Although Novemyoshie (new thinking) has yet to become an international catchword like perestroika or glasnost, if Gorbachev has his way, it will.
What is alarming U.S. analysts is that a primary target of Gorbachev's "new thinking" is Latin America. As usual these days, the Soviet charm offensive is subtle, for Gorbachev does not want relations with Latin American states to heat up at the cost of chilling relations with the United States. Nonetheless, the Soviets are courting Latin America while the United States appears to be looking away. In Latin America, the Soviets have proposed debt forgiveness when U.S. banks are pushing austerity programs. The Soviets have lowered interest on debts while U.S. rates are rising. The Soviets are pursuing joint economic ventures in the region while the United States is placing ceilings on imports. And the Soviets have shown a willingness to at least appear to lend an ear to varying political positions and diplomatic solutions while the United States holds "firm" on principle, even while the principals are changing.
The Soviets have been charming hosts to the world, laying one concession after another on the table. Today, when Gorbachev plays host, everyone pulls up a chair.
In his book, Perestroika, Gorbachev writes that the Soviet Union is "not going to exploit anti-U.S. attitudes, let alone fuel them." "Nor," he continues, "do we intend to erode the traditional links between Latin America and the United States." The Soviet Union, however, has consistently out-spent the United States in Latin America. And while total Soviet aide may have slackened in the first quarter of 1987, its aid to Central America actually increased in 1988. Other Soviet activity in the region is highly significant.
In the Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, author Edme Dominguez Reyes noted that Soviet interest in Latin America before the 1960s was almost nil. Fidel Castro's revolution opened the door for socialism, and the Soviets hoped to inspire Cuba's Central and South American brethren toward anti-imperialist revolutions.
Perestroika and Cuba
Although Cuba became, in effect, a Soviet satellite, Castro maintains that Cuba is its own country and follows its own policies. Castro has outlived several Soviet heads of state and now, faced with Gorbachev, continues to assert Cuba's independence. And despite the fact that the Soviets' estimated $5-7 billion annual aid to Cuba has been frozen at this level due to the Soviets' perestroika, he insists that relations between Moscow and Havana continue to be excellent. Castro also insists that Cuba will have nothing to do with perestroika or glasnost.
Nonetheless, perestroika may have much to do with Cuba, as the Soviets actively pursue their economic restructuring. They are no longer willing to subsidize Cuban socialism to the detriment of their own society. On the Cuban side, Castro has tightened central control, labeling Gorgachev's reforms as "dangerous and a threat to the fundamental principles of socialism." "Cuba," declared Castro in 1988, "will never adopt the methods, styles, philosophies, or idiosyncrasies of capitalism." Castro was quick to add, however, that he will continue to welcome Soviet aid. And it appears that the
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