| FIDEL CASTRO'S IMAGE PROBLEM |
| Written by Maria Elena Salinas |
| Monday, December 03 2001 |
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| If someone came knocking on your door wanting to know how you felt about Fidel Castro, you would probably wonder why anyone would care. Well, someone does care, and someone did go knocking on doors, asking the following question: Do you have a positive or negative image of Fidel Castro? The rare poll was conducted in seven Latin American countries and among Hispanics in the United States. The responses show that the Cuban dictator has a serious image problem.
The good news for Castro is that he is still recognized. Seventy-four percent of those questioned know who he is. The bad news is that most of those who know of him don't like him. According to the poll, he is liked least by Hispanics in the United States - 93 percent have a negative image of him. In Panama, it's 82 percent. His image improves slightly in Guatemala, where 73 percent of those polled dislike him. In Nicaragua, Peru, Venezuela and Mexico, his negative image is in the 60s. The only country where his following is just a bit above the halfway mark is Argentina. There, 47 percent have a negative image of him. Pollster Sergio Bendixen in the United States and local pollsters in each Latin American country conducted the survey among 10,248 people.
Some might not be surprised by these results. After all, Castro is a communist dictator who has ruled his country with an iron fist for more than 40 years. He is one of the last revolutionaries, an aging relic of the Cold War. But those who commissioned this poll want to make sure the leaders of these countries know what their people think of him. Of course, they have a vested interest. They are members of the Cuban exile community who dream of the day when Castro will leave power.
Carlos Saladrigas, a Miami businessman who heads the Cuba Study Group, told me that he hopes this information will help Latin American countries pursue policies that will bring democratic changes to Cuba. ¨Mr. Castro no longer represents a danger to these leaders," Saladrigas said. "He is no longer able to inspire the masses."
For decades, Castro has been exporting his revolution all over Latin America. He has supported rebel movements in places such as Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Colombia and Venezuela, just to name a few. In many of these countries, Castro has been an inspirational leader to millions of people trapped by poverty and political oppression. For this reason, most Latin leaders have been hesitant to criticize "El Comandante."
The Ibero-American summit is the best example of this phenomenon. For the past 10 years, every time the Latin American heads of state meet to discuss the problems facing the region, Castro has been the center of attention. Despite one notable exception last year, when Salvadoran President Francisco Flores lashed out at Castro, the Cuban leader is generally treated with kid gloves at these gatherings, even though he is the only one who has not been democratically elected. This year, for the first time, Castro did not attend the summit. He excused himself by saying he was busy with the recovery effort after the devastation caused by Hurricane Michelle. However, some critics say he stayed home to avoid having to sign a resolution condemning terrorism. Cuba happens to be on the U.S. State Department's list of countries that support terrorism. Or perhaps Castro already knows that his image is deteriorating. Perhaps he realizes that those who once saw him as the brave revolutionary who stood up to Yankee imperialism now see an aging man whose ideas are as old and dilapidated as the buildings in Old Havana.
Maybe when Fidel Castro is done repairing the damage caused by Hurricane Michelle, he can work on repairing the damage caused by the winds of public opinion. |
