Carlyle Macduff

Cuba Lifting the Veil Carlyle Macduff

Carlyle MacDuff is married to a Cuban citizen and their home is in Cuba. He has acute awareness of politics having lived in several countries and has British military and parliamentary experience. His late father held high office in the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) and his brother became a Cabinet Minister in Canada. Having the unusual experience of spending the majority of his time in Cuba as a member of a Cuban family well away from the popular tourist resorts enables him to fully explain the realities of life for the average Cuban. Since 2013 there has been an increasing understanding in the free democratic world particularly by ill-informed politicians that undefined change is occurring within Cuba. MacDuff questions what President Raul Castro Ruz has actually contributed towards change in the lives of Cubans or whether the external hopes are merely a consequence of masterly political cosmetics. Do a few very minor changes constitute a change of thought by the Castro family regime or are they a demonstration of Raul Castro's manipulative political talents? MacDuff's experiences lead him to conclude that although communism can endeavor to contain, it cannot quench the thirst for freedom that is a natural desire by mankind including Cubans and is demonstrated by so many risking their lives in their endeavors to flee. The Castro family communist regime rigidly demands conformity with their vision, no other is permitted. The author explains very simply the requirements for Cubans seeking to have a quiet life: 'Don't challenge the system, accept it, stay mute and exist.' MacDuff concludes 'Cuba Lifting the Veil' by writing: 'For the people of Cuba there remains only that faint hope which they have tenaciously clung onto for so many long years. Hope for the younger generations that they may yet know freedom and opportunity to live in their beautiful country free of repression, with freedom of expression, freedom of the media and freedom to vote for political parties of choice. Cubans deserve no less, for only then will they become members of an open society in a free world that waits to welcome them with open arms. Liberty and that poignant cry for freedom beckon and humanity demands.'