EDITORIAL... Cuba and now what?
by Maria Caminero
On December 17th,2014, president Obama announced that his administration would be re- establishing diplomatic relations with Cuba. Many were surprised and I was just annoyed because I personally knew that America was being openly prepared for this moment to hap- pen.
On May 19th, 2014, the Support Civil Society In Cuba Organization wrote an “Open Letter to President Obama” in support of the civil society in Cuba. In this letter they expressed their satisfaction on the steps that President Obama had taken to open travel for Cuban-American families, expanding remittances and enabling purposeful travel for more American through programs like the “People to People Tours”. In this letter it is also expressed that the United States is “isolated” internationally in its Cuba policy and how time was of the essence to change our policies towards Cuba. They stated that this administration has an unprecedented opportunity to push forward significant progress through executive authority at a time when most people favored greater engagement while continuing to pressure the Cuban government on human rights issues.
This letter outlined the following components: Expand and Safeguard Travel to Cuba for All Americans; Increase Support for Cuban Civil Society; Prioritize Principled Engagement in Areas of Mutual Interests, and the Assurance that the Obama Administration should take steps to promote that financial institution are authorized to process all financial transactions necessary and incident to all licensed activity. In the section outlining how the Obama Admin- istration can increase its support for Cuban Civil Society they include things such as: Authorizing the import and export of certain goods and services between the U.S. private sector and independent Cuban entrepreneurs, permit family remittance to be used as credits or equities in Cuba micro-enterprises and farms among other key points involving marketing and sale telecommunications equipment.
In essence this letter signed by 46 prominent figures such as Andres Fanjul, John Negropon- te, Ambassador Thomas Pickering, David Rockefeller and Ken Salazar to name a few is a call for a “soft lifting” of the Embargo. It would take a full act of Congress to fully remove the Embargo and there is still strong opposition to doing so. Upon the announcement that President Obama made on December 17th,2014 My immediate question was “and now what?”. What did this mean to the Castros, whom for so long banked on the international support given to them for portraying themselves as “victims” of the United States? What does this do for political prisoners in the island? What does this do to the Cuban Adjustment Act? What happens to “Wet Foot, Dry Foot” Policy? Will I still need a Cuban passport and a travel license to visit my country? Most importantly, is this really going to change the lives of the over 10 million Cubans living in the island and why should we trust the same government that stole millions of dollars of American properties and assets?
Some of my questions were answered practically immediately when on December the 17th when both President Obama and President Raul Castro were addressing their nations the Cuban Coast Guard sank a small ship with 30 people on board trying to escape the island. Several people were injured and one is still missing and others imprisoned. Mariela Castro, daughter of President Raul Castro and Parliament member, was interviewed by Christiane Amanpour on December 18th where she expressed that she was “delighted and surprised” by President Obama’s move to re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba. When asked if this would change the way the Cuban government would handle their affairs she immediately responded by saying “make no mistake! Cuba is a free and sovereign country which will continue to abide by its Constitution and that the Cuban Communist Party would continue being the only party allowed in the island!”. She also proceeded to say that “the Cuban Revolution was an “Experiment” which had not been concluded”.
On December 30th , Tania Bruguera Cuban artist famous for her politically themed works such as “ The Francis Effect” and also for writing a letter to the pope asking to grant citizenship to all immigrants, attempted to do a performance about free speech in Cuba at the Revolution Plaza which landed her in jail. The performance was titled “Yo Exijo” which means “ I demand” and it came with a calling to the Cuban civil society to come to the “Plaza de la Revolucion” to demand changes in the island and first and foremost freedom of speech and expression. The calling had very few attendees but the Cuban authorities did not allow the “performance” to take place. Many known dissidents and bloggers were arrested. Famous blogger, Yoani Sanchez, was placed under house arrest and her husband was imprisoned while this was taking place and was released the following day.
In conclusion, going back to my original question “And Now what?” I believe that what will happen in Cuba is very predictable! Cuba will be a tropical paradise for all who visit filled with the thrill of traveling back in time and enjoying those things that Cuba is famous for such as cigars, “Cuba Libres” and “Mojitos”. Cubans living in the island might enjoy slight economic relief combined with repression and continued violations of human rights. The Cuban government will enjoy the benefits of capitalism while continuing to impose the policies of their failed Communist Revolution on the Cuban people. Cuba will become the China or Vietnam of the Western Hemisphere and so continues the Cuban saga, a people in search of freedom, peace and prosperity lost in December of 1959.