Poll: Cubans want democracy

HAVANA, Nov. 23 (UPI) -- Some three-quarters of the people of Communist Cuba largely favor switching to democracy and a market economy, results of a poll indicate.

El Nuevo Herald in Miami reported Wednesday the poll by the International Republican Institute found three of four Cubans favor multiparty elections, freedom of expression and other aspects of democracy. It also said nearly 90 percent said they want to convert to a market economy, including the right to own property and run their own businesses.

The survey also found 70 percent of respondents are skeptical of Cuban President Raul Castro's reforms, with 52 percent saying they don't see any evidence of reform.

"There are a lot of headlines here in the U.S. about changes coming to Cuba, but IRI's survey shows that the Cuban people themselves are not necessarily seeing it so far," IRI President Lorne W. Craner said in a statement Monday.

The poll was conducted in July and is based on the responses of 572 adult Cubans. The newspaper didn't report a margin of error.