Marek Borowski

Today we are speaking about matters which are a pure Polish subject – Solidarity – in order to reflect how this experience can be useful for Cuba coming out of trauma.  Why did the Solidarity movement emerge and why did it gain victory?  Jack DuVall pointed out 7 strategic characteristics, but in Poland, there were much more other elements which led to this success.  First of all, the government in Poland was an imposed government.  Periodically, it had the support of its citizens but generally, it was a mandatory government.  The situation is different in Cuba.  Cuba came to independence on its own.  Castro’s movement in the beginning, nevertheless, and for a long period of time was an absolutely patriotic movement, this kind in which motivated all Cubans.  In connection with this, it is easier today for Fidel Castro and his friends to have control over all movement of dissidents because Castro can always appeal to the roots.  The government in Poland during the Polish People’s Republic of Poland (PRL) years could not appeal to the roots.

Secondly, during the Polish People’s Republic of Poland (PRL) years in Poland, dissident movements existed in the Party alone and nearby.  Various types of groups “allowed” appeared at the very least, the Catholic Intelligence Club.  During a certain time in the Sejm, people from a different political entity were present - one of whom from the main representatives is here with us today, Premier Mazowiecki. 

Thirdly, there was neither a full political nor an economic orthodoxy in Poland.  There were different kinds of deviation which were aspects of our historic experiences.  All of this was not present in Cuba.  The situation today is absolutely not comparable.  In spite of this, which way can Cuba come out of this? 

It was said here about the Chinese way, the kind where leftovers “keep a tight reign” – a somewhat formal rule, which these people want to maintain in association to certain things they do not permit, but generally speaking, the country is opening up.  Here we come to touchy things, regardless if Ambassador Rey sits by my side namely for matters concerning the relations – USA – Cuba.

The moment Fidel Castro made his revolution happen, he was not a Marxist and was not planning to establish this kind of system, in which later came about.  After the Bay of Pigs invasion, incorporating the USSR to conflict, it fully politicized this small Cuba.  On top of this, an embargo was added.  I want to say this clearly; this was a dramatic mistake of the United States because the embargo did not only entail not buying sugar.  In the end, this sugar was bought by the Russians.  The main error of the embargo is that it was not permitted to invest.  American investment and other countries of the free world were characterized as bringing in a totally new wind of change.  This caused people who live there to get to know a totally other system.  They started to want something else.  Therefore, in my opinion, this kind of politics was a mistake.  And I think that it was maintained to a large extent that Cuban immigrants were very hard-headed and their votes counted.  As we have seen in the last eight years, the results of the elections were not distinctive returns.  They fought for every vote.  And Florida’s votes were also fought for. 

Well, if we want this road free of violence to develop today, then, in my opinion, we have to change these politics.  Of course, we have much knowledge on this subject, only that today it will not be in a state to function at all, because no one there agreed to it – I am speaking about the Cuban government.  Therefore, first we have to lead to a situation where in a normal way, it will be able to come there and communicate effortlessly with people.