Havana – If Fidel Castro is larger than life, his brother seems almost smaller than it.
Dour, short and stiff in public, Raul Castro can’t match the charisma of the far- more-famous Fidel – but he hasn’t had to.
Cuba has been little-changed since the mustached army general, who turns 76 today, took control of a provisional government after intestinal surgery forced his older brother to step down in July.
Raul has announced no sweeping policy initiatives and has given few major speeches, but he has also kept the communist system running – avoiding the outright collapse many Castro detractors predicted for decades.
“The conventional wisdom is that under Raul there will be less government by charisma and more government by procedure and protocol,” said Louis Perez, a history professor at the University of North Carolina and author of numerous books on Cuba. “Raul appears to shy away from the microphone and cameras, to prefer to work with (and) through staff.”
Whereas Fidel gave hours-long speeches and turned up in public constantly, Raul has remained largely unseen, pledging to share power and listen to criticism.
“The first principle in constructing any armed forces is the sole command. But that doesn’t mean that we cannot discuss,” he said in December.
Jose Ramon Fernandez, a vice president who helped command defending forces against U.S.-backed exile invaders at the Bay of Pigs in 1961, wrote a glowing tribute republished in the Communist Party newspaper Granma last year.
“Modest but at the same time firm, Raul teaches the importance of collective elaboration of ideas,” Fernandez wrote. “Raul is systematic in his work style and leadership.”
Fidel Castro has not been seen in public in 10 months, and his condition and exact ailment remain state secrets. He has released a series of signed essays in recent weeks and seems in no hurry to resume presidential duties.
Raul is viewed as likely to embrace limited free enterprise. In the past, he has expressed interest in China’s model of capitalist reform with one-party political control.
Many Cubans hope Raul will eventually usher in modest economic reforms, especially the easing of restrictions on owning private businesses.
But so far, there’s no sign of that happening anytime soon.
Instead, the new government has simply spoken more frankly about problems.
In April, Vice President and Cabinet Secretary Carlos Lage said Cuba’s biggest challenge will be winning over a new generation curious about “the siren song” of capitalism and the creature comforts it affords.
But he provided few details on how the government will pull it off.
