The United States and Cuba – Dance Intermission

The Perception Game of the Week….

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Recent events in the U.S. Cuba relationship dance suggest more dysfunction over progress unfortunately. Three news items reveal where the music stopped playing for the moment:
1) U.S. Cuba Migration Talks Pushed Back Until February
Cuba-US migration talks pushed back until February

This is unfortunate as both sides may have legitimate reasons for the postponement. However, the impression is left though that both sides are not committed enough or have made this issue a priority. Actions speak louder than words. The United States and Cuba urgently need to speak with each other, not at each other as so much lies in the balance – the lives and hopes of millions of Americans and Cubans, the economic possibilities to forge a better future, and the freedom of those imprisoned in both countries.

2) Cuba Blasts US Black Leaders for Charges of Racism
Cuba blasts US black leaders for charges of racism

In the twist and turns of the rationales to keep our insane embargo and travel restrictions, now a reason to keep Cuba isolated is the proposition that it is a racist country. Is the United States a racist country? The truth is racism is a problem all over the world. We have enough problems here in our own country. I am regularly reminded of the subtle racism that Latinos and every other minority face here. So while it is important that we address racism here, I submit it will be more productive to have a conversation about racism with Cuba in an atmosphere of normal travel and normal relations, not in the kind of diatribe that took place. Would you be willing to listen if were you backed into a corner? We just look like hypocrites complaining about racial prejudice in Cuba, when our own record on racism and discrimination here is an unfortunate part of the ongoing journey of American society. Reference was also made to a Cuban political prisoner, Darsi Ferrer. My hope is that Mr. Ferrer and all political prisoners in Cuba and the Cuban Five here in the U.S. will be freed. But that is going to take active, constructive, negotiations. When will those negotiations begin in earnest?


3) It's Unclear Why U.S. Medical Exports Aren't Reaching Cuba

It's unclear why U.S. medical exports aren't reaching Cuba

I disagree with the premise of this article. It’s a very simple reason. It is called the embargo. And even though sales of U.S. medical exports are legal to Cuba, they do not occur due to the bureaucracy involved and the burdensome steps that the law requires. Why cannot we just be allowed to sell Cuba the medical equipment and products directly without such bureaucratic hassles? If we are so concerned that Cuba would become a third party vendor of U.S. medical goods, there are other ways we can address that concern in a more intelligent and respectful manner. In reality, these difficulties do translate to a disincentive to selling to Cuba. And there are pharmaceutical companies who deliberately will not sell directly to Cuba even though they can. Whatever our distaste for the Cuban system of government, medicine and food should not be used as the weapons they have been in this ongoing battle. I vividly remember speaking with the representatives of one of the largest U.S. pharmaceutical companies in the world on their position of selling to Cuba, and the response was—“ Company X does not sell to Cuba period while Castro runs that government and the embargo is in place. That is the policy of this company.” The sad truth is that this particular company’s products have to be purchased by Cuba through third party vendors outside of the U.S. to the detriment of the Cuban patients who require those medicines. And we lose out in building scientific and healthcare bridges that would benefit both countries. During Governor Bill Richardson’s trip to Cuba in August 2009, the delegation visited Cuba’s Biotechnology facilities and was familiarized on a number of health products that would benefit the American people – if they were allowed to be marketed and sold here. We should be allowing as much interchange on health and healthcare products as possible. That is a simple way relations between both countries can improve.

Then there was another opinion given that one has to question:

"It's not the embargo," said John Kavulich, a senior policy adviser at the New York-based U.S.-Cuba Economic Trade Council, which provides nonpartisan commercial and economic information about Cuba. "These are economic and political decisions not to buy."
Cuba often waits for allies to donate what it needs, Kavulich said. "They'd rather get things for free than pay for them."
When was Mr. Kavulich's last visit to Cuba? From where does he draw these conclusions?
Clearly a partisan position is being taken and the quote fails to disclose complete historical information to the reader. For when Hurricane Michelle struck Cuba in 2001 and the U.S. government offered free food and donations for disaster relief, the Cuban government’s response was to request the licensing and purchase of $35 million of U.S. food and agricultural products under the Trade Sanctions Reform Act of 2000. This was the beginning of what is now the 4 Billion dollar trade to Cuba from this industry sector. And the idea that Cuba would wait for its allies to donate what they may need is not any different from what any other country would do, particularly a third world country, within the scope of international relations, diplomacy, and common sense.

Lets hope that the American and Cuban bands get their instruments tuned up, get the right musicians in place, get back on stage and start playing rock n roll and mambo, cha cha cha, and son again very soon so the relationship dance resumes… TM