Cuba-U.S. Relations

Because I was born in Cuba and most of my friends and acquaintances know this and even strangers I meet recognize it almost immediately because of my accent, which they tend to question its origin soon after hearing me speak, although I have been in the US for over 47 years, longer than I ever was in my native country, the question has been asked over and over again as to what I think of the recent developments in relations between the United States and Cuba.

Recently President Obama announced that it was his intentions to reestablish relations with the Cuban government which had been broken since the days of Missile Crisis in 1962, the Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and the establishment of the Economic Embargo in the early 1960s after the Castro regime and dictatorship confiscated all American interests in the Island. The Embargo was originally commercial, economic and financial but it did not include food and medicine but in 1962 it was extended to include all imports into the Island. The Helms-Burton Act of 1992 further restricted U.S. citizens from doing business in or with Cuba, and mandated restrictions on giving public or private assistance to any Cuban government. Later during the Presidency of Bill Clinton in 1999 the Embargo was expanded to include any foreign subsidiary of U.S. companies to trade with Cuba. The Embargo has now been in effect for over 53 years. If the intent was to topple the Cuban Communist government and bring about a more democratic form of government, it has failed, but if the intent was to weaken communism in the Island and its exportation of it to other Latin American Countries at our doorsteps, then we might say that it has partially worked. People stand on different sides of the aisle as to whether the Embargo has been successful, partly successful or a complete failure. I respect the opinions of all and request that my opinions also be respected.

The reality is, no matter what position you take, that the people of Cuba have paid a very heavy prize as a consequence of the Castro takeover of the Island in Dec. 1959. Both those who have been forced out of their home land and have rather chosen exile to many other countries around the world and primarily here to the U. S., and those who have remained in the Island experiencing great oppression and scarcity, we have all paid a very heavy prize. Now, news of the reestablishment of relations with Cuba alarm every Cuban, whether here in the U. S. or in Cuba. What will this all mean? Will the U.S. begin to support the existing Cuban Communist government through the lifting of sanctions and an increase in exports into the Island without demanding a more democratic form of government in the Island? Will the U.S. remove Cuba from the list of state funded terrorism? Washington placed Cuba on the list in 1982, citing then President Fidel Castro's training and arming of Communist rebels in Africa and Latin America. The list is short: just Iran, Sudan, Syria and Cuba. The Cuban government will make this a requirement of further talks in April 2015 in Panama. Will we give back the portion of the Guantanamo Bay we have held for over 100 years, (since 1903)? There are so many questions left unanswered.

So here is my personal opinion on this issue. Perhaps it is time for the Embargo to be lifted, for the sake of the people in Cuba, but let us not be naïve, the problems in Cuba are not just the Embargo, although it is one of the primary reasons for the economic collapse of the Island’s economy, but the real and unresolved problem is the Communist regime of the Castro brothers, who control the populace by keeping them subjugated and in fear. Any imports from the U.S. into Cuba will still be regulated by the Castro government and may not ever get to the people who need them. I am in favor of ultimately lifting the Embargo, it has been long enough and it has not been completely successful, but we also must receive from the Cuban government a promise to democratize the government of Cuba and cease the exportation of communist terrorism from Cuba. If they want new relations, let us have them effective and properly balanced, both sides acting in complete transparency and the best of intentions, otherwise, it will not work and it will return to bite us, you know were. It is good for neighbors to get along and to support each other, whether individuals or countries but they must act with equal mutual interests. I think President Obama, who has socialist leanings, should be extremely careful how he deals with the Castro brothers and until there is transparency and democracy we should not give any assistance to the government of Cuba, either by lifting the Embargo or establishing unchecked relations with the Castros.

At least this is my opinion as a Cuban-American. What do you think?