A Mixed Legacy

Cuban dictator Fidel Castro’s announcement this week that he no longer aspires to nor plans to seek the position of President at the Cuban National Assembly next week has elicited myriad reactions from the international community. Infamous for his cruel tactics and abysmal human rights record, Castro, now 81 years old, has stood for nearly fifty years at the helm of one of the most staunchly communist countries in the world (all while he battled with serious health problems over the past 18 months). As his brother Raúl prepares to officially take the reins next month, many in the international community have reflected on the brutal tyranny of Fidel, and the way in which his problematic policies have left the nation of Cuba often teetering on the brink of collapse.

Castro came to power in 1959, ousting the country’s former dictator, Fulgencio Batista. Leading a revolution against the oligarchy that had developed as a result of Batista’s economic policies, Castro initially denied both being a communist and a dictator. Following the Bay of Pigs fiasco in 1961, Castro officially adopted the communist label, began to nationalize private property, and strengthened ties with the Soviet Union.

Throughout his reign, Castro severely limited the press, held highly questionable elections, and imprisoned untold numbers of “counter-revolutionaries” without trials—drawing heavy criticism from the international community and inciting a trade embargo with the United States. Yet despite these atrocities, many in the global community have overlooked some of the positive changes to Cuban society made possible by the Castro regime, focusing instead on his more egregious actions.

Under Castro, Cuba’s public health care and educations systems improved to be among the best in Latin America. Universal medical coverage was one of the foundational principles upon which the Castro regime operated, and the success of its health care initiatives has left Cuba with an infant mortality rate lower than that of the United States. Cuba also boasts an average life expectancy comparable to that of the U.S., a real rarity in the Latin American world. Moreover, Castro’s Cuba reached one of the highest rates of literacy in the world as a result of its comprehensive public education network. (This is not to ignore the sad fact that Cubans are severely limited in what they are actually allowed to read.) While the lack of legitimate democratic institutions will remain an incredibly disappointing aspect of Castro’s legacy, the United States has overlooked many of the positive aspects of the regime in developing its foreign policy with Cuba.

With the coming changing of the guard, now is an opportune time for the United States government to rethink its Cuban trade policy and repeal the embargo. By re-establishing ties with Cuba, the United States can begin to encourage the government’s movement toward democracy and provide the country’s economy with a much-needed adrenaline boost. Increased American influence in Cuba will also motivate Cuban society to begin to demand more from their government, further encouraging the regime to establish legitimate democratic institutions.

As we witness the end of his tenure, we feel that Fidel Castro has left a lasting impact—both positive and negative—on the country he has ruled for so long. Shunned by much of the international community as the tainted legacy of a ruthless dictator, these political changes have in fact brought hope to many that one day, Cuba might become a functioning democratic society. In order to facilitate this hopeful end, the United States should relax its senseless, harmful restrictions on Cuba and come to play an integral part in shaping the future of its neighbor to the south.