Freedom in the World 1998 - Cuba

1998 Scores

Status: Not Free
Freedom Rating: 7.0
Civil Liberties: 7
Political Rights: 7

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Cuba receives an upward trend arrow due to a slight relaxation of religious freedom and the release of some political prisoners.

Overview

In the wake of Pope John Paul II's historic January visit to Cuba, President Fidel Castro's government has reduced its repression of dissidents, including long-term detentions, to one of the lowest levels in years. At year's end, government approval for the migration of 19 Roman Catholic priests and 21 lay religious workers raised the number of priests on the island to approximately half of the number in 1961. This was viewed as a sign of a carefully nuanced bow to foreign pressure, but the gesture was balanced against signs that four leading political dissidents, already imprisoned for more than a year, were soon to be tried for "sedition." It remains to be seen whether minor efforts to reduce the level of repression have been a carefully calibrated response to foreign pressure to begin to democratize the island or merely recognition that a heavier hand was not needed to preserve the regime and maintain its control of society.

Cuba achieved independence from Spain in 1898 as a result of the Spanish-American War. The Republic of Cuba was established in 1902, but was under U.S. tutelage under the Platt Amendment until 1934. In 1959, Castro's July 26 Movement, which was named after an earlier, failed insurrection, overthrew the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista, who had ruled for 18 of the previous 25 years. Since then, Castro has dominated the Cuban political system and has transformed it into a one-party police state. Communist structures were institutionalized by the 1976 constitution installed at the first congress of the Cuban Communist Party (PCC). The constitution provides for a National Assembly which, in theory, designates a Council of State. The Council, in turn, appoints a Council of Ministers in consultation with its president, who serves as head of state and chief of government. In reality, Castro is responsible for every appointment. As president of the Council of Ministers, chairman of the Council of State, commander-in-chief of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) and first secretary of the PCC, Castro controls every lever of power in Cuba. The PCC is the only authorized political party, and it controls all governmental entities from the national to the municipal level.

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, which subsidized the Cuban economy, Castro has sought Western foreign investment. A U.S. embargo has been in effect since 1960. Most investment has come from Europe and Latin America, but it has not compensated for the lost $5 billion in annual Soviet subsidies. The government claims that the economy has rebounded in the past three years, but the "special period" austerity program, involving drastic cutbacks in energy consumption and tight rationing of food and consumer items, remains in place.

The legalization of the dollar in 1993 has heightened social tensions, as the minority with access to dollars from abroad or the tourist industry has emerged as a new moneyed class and increased the desperation of the majority. State salaries have shrunk to four dollars or less a month, although the economy appears to be slowly improving.

Neither the Fifth Congress of the PCC in 1997, at which one-party rule was reaffirmed, nor the one-party national elections held in 1998, provided any surprises. Castro proudly pointed to the fact of a reported 95 percent turnout at the polls. Meanwhile, critics noted that, in his paranoid paradise, non-participation could be construed as dissent and that many people were afraid of the consequences of being so identified. At the Communist Party congress, Castro alluded to his own mortality and bequeathed to the nation his own hand-picked successor: his brother, Vice President Raul Castro.

The number of dissidents confirmed to be imprisoned has dropped from 1,320 in 1996 to 381 in June 1998. Part of the decline was due to the release of 140 of 300 prisoners who were held for political activities or common crimes and whose freedom was sought by the Pontiff. At year's end, however, four top opposition leaders faced sedition charges after being arrested in July 1997. Cuba's efforts to break the isolation imposed by the U.S. embargo increased during the year, with Castro making highly publicized trips to several Caribbean neighbors and offering humanitarian assistance to the countries that faced the most damage from Hurricane Mitch.

Political Rights and Civil Liberties

Cubans cannot change their government through democratic means. In January, members of the National Assembly were elected in a process with a reported turnout of 98.35 percent of 7.8 million registered voters. Reportedly, there were only 601 candidates for an equal number of seats. Opposition and dissident groups were forbidden from presenting their own candidates. The National Assembly is vested with the right of legislative power, but, when not in session, this faculty is delegated to a 31-member council of state elected by the Assembly and chaired by Castro.

