American-Cuban relations are thawing but remain frosty. Despite the fanfare surrounding the historic visit of a United States president for the first time in 88 years, the embargo remains in place due to the intransigence of a mean-spirited Congress. Cuba defied the might of the giant next door and is still being made to pay the price for refusing to transform into a Hispanic clone of Sweden overnight.
Cuban President Raul Castro deviated from conventional protocol by failing to show at Havana’s airport to welcome the Obamas.
“Wow, President [Barack] Obama just landed in Cuba, a big deal, and Raul Castro wasn’t even there to greet him. He greeted Pope and others. No respect,” tweeted Donald Trump before chastising the US leader for not reboarding his plane and flying back.
Trump’s closest Republican rival, Cuban-born Ted Cruz, was even more scathing. “It’s so sad, and so injurious to our future as well as Cuba’s, that Obama has chosen to legitimise the corrupt and oppressive Castro regime with his presence on the island,” he wrote.
Meant to be a reconciliation of sorts, the gate between the US and Cuba has been opened, but only by inches. Obama’s baseball diplomacy in the form of a game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cuban National Team, attended by both leaders, was lapped up by the US media. But the sign looming large over the stadium that read “Sport is the conquest of the revolution” along with the massive and inescapable portraits of Ernesto “Che” Guevara are evidence of differing world views, highlighted by Obama’s subsequent appointment—a discussion with Cuban dissidents.
The stark indicator that the visit was little more than show without substance emerged during the two presidents’ joint press conference that was cringe-making on occasions, so much so that Raul Castro, driven to snap at a US reporter who asked about political prisoners, looked as though he could hardly wait for it to end. “What political prisoners?” he retorted. “Give me a name or names . . . and if we have those political prisoners, they will be released before night ends.”
Clearly, he wasn’t seduced by Obama’s glinting fixed smile or his promise of “a new day” of openness oiled by the ease of travel restrictions, the elimination of a ban on Cuba’s access to international banking and a clearing of the way permitting ferry services to operate between Cuba and the US State of Florida.
While he hopes these baby steps will one day result in the embargo’s lifting, he is concerned they will give the US an entree to rock his tight ship. It wouldn’t be surprising if employees of the CIA, US government-funded NGOs and human rights organisations, especially those specialising in revolutions in a suitcase, are already packing their bags.
Raul was on the defensive throughout; understandable when Obama chose the occasion to publicly lecture him on Cuba’s human rights failings on his own soil. Rather than cultivate good relations, Obama used his platform to fend off domestic critics by giving his counterpart a dressing down.
Raul was visibly ruffled. He hit back hard with an attack on America’s growing racism, police brutality, its woeful record on the use of torture at Guantanamo Bay and lack of free health care.
He spoke against the politicisation of human rights, adding, “How many countries comply with all 61 human rights? Do you know? I do; none . . . none!”
Surely, Obama didn’t imagine that his schoolmaster tactics would impact the country’s political trajectory; if anything, they are likely to have the opposite effect. Any conversation on those sensitive topics should have been held behind closed doors, if at all. Obama behaved like the man who saw a fly on his friend’s head and killed it with a sledgehammer.
When it comes to human rights, Cuba is no shining example, but neither is the US, which has imprisoned hundreds of foreign detainees without trial, has spied on the communications of American citizens and blesses the assassination of American terrorist suspects.
Castro tackled Obama, saying, “Do you think that there’s a more central right than to health care, so that millions of children don’t die for the lack of vaccine or treatment? . . . Do you agree with the right to free education . . . ?”
One thing is certain. Finger wagging won’t persuade the Cuban leadership to open up. Once the embargo is lifted and Cuba feels respected as a member of the community of nations, change is inevitable.
The scratchy press conference had an awkward emblematic ending. Obama stretched out his hand. Castro grabbed it and raised it high to signify victory. Obama maintained a limp-wrist, symbolising a relationship that may limp along for some time to come.
Linda S. Heard is an award-winning British specialist writer on Middle East affairs. She welcomes feedback and can be contacted by email at heardonthegrapevines@yahoo.co.uk.
