuban Story”, set in modern Cuba, was published in May 2010. His book “Making Diplomacy Work; Intelligent Innovation for the Modern World.’ was published in early 2015.