By
Elaine Pascoe
For
more than 50 years, the United States and Cuba have been neighbors in name
only. For decades, these two nations were on opposite sides of the decades-long
Cold War. And even after that conflict had passed, the two countries remained
bitter rivals. Now, however, that all appears likely to change.
In
a step that surprised the world, U.S. president Barack Obama announced December
18 that the United States would restore ties with Cuba. The announcement ended
the 54-year-long freeze in relations between the two countries. It was a
historic shift in U.S. policy.
Uneasy Neighbors
Cuba
lies only about 90 miles (145 kilometers) off the southern tip of Florida. Its
history has been closely linked to that of the United States since the 1800s,
when Cuba was a Spanish colony.
After
the United States defeated Spain in the Spanish-American War in 1898, U.S.
troops occupied Cuba for four years. Cuba became independent in 1902, but the
United States claimed the right to intervene in its affairs. The United States
established a naval base at Guantánamo Bay, which it maintains to this day.
In
newly independent Cuba, plantation and business owners grew rich. U.S.
companies profited from Cuban investments. But most Cubans were desperately
poor. Unrest grew in the 1950s. An armed rebellion broke out, led by Fidel
Castro. In 1959, Castro overthrew Cuba's U.S.-backed dictator, Fulgencio
Batista.
Castro
set about establishing a Communist state. His government seized private land
and businesses, including foreign-owned property. He also forged ties with the
Soviet Union, which began to provide aid. Poor Cubans benefited in many ways.
The government provided education, health care, land for farm workers, and
housing. But middle-class Cubans lost out. Many fled to the United States.
Castro didn't allow dissent, and those who opposed the government were jailed
or exiled.
These
changes caused friction with the United States. They came at the height of the
Cold War, the political struggle that pitted the United States and its Western
allies against the Soviet Union and other Communist countries. In 1961 the
United States ended diplomatic relations with Cuba, barred travel from the
United States to Cuba, and imposed a trade embargo. The United States also
secretly backed efforts to overthrow Castro.
In
1962 the Soviet Union began to place nuclear missiles on Cuba, threatening the
United States. The event, referred to as the Cuban Missile Crisis, almost
provoked a war between the two countries. Negotiations ended the standoff, and
the missiles were removed.
Signs of Change
Soviet
aid helped Cuba weather the U.S. trade embargo. But after the Soviet Union
broke apart in 1991, Cuba faced serious hardships. Many people expected
Castro's government to collapse. But he remained in power until 2008, when
illness forced him to step down. His brother, Raúl, took over the presidency.
Raúl
Castro took some steps toward reform. He allowed more private enterprise and
eased some restrictions on travel. He also seemed willing to improve relations
with the United States. Many Cubans hoped for more opportunity and less
poverty. But the reforms were not enough to improve life for most people.
Over
the years many Cubans had fled the country. Many of them risked their lives,
heading for Florida in makeshift boats. Waves of migrants arrived in 1980 and
1994. By 2014 the number of migrants was growing again.
Meanwhile,
people in the United States were questioning the trade embargo and other
restrictions. A half-century of isolation had not brought down Cuba's Communist
regime. But the policy still had support, especially among conservatives and
Cubans who had fled the island in the 1960s.
A New Era?
The
December 2014 agreement came after 18 months of behind-the-scenes negotiations
between top U.S. and Cuban officials. As part of it, the United States released
three convicted Cuban spies in exchange for a U.S. intelligence agent held by
Cuba. Cuba also released a U.S. government contractor, Alan Gross, who had been
imprisoned for five years. Pope Francis, head of the Roman Catholic Church,
helped in the negotiations.
The
prisoner swap set the stage for sweeping changes in U.S.-Cuban relations:
- The United States will
normalize diplomatic relations with Cuba and will open an embassy there.
- Restrictions on travel
and banking are being reduced.
- Restrictions on
agricultural and certain other exports will also be eased.
- Cuba's place on a list
of countries that sponsor terrorism is under review. Getting off that list
would give Cuba greater access to international trade and banking.
These
steps are being taken under the president's executive authority. But the trade
embargo will remain unless Congress votes to end it. In early January, the U.S.
State Department announced that a U.S. delegation would visit Havana to discuss
migration and other issues. At press time, the talks were set for Jan. 21–22.
Polls
show that most Americans support the change in policy. But opponents have been
sharply critical. They say that easing restrictions is giving in to a
dictatorship. Strong opposition, especially among Republican politicians, makes
it unlikely that Congress will lift the trade embargo soon.
Many
Cubans have also welcomed the agreement. They hope the change will bring
economic and political benefits. The Cuban government has released 53 political
prisoners and agreed to permit greater Internet access.
However,
President Castro has made it clear that the country's one-party system would
not change. His government continues to suppress dissent. Because of these and
other factors, it remains to be seen what impact the new agreement will have
and how quickly change will come to Cuba.
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Definition of Abandonment (Legal Term)