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US pot calling the Cuban kettle black
Posted on March 30, 2016 by Linda S. Heard
American-Cuban relations are thawing but remain frosty. Despite the fanfare surrounding the historic visit of a United States president for the first time in 88 years, the embargo remains in place due to the intransigence of a mean-spirited Congress. Cuba defied the might of the giant next door and is still being made to pay the price for refusing to transform into a Hispanic clone of Sweden overnight.
Cuban President Raul Castro deviated from conventional protocol by failing to show at Havana’s airport to welcome the Obamas.
“Wow, President [Barack] Obama just landed in Cuba, a big deal, and Raul Castro wasn’t even there to greet him. He greeted Pope and others. No respect,” tweeted Donald Trump before chastising the US leader for not reboarding his plane and flying back.
Trump’s closest Republican rival, Cuban-born Ted Cruz, was even more scathing. “It’s so sad, and so injurious to our future as well as Cuba’s, that Obama has chosen to legitimise the corrupt and oppressive Castro regime with his presence on the island,” he wrote.
Meant to be a reconciliation of sorts, the gate between the US and Cuba has been opened, but only by inches. Obama’s baseball diplomacy in the form of a game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cuban National Team, attended by both leaders, was lapped up by the US media. But the sign looming large over the stadium that read “Sport is the conquest of the revolution” along with the massive and inescapable portraits of Ernesto “Che” Guevara are evidence of differing world views, highlighted by Obama’s subsequent appointment—a discussion with Cuban dissidents.
The stark indicator that the visit was little more than show without substance emerged during the two presidents’ joint press conference that was cringe-making on occasions, so much so that Raul Castro, driven to snap at a US reporter who asked about political prisoners, looked as though he could hardly wait for it to end. “What political prisoners?” he retorted. “Give me a name or names . . . and if we have those political prisoners, they will be released before night ends.”
Clearly, he wasn’t seduced by Obama’s glinting fixed smile or his promise of “a new day” of openness oiled by the ease of travel restrictions, the elimination of a ban on Cuba’s access to international banking and a clearing of the way permitting ferry services to operate between Cuba and the US State of Florida.
While he hopes these baby steps will one day result in the embargo’s lifting, he is concerned they will give the US an entree to rock his tight ship. It wouldn’t be surprising if employees of the CIA, US government-funded NGOs and human rights organisations, especially those specialising in revolutions in a suitcase, are already packing their bags.
Raul was on the defensive throughout; understandable when Obama chose the occasion to publicly lecture him on Cuba’s human rights failings on his own soil. Rather than cultivate good relations, Obama used his platform to fend off domestic critics by giving his counterpart a dressing down.
Raul was visibly ruffled. He hit back hard with an attack on America’s growing racism, police brutality, its woeful record on the use of torture at Guantanamo Bay and lack of free health care.
He spoke against the politicisation of human rights, adding, “How many countries comply with all 61 human rights? Do you know? I do; none . . . none!”
Surely, Obama didn’t imagine that his schoolmaster tactics would impact the country’s political trajectory; if anything, they are likely to have the opposite effect. Any conversation on those sensitive topics should have been held behind closed doors, if at all. Obama behaved like the man who saw a fly on his friend’s head and killed it with a sledgehammer.
When it comes to human rights, Cuba is no shining example, but neither is the US, which has imprisoned hundreds of foreign detainees without trial, has spied on the communications of American citizens and blesses the assassination of American terrorist suspects.
Castro tackled Obama, saying, “Do you think that there’s a more central right than to health care, so that millions of children don’t die for the lack of vaccine or treatment? . . . Do you agree with the right to free education . . . ?”
One thing is certain. Finger wagging won’t persuade the Cuban leadership to open up. Once the embargo is lifted and Cuba feels respected as a member of the community of nations, change is inevitable.
The scratchy press conference had an awkward emblematic ending. Obama stretched out his hand. Castro grabbed it and raised it high to signify victory. Obama maintained a limp-wrist, symbolising a relationship that may limp along for some time to come.
Linda S. Heard is an award-winning British specialist writer on Middle East affairs. She welcomes feedback and can be contacted by email at heardonthegrapevines@yahoo.co.uk.