Crisis between the USA and Cuba raises debate about international mediation
The United States has criminally charged Raúl Castro with conspiracy to kill American citizens, destruction of an aircraft and murder - allegations relating to a 1996 case.
The episode heightened tensions between Washington and Havana and reignited the debate over who could act as interlocutor in negotiations between the two countries.
CNN Brasil's international analyst, Lourival Sant'Anna, analyzed the scenario and pointed out that Cuba's economic problems do not only arise from the American embargo, but also from the dysfunctionality of the Cuban system itself.
"A socialist system that does not encourage entrepreneurship, in which the State has an excessive role and which in the past spent on guerrilla military adventures in Angola, in Africa", said Sant'Anna, adding that, more recently, Cuba has also invested heavily in the security apparatus, even exporting repression technology to Venezuela.
The role of Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro
According to Sant'Anna, Raúl Castro does not currently hold any formal position, being just a living symbol of the 1959 Revolution.
The analyst explained that, after Fidel Castro's health problems in 2006, Raúl took power and was later succeeded by Miguel Díaz-Canel, a figure described as very ideological and difficult to communicate with the United States.
"It appears that the United States is unable to negotiate with this figure", said the analyst.
In this context, Sant'Anna identified Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, grandson of Raúl Castro, as the Cuban regime's main negotiator with Washington. "He has the credentials of being the grandson of the living leader of the Revolution and, at the same time, being a pragmatic man," said the analyst.
According to him, Raúl Guillermo is a military man, enjoys great trust from the regime and takes care of the personal security of the Cuban authorities - and it was he who has led the negotiations so far. Sant'Anna drew a parallel with Venezuela, where Delcy Rodríguez performs a similar mediation role.
American pressure and information control in Cuba
Sant'Anna highlighted that the negotiations have not yet produced concrete results, which has led the United States to adopt a more intense pressure stance. One of the initiatives mentioned was the transfer of 100 million dollars through the Catholic Church, so that it did not go through the Cuban government.
"It is already an attempt to maintain popularity, sympathy among the Cuban people", he analyzed.
The analyst also mentioned that speeches aimed at the Cuban people face significant barriers, given the strong control of information in the country, aggravated by difficulties in supplying electricity and accessing the internet.
"It is still unclear what the United States can achieve in Cuba," concluded Sant'Anna, adding that the American strategy seeks a quick result, but that the situation remains uncertain.
Who is Raúl Castro, former president of Cuba?
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Source: CNN