The United States, Cuba and the Western Hemisphere

In a Wall Street Journal piece this week, Jorge Castañeda suggested an intriguing solution to the U.S.-Cuban relationship problems. The obstacle halting further progress in changes to current policy, as many see it, is one of principles: if Obama were to lift the embargo unilaterally, he would be sending a message about democracy and human rights—namely, that they no longer matter to the United States. The Obama administration believes that the embargo has been a failure, Latin American leaders are clamoring for it to be lifted, and yet the Castros show no indication that they are on the way toward releasing political prisoners or embracing democratic principles. What to do?

But on the other hand, why have Latin American leaders like Brazil’s Lula and Mexico’s Calderón been silent on Havana’s human rights record? That’s where Castañeda’s prescription comes in. Washington should unilaterally lift the embargo, he says, and in return, Brazil, Chile and Mexico (at least) should facilitate the normalization of relations between the island and the United States, while pressing Cuba to establish representative democracy and respect for human rights. If these countries were to agree to such a process (which is probably unlikely), it might just satisfy all parties.

This policy would give the Cubans what they say they want: an unconditional end to the embargo, the beginning of a negotiation process, and perhaps even access to international financial institutions’ funds. The Latin American leaders would get a major concession from the new administration on a highly symbolic issue. And human-rights defenders in Latin America and elsewhere would see their concerns regarding free elections, freedom of the press, freedom of association, and the liberation of political prisoners addressed as a demand from Cuba’s friends — not as an imposition from Washington.

In fact, this just might be the best possible way of breaching the current impasse, in which each side is waiting for a concession from the other. And although Raúl expressed his willingness last week to discuss “everything” with the United States, Fidel quickly followed up with a note warning Obama not to misinterpret those words: Cuba will discuss, but will not back down on any issue.