Obama and the Cuban embargo – 11-09-10

Multiple publications throughout the globe view the Nov 4 victory of Obama as a prelude to the lifting of the US embargo towards Cuba. For example, writing from the United Nations, Edith M. Lederer of the Associated Press, reports that Cuba’s foreign minister, Felipe Perez Roque, advised that the next US president should lift the embargo. The article further elaborates on this point emphasizing the recent UN vote that supported repeal of the US economic and commercial embargo by its highest margin ever. The Huffington Post Sarah Stephens, in line with the view of Cuba’s foreign minister, stressed that Obama owes nothing to the “hard-liners in the exile community” and should “fundamentally rethink U.S. policy toward Cuba.” And the Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Moratinos, accentuating a similar theme, was reported stating that after talking to Obama’s team he is comfortable that “there will be a different (U.S.) attitude towards the Cuban authorities."

These publications, and many others, give the impression that the new administration should and will lift the embargo (a distinctly different issue from removing the travel and remittances restrictions, a move that CubaResponde has supported).

It is interesting that none of these articles report on what Barack Obama has said about the embargo. In the only pronouncement he offered on this subject as reported by CNN during his campaign, Mr Obama said, "My policy toward Cuba will be guided by one word: 'libertad,' " using the Spanish word for liberty; and continued "The road to freedom for all Cubans must begin with justice for Cuba's political prisoners, the right of free speech, a free press, freedom of assembly, and it must lead to elections that are free and fair," Obama then cemented these promises by claiming: "That is my commitment."

And how does Obama plan to achieve these goals? The newly elected president, as reported by The New York Times, stated: “Don’t be confused about this. I will maintain the embargo,” Mr. Obama said. He continued, “It provides us with the leverage to present the regime with a clear choice: If you take significant steps toward democracy, beginning with the freeing of all political prisoners, we will take steps to begin normalizing relations.”

Clearly the public statements of Obama seem to contradict the views that we see reported. One could very well wonder if Mr Moratino received promises from Obama's advisors that the American electorate was not privy to.  Similarly, does Sarah Stephens, also the director of the Center for Democracy in the Americas, have the influence inside of Obama’s inner circle to feel confident, in spite of the candidate’s promise to the Cuba community, that the embargo will be lifted without any conditions? The assertion of Felipe Perez Roque, Cuba’s foreign minister, about the embargo probably reflects his desire to divert attention from the horrible Human Rights record and the economic debacle in Cuba. This economic disaster, long preceding the devastating hurricanes, continues unabated. The fact that the US is the fifth largest trader with Cuba takes the steam out of the constant jeremiad of the Cuban government about the US embargo.

As part of a wonderful tradition, US citizens pledge to support whichever candidate is elected. In spite of personally not having supported candidate Obama, I pledge my support for president-elect Obama. I hope that president Obama also upholds the pledge he made to the Cuban community during his campaign.


Jose A Hernandez, MD
President, CubaNet
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