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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HAVANA 009342 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE DEPT FOR WHA/CCA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/28/2016 
TAGS: PHUM KDEM PREL SOCI CU
SUBJECT: POLITICAL PLURALISM KEY TO CUBA'S FUTURE, SAYS PAYA 
 
REF: HAVANA 8662 
 
HAVANA 00009342  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Classified By: COM Michael Parmly for Reason 1.4(d). 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: Leading Cuban pro-democracy activist Oswaldo 
Paya met with the COM on April 27 and argued that it will be 
imperative for a future, legitimate Cuban Government to 
embrace political pluralism.  Paya said individual members of 
the Communist Party (CP) should not be excluded from the 
political process, but that the CP itself should be disbanded 
because it is does not recognize the right of other parties 
to exist.  Paya and the COM also discussed the merits of 
Cuba's 1940 Constitution, the rise of demagoguery in Latin 
America, and the need for the USG to shift the playing field 
in the US-Cuba "Battle of Ideas."  Their discussion came a 
week and a half after Paya shared a new Varela Project 
document that reveals his vision of how a democratic GOC 
would act on foreign policy.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (C) Oswaldo Paya met with COM April 27 and argued that a 
future, legitimate Cuban Government will have to embrace 
political pluralism, adding that even CP members should be 
allowed to play a role in a future GOC, though only as 
individuals.  Paya added that the CP itself, in its current 
form, "does not respect the rights of citizens who might 
belong to other parties," and should thus be disbanded.  He 
said senior officials of the current GOC and CP should be 
called to account for serious crimes and rights violations. 
Paya said most Cuban CP members are not true Communists, but 
rather victims of Communism.  "Let's face it: The people are 
brainwashed, compromised, traumatized, held hostage... 
however you want to say it.  They're messed up, and we need a 
solution that doesn't mess them up further.  This is why we 
need pluralism, including for CP members." 
 
¶3. (C) Paya added that inclusion would be the only way to 
avoid bloodshed during the inevitable transition.  The COM 
asked whether a completely bloodless transition is 
conceivable, given the undercurrent of anger that flows 
through Cuban society.  Paya acknowledged the pent-up rage, 
and said part of the solution will be avoiding the emergence 
of a major gap between Cubans on and off the island. 
 
CONSTITUTION NOT ENOUGH 
----------------------- 
 
¶4. (C) Paya told COM that the 1940 Constitution, which his 
Christian Liberation Movement would like to see embraced by a 
future GOC, is progressive, enshrines the separation of 
powers and provides for independent tribunals.  However, Paya 
acknowledged that the Cuba of today bears little resemblance 
to the Cuba of 1940, and said some of the socially 
progressive parts of the 1976 Constitution should be 
incorporated into Cuba's next Constitution.  He said the mere 
adoption of a Constitution, however well written, will not 
move the country forward until the fog of disinformation 
generated by the current regime begins to lift.  He said 
ordinary Cubans have succumbed to a real fear that they might 
lose their job, home or pension if the current GOC crashes 
and burns. 
 
"THE CHAVEZES OF THE WORLD" 
--------------------------- 
 
¶5. (C) Paya also discussed the rise of political intolerance 
in Venezuela and other parts of Latin America.  The COM noted 
that instead of addressing a country's problems head-on, some 
populations are turning instead to populist demagogues, and 
that these leaders, in turn, are unifying the people by 
subjugating them.  Paya concurred, and noted the peril of 
countries taking this path.  He said, however, that "The 
Chavezes of the world have successfully gotten out the 
impression that the United States opposes social 
transformation in Latin America."  He added that 
Cuban-sponsored literacy drives have bolstered this 
impression. 
 
¶6. (C) Paya said he agreed that three key criteria for change 
-- the release of political prisoners, free elections, and 
the registration of political parties - are crucial.  He said 
the challenge will be in the implementation.  "Freeing the 
prisoners? Of course, that's straightforward, and of course 
it's the first step.  But to hold fair elections you need an 
election commission.  And to open the way for other political 
parties, you need the structure and support of laws.  Right 
now, those laws do not exist."  After the fall of the current 
regime, Paya envisions the formation of a constituent 
assembly, followed by elections.  However, he is difficult to 
pin down on who should qualify to join the constituent 
 
HAVANA 00009342  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
assembly.  Regarding eventual elections, Paya said he has 
written to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and Christine 
Chanet, Special Representative for Cuba of the UN High 
Commissioner for Human Rights, to urge their greater 
involvement. 
 
"SHIFT THE PLAYING FIELD" 
------------------------- 
 
¶7. (C) The COM thanked Paya for sharing with us his latest 
Varela Project document, a 24-paragraph text called "New 
Foreign Policy."  (Reftel: The text shows that Paya and his 
colleagues favor adhering to the '40 Constitution, honoring 
Cuba's UN commitments, seeking debt forgiveness  and 
continuing the country's overseas health-care program.) Paya 
welcomed criticism, positive or negative, and encouraged the 
USG to take steps to "shift the playing field," to take the 
momentum away from a GOC that he said has been successful in 
shaping the debate on the US-Cuba "Battle of Ideas." 
PARMLY