MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Cubans admit other priorities, willing to wait for changes

The official newspaper from the ruling Communist party in Cuba, Gramma said on Tuesday that the moment has come to “make effective” the promises and hopes of change announced by President Barack Obama, although the world crisis and other factors could limit him.

"Beginning today the moment has come to make effective those hopes of change which were at the heart of the message and electoral promises from the winning candidate", said Gramma in a long piece analyzing the US situation signed by former diplomat and international relations expert Ramon Sanchez-Parodi. Nevertheless "the deterioration of the US and global economies are forcing Obama to relegate to second place some of his initial promises of reform and changes in areas such as health, education and security". As to foreign policy, Gramma points out that "it still has to be seen, it's a big question mark" since the team includes from orthodox Democrats to Republicans, which have nothing to do with change. "Obama's main problem, if he believes his own electoral promises, is how to get people moving in support of the promised changes and which the US establishment will reject when it considers they endanger its interests", adds Gramma. But the question is that because of his bipartisan commitment, "Obama is banned from calling on to the masses directly, avoiding existing structures, and besides he does not have the grassroots political or social organization which would enable him to act effectively". Interestingly enough Gramma made no specific reference to Obama's promises of lifting the US 47 year trade embargo on Cuba or his willingness to dialogue. Cuban president Raul Castro has on more than an occasion that he's willing to talk with "no intermediates" and "on the same level and conditions", although he also added that President Obama has triggered "excessive hopes".