2006年VOA标准英语-Cuban-American Plans for Post-Castro May Hit Ro

By Steve Mort
Miami, Florida
07 November 2006
 
watch Cuban American Castro

 
Many Cubans living in the United States are drawing up plans to return to the island amid fresh speculation¹ over the health of Cuban leader Fidel Castro.  Cuban-Americans are keeping a close eye on reports the 80-year-old leader has terminal cancer.  But the hopes by many to return to Cuba may be more difficult than anticipated.

Miami is home to some 600,000 Cubans -- some have been here for nearly half a century.  And Fidel Castro's poor health has re-energized those planning a return to their homeland in the event of political change.

 
One of many Cuban-Americans who would love to return to Cuba
One man said he would return. "I would love to go back. I would love to possibly try to reclaim² my grandmother's old house".

The U.S. government says Cuban-Americans should allow those in Cuba to take charge of a transition.

But a lot of exiles, like the Cuban-American National Foundation's Francisco Hernandez, plan to weigh in. "As part of the Cuban people, we are very much concerned with the future and the destiny of Cuba. And we should do whatever we can, by peaceful means, but whatever we can in order to protect and help the Cuban people in their transit³ to democracy. We should not wait for all of that to happen in order for us to participate."

And it is that post-Castro participation⁴ which is troubling some ordinary Cubans.

"What is being proposed, and that is rule by a minority that has been absent from the country for almost half a century, that is fundamentally unacceptable to the Cuban people," says Luis Martinez-Fernandez, a Cuba expert at The University of Central Florida.

He also says Cuban-Americans may try to reclaim property seized by the government. "It would be very unfair for people who have been outside of Cuba for decades to come back to Cuba and take advantage of the poverty of the Cuban people, and buy their homes cheap and speculate and be able to, you know, have a privilege in terms of establishing a whole range of businesses."

According to Martinez Fernandez, Cubans living in homes given to them by the government more than 30 years ago would be protected under international law from having their homes taken back by the original owners.

The Cuban-American National Foundation's Francisco Hernandez blames Havana for stirring up fears in Cuba over a return of exiles. "A lot of propaganda saying a number of lies about the exile community -- we want to go back there and we want to take over the government and we want to get the people out of their homes where they are, and we want to take all their jobs and all these things. You know, it's completely absurd."

Others though, like José Basulto who formed a group in 1991 to assist raft refugees, criticize advocates of a quick return to Cuba. "I think it would be premature⁵ for the people here in Miami to try to jump into a situation which they're not too familiar with and it would create conflicts that would, at least at the beginning, create more problems than they would solve. However, they should have a say in the future of Cuba and I think it should be gradual."

And gradual is how the U.S. government would like it. Washington has backed a plan to create a tribunal to balance the needs of ordinary Cubans and U.S. claimants.

But while many officials believe Fidel Castro is unlikely to return to power, they say the kind of transition envisaged⁶ by Cuban-Americans is probably some way off.

1 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

2 reclaim   

v.要求归还，收回；开垦

参考例句：

• I have tried to reclaim my money without success.我没能把钱取回来。
• You must present this ticket when you reclaim your luggage.当你要取回行李时，必须出示这张票子。

3 transit   

n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过

参考例句：

• His luggage was lost in transit.他的行李在运送中丢失。
• The canal can transit a total of 50 ships daily.这条运河每天能通过50条船。

4 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

5 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

6 envisaged   

想像，设想( envisage的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He envisaged an old age of loneliness and poverty. 他面对着一个孤独而贫困的晚年。
• Henry Ford envisaged an important future for the motor car. 亨利·福特为汽车设想了一个远大前程。