Cuba and the United States: The Start of a New Era Forty-Fifth Annual World Affairs Institute November 17, 2015 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania The World Affairs Institute is a Community Service Project of Rotary International and the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh Rotary International Districts 6650, 7280, 7300, and 7330 Cuba and the United States: The Start of a New Era CONTENTS Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...…..1 Cuba—A Brief History…………...……………………………….……………………………………………………………………...3 Cuba’s Foreign Policy—The Early Years..……...…………………………………………………………….………………………4 Cuba’s Current Foreign Policy……………………………………………………………………………………………………...…..5 Cuba and the Global Economy..………………………………………………………………………………………………………..6 Key Issues and Conclusions.........…...………………………………………………………………………………….………...…..8 Key Terms and Phrases.………………………………………………………………………………………………………………12 Websites.………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..12 Sources and References………………………………………………………………………………………………………………13 BOXES Notable Names in Cuba’s Political Leadership…...………………………………………………………………………………….2 Che Guevara.....................…...…………………………………………………………..………...……..………………….………..3 Cuban Troops in Angola and Around the World..…………………………………………………………………………………...5 The U.S. Embargo against Cuba……………….…………………………………………………………………………...………..6 Human Rights in Cuba………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….9 The Influence of the Cuban Exile Community in the U.S………………………………………………………………………….10 Cuba’s Notoriety in Health Care and Sports………………………………………………………………………………………..11 World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh 2640 BNY Mellon Center • 500 Grant Street • Pittsburgh, PA 15219-2510 412-281-7970 • fax 412-281-1795 email: [email protected] • www.worldpittsburgh.org This paper was researched and written by: Jonathan Hill © 2015 World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh Introduction In December 2014, the leaders of Cuba and the United States (U.S.) announced that the two nations would reestablish diplomatic relations. This comes more than a half century after the two countries broke off ties in 1961. The opening of the U.S. embassy in Havana in July 2015—along with the simultaneous opening of the Cuban embassy in Washington D.C.—has raised hopes that the two nations would begin to cooperate on a number of important regional and bilateral issues after decades of sometimes hostile disagreements. An opening of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the U.S.—in which the two nations exchange ambassadors and diplomatic staff who reside in each country—is the beginning of a long process toward normalization of relations and a settling of the deep differences between the two countries. Typically, diplomatic relations between two nations include management of a wide range of bilateral issues, from issuing tourist visas to assisting in promoting trade and investment. This all requires a degree of cooperation and day-to-day contact not possible without the legal recognition of each country's government and diplomatic status among nations. Early in the 1960s, the United States imposed an economic embargo and a freeze on diplomatic relations as part of a long-term effort to force a change in Cuba’s political and economic policies. The policies that Washington was targeting had come about as the Cuban revolutionary leadership, headed by Fidel Castro, imposed a strict communist economic system. This change seized virtually all private property from foreign and domestic holders, denied basic economic and political freedoms to individual citizens, and pursued a foreign policy that aligned Cuba closely with the Soviet Union and other communist regimes during the Cold War. Decades later, the resumption of diplomatic ties comes at a critical time in both Cuba and the U.S. Cuba’s communist government, which has been in power for over fifty years, is likely to soon face an unprecedented leadership transition, as someone outside of the ruling Castro family is expected to take power within the next few years. Brothers Fidel and Raul Castro, who have maintained power in Cuba since the revolution of 1959, are well into their 80s. Their departure from office will mark the end of an era. In addition, Cuba’s economy has also shown increased signs of stagnation (little economic growth), even with the aid of its friend and ally, Venezuela. A difficult economic recession in recent years has made Venezuela an unreliable supporter for Cuba. The United States also finds itself in a unique situation. The powerful Cuban exile community, numbering around 2 million and located predominately in Florida, continues to undergo its own aging process. Many of the most hardline opponents to the Castro-led regime are becoming less numerous and less influential in U.S. politics. For decades, U.S. politicians from both parties carefully echoed the Cuban exile communities’ often bitter opposition toward the ruling Castro family. This opposition was deeply rooted, and reflected the violent political and economic dislocations of many individuals during the Cuban revolution in the early 1960s. Many Cubans fled the country; thousands died at the hands of the regime. This paper is designed to help the reader understand some of the key domestic, economic, and foreign policy challenges facing Cuba today. As an additional resource, the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh has provided added articles, links, and sources on the topic, which can be found at www.worldpittsburgh.org/wai2015/wai-resources/. Page 1 © 2015 World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh Notable Names in Cuba’s Political Leadership Brothers Fidel and Raul Castro Since the Cuban revolution in 1959, Cuba has been led by just two brothers; Fidel and Raul Castro. Fidel Castro, the older brother, became the leader of a revolutionary movement that began in the early 1950s in response to the dictator- ship of Fulgencia Batista. Along with his brother and other revolutionaries, Castro overthrew Batista in January 1959 fol- lowing several years of guerrilla warfare. Fidel Castro was born in 1926 as the son of a wealthy sugar plantation owner and one of seven siblings. He was educated at Jesuit boarding schools and graduated from the University of Havana law school in 1945. It was in law school that Fidel is believed to have developed his interest in Marxist-Leninism, although it was not until several months after the successful revolution that he decided to formally adopt the model that existed in the Soviet Union and throughout most of Eastern Europe at the time. Almost immediately after taking power, Fidel Castro named himself Prime Minister, a title he held until 1976 when he became President. Castro also became First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, a position he held until 2011. Irrespective of his titles, Castro had complete control over the nation’s political and economic systems, and remains in- fluential in Cuba to this day. As the unelected leader of a one-party, Marxist-Leninist state that was allied to the Soviet Union and located less than 100 miles from the United States, Fidel Castro quickly devel- oped a high profile in the United States and around the world. He was admired in many developing countries for his support of revolutionary movements, and in the Soviet Union for his willingness to stand up to the United States. He provided military and political support to many movements around the world even as he accepted critical financial aid from the Soviet Union, and then later from Venezuela. By the mid- 2000s, failing health forced Fidel Castro to relinquish control of Cuba to his brother Raul. Raul Castro, born in 1931, was at his brother’s side in planning and implementing the guerrilla war throughout the 1950s. Although not as academically gifted as his brother, he was tutored by Fidel during the early years. His willingness to remain in the background was ultimately rewarded when he was granted control by Fidel of Cuba’s government in 2006, and was named president in 2008. For decades, he had for- mal control of the army—one of the most important institu- tions in Cuban life—and was Defense Minister until 2008. Raul has indicated he will likely step down as President in 2018. Over the past several years, Raul Castro has demonstrated a significant degree of independence from his brother by imple- menting modest, but significant economic reforms that have expanded the role of the private sector in the Cuban econo- my. Although long considered a committed communist, Raul reportedly had begun to have doubts in recent years about Cuba’s long-term economic viability, especially in light of the likelihood that Venezuela will begin to cut back on its sup- port. Raul’s ability to overcome his older brother’s more rigid communist ideology and anti-Americanism extended to his willingness to renew diplomatic ties with the United States. These efforts have raised his profile vis-à-vis his brother in a way not thought possible just a few years ago. Page 2 © 2015 World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh Cuba — A Brief History Cuba's modern history, as with many of the islands in the Caribbean region, is marked by colonial conquest and control by Spain, one of the major European powers active in the New World. Beginning in the late 15th century, following Christopher Columbus’ exploration to the Americas, Spain began the not uncommon exploitation of indigenous peoples. In Cuba, and many of its island neighbors, this resulted in the introduction of slave labor to support a plantation economy that characterized the island and much of the