A Fresh Start With Cuba

On October 19, 1960, an embargo was placed on Cuba isolating it from the United States.On February 16, 1962, the embargo was extended to include almost all imports. On December 17, 2014, President Obama has implemented the greatest changes to the embargo in fifty years. "Mr. Obama'a Historic Move on Cuba," an article written by The New York Times Editorial Board, explains that these changes have drastically loosened the Cuban Embargo and have fully restored diplomatic relations. The new steps taken to normalize relations with Cuba, will evoke positive change in building it into an open and non-oppressive democratic country of the twenty- first century.

By relaxing the restrictions on travel to Cuba, the President has made a significant advance towards supporting civil society in Cuba. Travel will be allowed to Cuba for support of the Cuban people, humanitarian projects, and other beneficial causes. According to the editorial board, "The White House also intends to make it easier for American technology companies to upgrade the island's primitive Internet systems, a step that could go a long way toward strengthening civil society" (7). Upgrading internet is not the only issue on the government's agenda; counter narcotics, environmental protection, and trafficking in persons are all pressing concerns which will be discussed in many upcoming meetings which will be held between President Obama and Cuban President, Raúl Castro.

Re-establishing diplomatic relations with Cuba is a step which will set into to motion the actions needed to turn it into a democratic country run by the people. Currently, Cuba is a country governed by the Castros and the Communist Party as it was fifty years ago. In fact, it is




this stagnancy of Cuba which has led the President to make the changes he's has made. Mr. Obama made the statement, "These 50 years have shown that isolation has not worked, its time for a new approach" (4). The President intends to fix our relationship with Cuba by once again having an American embassy in Cuba, allowing high-ranking officials to visit Cuba, and reviewing Cuba's designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism. The Editorial Board supports the changes by stating that, "American support for Cuba's civil society and dissidents is likely to become more effective, in good part because other governments in the Western Hemisphere will no longer be able to treat Cuba as a victim of the United States' pointlessly harsh policy" (8). With improved diplomatic relations, hopefully America and Cuba can once again work together to transform it into a country of the people, not the Castros.

In 1956, Fidel Castro led a revolution for political change. By 1959, Castro and the Communist Party ruled Cuba. One year later, America imposed an embargo and harsh sanctions on Cuba and the Castro regime. This embargo has till date not been lifted and traveling to Cuba still requires specific licenses; however, the changes brought by the White House have loosened the sanctions. How long America will stay on good terms with Cuba is unknown, but the new relationship the two countries have forged definitely has the potential to fuel real progress in both Cuba and America.