In a remarkable move President Obama made a surprise
announcement of restoring full diplomatic relationship with the Cuban island
frozen for more than five decades. In a bid to sweep away the last vestiges of
the Cold war, the US announced opening of US Embassy at Havana. The thawing of the
relationships resulted in prisoners swap and was consolidated by a telephonic
conversation between President Obama and Raul Castro. Stalemate persisted with
former Spanish colony 150 kilometres away from the shores of Florida due to
oceans of mistrust and hostility.
Diplomatic relationships with Cuba were called off in 1961 as
Fidel Castro forged alliance with Soviet Union in 1959 and loomed large over
its neighbouring Northern giant nation. The US threatened by growing closeness
between Castro and Nikita Khrushchev, launched an invasion with trained Cuban
exiles at Bay of Pigs. The US trained brigade failed miserably but determined
to establish a non-communist regime in Cuba, US launched Operation Mongoose-a
plan to sabotage and destabilise the Cuban economy. In turn, Cuba turned into a
strategic haven for the Soviet which deployed medium-range missiles, MIG
fighter planes, submarines loaded with torpedoes and three battalions of combat
army in Cuba by September 1962 and the crisis of cold war peaked when American
U-2 spy plane was shot down over Cuba. Thus, US- Cuban relations were marred by
these rancorous issues.
The announcement from White House was intended to forbid
outdated approach and to normalise relations with Cuba. Obama after his
re-election authorised secret negotiations with Cuba hosted by Canada and Vatican
for the past 18 months at the behest of Pope Francis. The President by
executive authority for now eased restrictions on remittances, travel and
banking while Cuba would allow more internet access and release 53 Cubans
identified as political prisoners by the US. Although the trade embargo will
remain in place the telephonic conversation has opened up a channel for finding
new solutions for many problems. The mutually belligerent policies have sealed
off relationships between nations for 54 years. Cuba along with Iran and North
Korea are the only countries with no formal relationships with the US. Now steps
are initiated to remove Cuba for the list of states that sponsor terrorism.
Following the announcement by the White House two
antagonistic views were making rounds. Initial domestic backlash by the
Republicans have been the strongest contesting the offer of Obama and remarking
him as appeaser-in-chief. But the public has supported the move of lifting
embargo on Cuba. While the younger generation expressed desire for more
openness and were optimistic older ones were keener on isolation.
The end of cold war stuck as a calamity for Cuba as it lost
its biggest sponsor and subsequently its GDP contracted by 35 to 40%. A slew of
reforms were accelerated a decade ago and Cuba liberalised portions of its
economy whereby European countries quickly grabbed those opportunities. After
Raul Castro assumed charge in 2008 there has been perceptible change in Cuban
economy. Till now the moribund economy
has been sustained by the subsidies from Venezuela in form of cheap oil. But
declining oil prices plunged Venezuelan economy into deep economic crisis.
Moreover after collapse of the Soviet Union and Russia staring at economic
instability it was timely move by the US to repeal its long-standing embargo on
Cuba. Brazil and Latin American countries had threatened not to participate in
Summit of Americas in Panama in April if Cuba was excluded. But lifting embargo
might gain momentum post-2016 presidential elections, if Cuban-Americans in
Florida State shift sentiment towards better engagement.
The US trade embargo with Cuba has been codified by a 1996
law- Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act or Helms-Burton Act signed by
President Clinton. US administration has under this had charted out democracy
promotion programs and funnelled around $40 million aid to dissidents on the
island. For the past 50 years the US policy towards Cuba was to prevent Cuba
from exporting its revolution to Latin America and Africa and to remove Castros
from power. While it was successful in its first goal, the second remained
elusive. US embargo had hurt the Cuban economy but it continued trade with
other countries in Europe, Latin America and Asia.
After the fall of the Soviet Union, for the past 20 years the
US openly tolerated and collaborated with leftist nations like Venezuela, Honduras
, Bolivia and other Latin American nations. The US can no longer find any
justification for isolating Cuba as a terror sponsor nation. Continued isolation
by the Cuban-American lobby failed to spring counter democratic revolution in
the island. During late 1990’s Clinton administration initiated constructive
engagement by easing restrictions on humanitarian aid, broadening the ability to
send remittances and resuming direct flights between nations.
Though the despotic regimes of the dictator brothers continue
to loom large over the island, the economy continues its search for growth and
is actively looking for investments from other countries. Security threats symptomatic
of cold war from the island no longer exist, hence US shouldn’t let go this
opportunity at a time when Cubans are trying to rejoin the regional and World
economy. The geographical proximity of the nation may cost US dearly if
it continues to push for a policy of diplomatic isolation.
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