Weekly Report - 21 July 2011 (WR-11-29)

Cuban dissidents, including former political prisoners, have tabled a proposal for democratic transition. They are demanding a broad national dialogue leading to free and open elections for all public posts as well as an elected constituent assembly to draw up a new constitution. The Cuban government, which does not recognise an opposition, and dubs the dissidents “mercenaries” at the service of the US, will of course ignore the proposal, but the timing of its publication is significant. It is a turbulent time for the Castro regime, which is trying to implement a highly problematic economic reform, and is now fretting about the health of its chief benefactor, Venezuela’s President Hugo Chávez.

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