CUBA-USA/ANALYST Restored ties could mean smoother US-Latam relations, "soft landing" for Cuba

Record ID: 135881

  • Title: CUBA-USA/ANALYST Restored ties could mean smoother US-Latam relations, "soft landing" for Cuba
  • Date: 1st July 2015
  • Summary: WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES (JULY 01, 2015) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PRESIDENT OF THE INTER-AMERICAN DIALOGUE MICHAEL SHIFTER SAYING: "I think that the opening with the United States will open improved perspectives for more compromise, more participation from outside of Cuba, what's missing. But what will happen in the political area - democracy, human rights - wi
  • Embargoed: 16th July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Panama
  • Country: Panama
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA90F43NU5O97NUTHH77J13OV6Z
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: U.S. President Barack Obama and Raul Castro's decision to restore diplomatic relations after decades of estrangement will be a critical part of both leaders' legacies, said an analyst on Wednesday (July1).
    For Obama, the move is a diplomacy coup that could pave the way to smoother relationships with the rest of Latin America, President of The Inter-American Dialogue Michael Shifter said.
    "This is the big one. This was huge," Shifter said. "This is the one issue that has unified all of Latin America against the United States...Now Latin Americans have cheered, applauded what President Obama has done. This is his legacy. It's a very positive legacy compared to previous U.S. president's in Latin America."
    Shifter believes Cuban President Raul Castro, who has said he will step down from office in 2018, was motivated by concerns about Havana's struggling economy.
    "He doesn't want instability and so in order to have a soft landing, and to have this transition be smooth and orderly, they need to have the economy pick up. He tried to undertake some reforms...but they have been dissapointing," Shifter said.
    With diplomatic relations restored, the United States and Cuba will turn to more difficult bilateral problems.
    Shifter said the chances of an immediate lifting of the 53-year-old embargo are unlikely especially considering recent remarks by conservative leaders in Congress who oppose it.
    "If they (Cuba) begin to open up their economy, it's going to be a lot more sympathetic in the U.S. congress to at least chipping away at the embargo. There may not be a lifting of the embargo from one day to the next but there may be bills in congress that begin to reduce and dismantle some of the restrictions in place," Shifter said.
    Progress on the human rights front in Cuba will likely take longer, Shifter said.
    The historic announcement on Wednesday about restoring ties severed for 54 years, fulfills a pledge made six months ago by the former Cold War enemies.
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