In Cuba, all political and civic organization outside of the PCC is illegal. Political dissent, spoken or written, is a punishable offense, and those so punished frequently receive years of imprisonment for seemingly minor infractions. A person can even go to jail for possession of a fax machine or a photocopier. Although there has been a slight relaxation of strictures on cultural life, the educational and judicial systems, labor unions, professional organizations, and all media remain state-controlled. A small, courageous group of human rights activists and dissident journalists, together with a measure of activity by the Catholic Church, provide the only glimmer of an independent civil society.

The executive branch controls the judiciary. The 1976 constitution concentrates power in the hands of one individual: Fidel Castro, president of the Council of State. In practice, the Council serves as a de facto judiciary and controls both the courts and the judicial process as a whole.

There is continued evidence of torture and killings in prison and in psychiatric institutions, where a number of dissidents arrested in recent years are held. Since 1990, the International Committee of the Red Cross has been denied access to prisoners. Local human rights activists report that more than 100 prisons and prison camps hold between 60,000 and 100,000 prisoners of all categories. In 1993, vandalism was decreed to be a form of sabotage, which is punishable by eight years in prison.

Cuba under Castro still has one of the highest per capita rates of imprisonment for political offenses of any country in the world. Most political prisoners are held in cells with common criminals, and many are convicted on vague charges such as "disseminating enemy propaganda" or "dangerousness." Since 1991, the United Nations has voted annually to assign a special investigator on human rights to Cuba, but the Cuban government has refused to cooperate. Groups that exist apart from the state are labeled "counterrevolutionary criminals" and are still subject to systematic repression, including arrests, beatings while in custody, and confiscations and intimidation by uniformed or plainclothes state security forces.

The press in Cuba is the object of a targeted campaign by the government. Independent journalists, particularly those associated with five small news agencies, have fallen victim to endless repression, including jail terms at hard labor and assaults while in prison by state security agents. Foreign news agencies must also hire local reporters only through government offices, thereby limiting employment opportunities for independent journalists. In mid-1998, foreign lifestyle magazines such as Cosmopolitan and Hola were removed from the state-controlled newsstands open to the general public on the grounds that they were "damaging to our culture and ideology." In July, Castro ordered the expulsion of foreign news correspondents covering the opening of the new National Assembly. They had to leave, he claimed, so that he could "speak with complete freedom." On a more positive note in November, the government announced that, after 29 years, the Associated Press would reopen its bureau in Havana.

Freedom of movement and the right to choose one's residence, education, or job are severely restricted. Attempting to leave the island without permission is a punishable offense. Cuban authorities have failed to investigate adequately the 1994 sinking of a tugboat carrying at least 66 people, of whom only 31 survived, as it sought to flee Cuba. Several survivors alleged that the craft sank as it was being pursued and assaulted by three other vessels acting under official orders and that the fleeing boat was not allowed to surrender. The government denied any responsibility and claimed that the tragedy was an accident caused by irresponsible actions by those on board. Citing what it calls compelling evidence, including eyewitness testimony, Amnesty International called the deaths an "extrajudicial execution." Those in Cuba who have commemorated the event or who have peacefully protested the sinking have faced harassment and intimidation.

In 1991, Roman Catholics and other believers were granted permission to join the Communist Party. The constitutional reference that mandated official atheism was dropped in 1992. Religious freedom has made small gains. Afro-Cuban religious groups are now carefully courted by Cuban officials. In preparation for the Pope's visit, Roman Catholic pastoral work and religious education activities were allowed to take place relatively unimpeded, and Christmas was celebrated for the first time in 28 years.

In the post-Soviet era, the right of Cubans to own private property and operate joint ventures with foreigners and non-Cuban businesses has been recognized. In practice, there are few rights for those who do not belong to the Cuban Communist Party. Party membership is still required for good jobs, serviceable housing, genuine access to social services such as medical care, and educational opportunities.