FROLITICKS

When I was just a lad, I remember watching on television Edward R. Murrow, a well-known American broadcast journalist, who interviewed Fidel Castro shortly after coming to power in Cuba in 1959. Castro was in New York City at the time, and was welcomed by the American administration and people as a hero. Of course, Castro was casually dressed in olive-drab fatigues and combat boots, while typically smoking his large Cuban cigar. At the time, I didn’t really know much about Castro, but found him to have a larger than life presence.  Castro was not a Communist at that moment, but more a devoted socialist.

As the years passed, I followed closely the success and failures of the Cuban revolution. For whatever reason, the U.S. had supported the previous Cuban dictator, Fulgencio Batista Zaldívar, who had negotiated lucrative relationships with the American Mafia and with large U.S.-based multinationals who in turn were awarded lucrative contracts. The Mafia controlled the drug, gambling, and prostitution businesses in Havana.  In a manner that antagonized the Cuban people, the U.S. government used its influence to advance the interests of and increase the profits of the private American companies.  These companies dominated the island’s economy.  Batista, who murdered thousands of his political opponents in what was then a police state, fled Cuba for Portugal in 1958 with the arrival of Castro’s movement.

After Castro kicked out the Mafia and U.S. multinationals (expropriating billions of dollars in U.S. property), the U.S. turned on Castro. This led to the C.I.A.’s failed Bay of Pigs invasion involving hundreds of Cuban exciles and American strict embargo on Cuban sugar, tobacco and other products.  Given the severe hit on Cuba’s economy and the constant fear of American military campaigns against Cuba, Castro was forced to turn to the Soviet Union for economic and military assistance.  It was at this point that the Americans declared his regime as Communist.

Despite such adversity, Cuba introduced and developed the best free education and universal health care systems in the region, whereby over 90% of Cubans became literate. Castro dispatched Cuban-educated doctors and Cuban-developed vaccines to the poorest corners of Latin America. Superbly trained Cuban musicians and athletes have travelled the world, reflecting excellence in their various disciplines.  Cuban diplomatic and military assistance was provided in the fight against South African apartheid and poverty in various West African nations. In recent years, Cuba has eased its restrictions on religious and individual economic freedoms.

Unlike the U.S., Canada maintained diplomatic relations and trade with Cuba. Canadian tourists and officials frequented Havana and the surrounding country side.  Canadian students volunteered to travel to Cuba to help with the yearly sugar cane harvest.  Just recently, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Cuba, reiterating the strong ties between the two peoples.  Unfortunately, Fidel Castro died shortly after.  However, Cuban-Canadian friendship will live on.  Indeed, Castro is a legend in turbulent times.