Following the arrest of Nicolas Maduro, the relationship between the United States and Latin America shifted tremendously. At the forefront of this shift is Cuba due to its close relationship with Venezuela and their shared animosity with the United States. As someone who has travelled to Cuba, I thought it would be a good opportunity to reflect on that trip. Perhaps some of my experiences there can shed light on the current state of tension as the United States increases pressure on the Cuban government.
I went to Cuba in December 2019 as part of a birthday gift from my family. My parents and younger sister had already gone several times and were familiar with the process. Entering Cuba as a United States citizen is a somewhat complicated process but it adds to the uniqueness of the experience. To enter Cuba, I needed to go with the purpose of engaging in educational or humanitarian purposes. This was done through an organization that specializes in trips for United States citizens to meet people from other cultures. Therefore, I was joined by several other people from the United States.
Upon arriving in Cuba, I was greeted by some of the Cubans my family had befriended on their prior visits. There was certainly an eagerness for them to meet me and share their stories about my family’s previous trips. Because there were several other people on this trip, the first night was spent getting to know each other and determining roommates. For the next 10 days, we took excursions to areas around the island and even spent a night in Matanzas. Sustainability was the primary focus of our visits, and this was heavily centered on the economic restrictions enforced by the United States.
While Cuba has a tremendously rich history, I am going to briefly focus on the aspects that pertain to its relationship with the United States. Following the Spanish American War, the United States and Spain signed the Treaty of Paris thereby removing Spanish sovereignty over Cuba. As part of that agreement, the United States retained the right to intervene in Cuban affairs under certain circumstances. This also included the Platt Amendment, whereby the United States leased Guantanamo Bay from Cuba.
What followed was a series of different movements and upheavals that changed the political landscape of Cuba. Ultimately, the United States was able to maintain a great deal of economic and political influence over the country. When the Cuban Revolution occurred, the United States initially reacted by backing attempts by Cuban refugees to overthrow Fidel Castro and stifle the Communist Party control in Cuba. Ultimately, attempts by the United States to prevent the Communist foothold on the island failed. This resulted in Cuba being brought into alignment with other Communist countries.
For the majority of the Cold War, the Soviet Union was Cuba’s primary benefactor. With the Soviets providing economic and military aid as well as infrastructure, and Cuba providing a foothold on the doorstep of the United States. This relationship ultimately led to the famous Cuban Missile Crisis and nearly resulted in a nuclear war. After the United States and Soviet Union negotiated the removal of the missiles from Cuba, the Soviets began to pull some of their support from Cuba.
With the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba and other communist states were forced to adapt to the loss of their foremost supporter. Cuba experienced major economic decline and was forced to allow the U.S. dollar and open to foreign investment. This also meant that they were required to form new relationships with similar governmental systems. During my time in Cuba, I was told they received assistance primarily from Venezuela but also from China, Mexico and Russia. Which leads us to the current situation regarding their international relations.
My trip to Cuba preceded the removal of Maduro in Venezuela and the unique opportunity it has presented for the United States to pressure the Cuban government. However, during my time there, I noticed a few things that echo the pre-communist sentiments mentioned earlier. United States citizens were never directly criticized by any of our guides or the Cubans that we spoke with. There was also talk of more peaceful relations between the two countries primarily through grass roots efforts.
Still, there was of course a great deal of lauding the current regime in Cuba by our guides. Yet, this was contradicted by the actions and sentiments of many of the Cubans I came to know. Chief among this was the constant criticism of the United States while simultaneously requesting aid in the form of donations from foreign tourists like me. There was also the fact that many of the Cubans who espoused the greatness of their ¨socialist paradise” have since made attempts to leave the country.
When Hurricane Melissa impacted Jamaica, I reached out to some of my friends in Cuba to make sure they were safe. During those conversations, I found out that the situation in Cuba was becoming quite desperate. Not because of the hurricane, but because the government was failing to provide necessities. Since my intention was to check on their wellbeing as it pertained to the storm, I did not press them on anything political. Nonetheless, I was left wondering what impact the economic hardship might have on the future of Cuba.
Normally, I would observe these dynamics from a detached and observational position. But the fact that some of the people on the other side of this issue are friends makes it more personal. Whatever the outcome, there is certainly no doubt that United States intervention would alter the future of Cuba. Personally, after my time in Cuba, l would see regime change as a positive action. Not just for political stability in the region, but to improve the quality of life for the people living there. Some of their most prosperous times were those involving a healthy relationship with the United States.
In conclusion, Cuba already has difficulty providing the basics for its people. During my time there I could see for myself that the system was not effective. Now with the loss of their primary partner in the region, will the United States gain the upper hand? Will the pre-communist relationship with the United States be rekindled? Is there a possibility of a new government being installed? Or could statehood be a possibility? What are your thoughts on the future of Cuba and its relationship with the United States?