Sunday, April 19, 2009

Obama's shift in United States policy toward Cuba

Last Monday, President Obama issued an order to eliminate all limits on travel and remittances by Cuban Americans to Cuba. Previously, the US government only allowed Cuban Americans to visit the island once a year and limited to $75 a month the amount of money Cubans could send to relatives. This policy change may be a minor change but it represents the most significant shift in United States policy toward Cuba in decades.

In another move, a policy change permits U.S. telecom network providers to build fiber-optic cable and satellite communications facilities linking the U.S. and Cuba. These moves, as well as statements from President Obama saying he wanted to have discussions with Cuba, have been met with a positive response from Raul Castro, who has said that his government was willing to discuss everything with the US Government including human rights, freedom of the press and political prisoners. Theses are welcome developments.

Since Fidel Castro’s retirement, we have seen small positive changes taking place in Cuba. The government has legalized private taxicabs, it has given individuals the deed to their homes, it has allowed Cubans to own cell phones, it has permitted Cubans to stay in luxury hotels, and it has encouraged and expanded private farms. These changes are encouraging.

This new policy allowing Cuban Americans to visit relatives in Cuba more often and send more money home will lead to more change. The more Cubans have contact with their relatives in the US, the more they will come to realize that communism is a failure. They will develop a thirst for freedom and a desire for an improved standard of living. If their relatives in America can send them money, they will be less dependent on the Cuban government for all of their wants and needs. With money to spend, there will develop pressure on the government to permit markets to satisfy market demand.

Unless, Cuba really does something stupid, like shoot down an airplane or arrest a visiting Cuban American on trumped up charges of spying, we should quickly move toward a complete lifting of the embargo and travel restrictions. If the US would end the embargo and travel restrictions, we would see an acceleration of Cuba’s transformation. If American dollars could flow freely to Cuba, we would see concession on the part of Cuba to accommodate investors and a relaxation of restrictions on Cuban’s so they could provide goods and services that would capture American dollars.

Our policy toward Cuba has lacked all logic for a very long time. Our embargo of Cuba is a counterproductive Cold War relic that keeps Cuba a nearly orthodox communist society by inhibiting the growth of other spheres of influence. It also allows Cuba to blame all of its problems on the United States and the embargo rather than Cuba’s socialist policies.

I think President Obama’s most recent move lifting restrictions on Cuban American travel to Cuba and remittances was the right think to do. I encourage him to take the next step. The cold war is over; It is time to lift the embargo.

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  1. Cuba always said they would wait us out... that we would change our minds... and that they would win.

    I wonder if they were right?

  2. Excellent article. I lived for 2 years in Miami and I think many agree with you.

  3. When Fidel stepped down, I think it was only a matter of time for this to happen. I just didn't think it would happen under Bush.