Cuba and America

The relationship between Cuba and the USA has long been a turbulent roller coaster of economic sanctions, thus it comes as no surprise that Cuba is very critical on America and its policies. The website http://www.cfr.org/cuba/us-cuba-relations/p11113#p5 offers a view on American relationships with Cuba and also the policies set against them. I picked this source not only for its broad view on America and Cuban relations, but because the article comes from a reputable site “Council on Foreign Relations.”

Cuban and American conflict came to head when Fidel Castro assumed power in 1959, from here on the tension between the two countries has become palpable. The US placed economic sanctions upon Cuba and maintained minimal communication with the Cuban government. The placing of an economic embargo by George W Bush, stopped all trade with Cuba further creating a distinct divide between them. Travel restrictions were enforced in which Americans with immediate family only allowed to visit once every three years for a maximum of two weeks. This created a sense of dispute not only with just Cubans but American Cubans living in USA.

These policies have since been up for debate due to the election of Barack Obama. This article links us to http://www.cfr.org/world/candidates-cuba-policy/p14758#11603 in which Obama’s intentions to removal all travel restrictions are clear. The article shows Obama in a favourable light as he says "There are no better ambassadors for freedom than Cuban Americans," and that the United States should "begin taking steps to normalize relations and to ease the embargo of the last five decades." Despite the great changes that Obama puts forward many Cuban Politicians and citizens of Cuba are very sceptical about the beginning of a more positive relationship, this shown in the original webpage article. Many people have looked to criticize Obama, in a recent speech, Raul Castro was at the forefront in ridiculing the United States, in which he said "giving new breath to open and undercover subversion against Cuba." So with not only the political powers in Cuba being less then favourable with Obama; but the very citizens of Cuba are less hopeful about a change, it is hard to see a time in the foreseeable future that Cuba will see America positively.