Embassy, May 14th, 2008
NEWS STORY
Follow U.S. at Own Peril, Cuba Warns
By Lee Berthiaume

http://embassymag.ca/html/index.php?display=story&full_path=...

Canada will be setting itself up for "failure" if its strategy for re-engaging Latin American and Caribbean nations takes a page from the United States and follows in the superpower's footsteps, Cuba's first deputy foreign minister warned last week.

Instead, Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla said Canada should use its historic approach to Cuba as a model for its Americas strategy as a "wave" of socialism sweeps across the hemisphere.

"I am sure the only way for making a substantial contribution or building a real relationship between Canada and Latin America would be through an alternative model," Mr. Rodriguez said. "If Canada will choose to replicate the American failing, dysfunctional practices in Latin America, it would be a failure.

"We feel very comfortable in our relations between Canada and Cuba, and it could be a model of relations for a modern democratic international order and for more inclusive and fair globalization.

"If Canada could build their pattern of relations with the Latin American and Caribbean countries in the same styles, experiences, benchmarks as Canada does it with Cuba, in my view, would be excellent. Because relations between Canada and Cuba could be an excellent model."

During a trip that included stops in Colombia, Chile, Barbados and Haiti last July, Prime Minister Stephen Harper revealed that his government was making re-engagement with Latin America and the Caribbean one of three key foreign policy priorities.

In a speech in Chile on July 17, the prime minister painted the Canadian economic and social model as an alternative to the extreme capitalism of the United States and the socialist tendencies of Venezuela.

However, since then, the Harper government has appeared to follow the Bush administration's approach, and there have been indications the two countries share a common agenda in the hemisphere. This agenda includes ensuring free market economies remain strong in the face of increasing nationalization of resources and industries, and that democracy is protected in the face of rising populism and socialism.

The most telling sign that the two are, if not co-ordinating strategy, then striving towards the same goals, has been calls from Mr. Harper and Trade Minister David Emerson for the U.S. Congress to ratify the U.S.-Colombia free trade agreement. Those calls have been quoted by President George W. Bush in his own admonitions to Congress.

Mr. Rodriguez said there is "a sort of crisis with regard to relations between the U.S. and Latin America," describing the U.S. approach to the region as "unfair, intrusive." He felt Latin American and Caribbean countries are "trying to diversify their foreign relations to diminish their dependence of the U.S. economy."

To that end, "there is an opportunity for Canada right now because there is a wave of our [type of] independence, nationalistic, social-oriented governance in Latin America," he said.

Mr. Rodriguez, who served as Cuba's ambassador to the United Nations from 1993 to 2005, said this approach should take into account different levels of development between Canada and other nations, a sense of co-operation, but also respect for each country's independence and internal affairs.

"Canada has excellent relations with different countries with different political systems, and Cuba shouldn't be an exception," he said.

Mr. Harper jumped into hot water during his trip to Latin America and the Caribbean in July when, at a press conference in Barbados, he said Canada has "expressed concerns about certain aspects of governance and human rights in Cuba."

"The values that we are promoting through the region—values of open and free societies, democratic societies, values of modern prosperity and open markets and of course common security challenges—we're going to promote these values," Mr. Harper added.

However, Barbadian president Owen Arthur, standing beside Mr. Harper, said the world's approach to Cuba should bear in mind "respect for people's sovereignty, and non-interference, and the right of people to pursue alternative paths to their development."

Mr. Rodriguez said the relationship between Canada and Cuba "changes every day," but the socialist island nation is "comfortable" with the current arrangement.

Cuba recently saw long-time president Fidel Castro turn over power to his brother Raúl, prompting optimism from some corners that democracy won't be far behind. There have been some recent moves by the socialist government to open up the economy, such as letting Cubans own cellphones, rent cars and visit resorts that have long been the exclusive domain of foreigners.

Mr. Rodriguez said Canadian assistance in areas like agricultural development is welcome, but he said the island nation has no interest in Canadian help on governance or economic reform.

"If you ask me about any relation of our governmental reforms or internal processes, etc., I would have to say that co-operation is a different thing," he said. "Governmental tasks are only a Cuban affair."

In fact, he tried to downplay expectations that major changes are underway or looming in the near future.

"I don't share fully this view because I see no important social change in Cuba, and the main sense of the current process and our new government is a continuity," he said. "I think there has been too much noise about these regular and secondary measures taken by our government."

lee@embassymag.ca