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| U.S.-CUBA RELATIONS
Will the Pope's visit affect how two countries deal with each other? January 28, 1998 |
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Questions asked
in this forum:
Will the Pope's visit amount to any significant change in either U.S. policy or political and religious freedoms within Cuba? What will happen if Castro opens Cuba up to the West? Why has the U.S. abandoned the policy of engagement in our own backyard? How does the U.S. hope to overcome the bitterness between the two countries? Is there any way to allow medicine into Cuba without changing the political goals of the embargo?
NewsHour Backgrounders
November 24, 1997:
The life and times of Cuban-American exile Jorge Mas Canosa.
October 16, 1997:
Thirty-five years later, the Cuban Missile Crisis is viewed as one of the "hottest" moments of the Cold War.
July 11, 1997:
The fight over the Helms-Burton Act and the embargo on Cuba.
March 5, 1997:
Sec. of State Warren Christopher discusses U.S. foreign policy regarding Cuba
Browse The NewsHour's Latin America Index.
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For nearly 40 years, relations between the United States and Cuba have been anything but uneventful. From elaborate CIA plots to assassinate Fidel Castro, to the positioning of Soviet nuclear missiles sites on the island nation, relations between the two countries have provided some of the most tense moments in Cold War history.
Pope John Paul II's visit to Cuba highlights the issues that divide the countries. As a champion of human rights and political freedom, many experts expect the pope to use this opportunity to rail against Mr. Castro's undemocratic regime. But Mr. Castro's government will not be the only one that is criticized.
On numerous occasions, the pope has been very vocal in his opposition to economic embargoes. Experts believe that he will use this visit to condemn U.S.-imposed economic sanctions on Cuba. Although both the Clinton administration and President Castro have stated that the pope's visit will not change their own policies, experts contend that both leaders hope the pontiff's visit will affect the other's policy.
U.S.-Cuba relations have been on shaky ground since revolution brought Fidel Castro to power in 1959. The presence of a communist nation 90 miles off the Florida coast is unsettling to the world's most powerful democracy. Initially, the U.S. sought a military solution.
In April 1961, a CIA-backed invasion force landed at the Bay of Pigs. Following two days of fighting, the invaders were defeated. The victory greatly enhanced Mr. Castro's prestige, both at home and abroad, and it allowed for his further consolidation of power. As for the United States, the military invasion was an international embarrassment.
Then, for nearly two weeks in October 1962, Cuba was the focus of perhaps the "hottest" moment of the Cold War. The presence of nuclear missile sites on the island nation brought the U.S. and the Soviet Union face to face in a dangerous game of nuclear brinksmanship. Although the crisis was peacefully resolved, Cuba incurred the permanent hostility of its powerful neighbor and a complete economic embargo.
Nearly 36 years later, the economic embargo is as solid as ever, and perhaps more severe. In 1996, Congress intensified sanctions with the passage of the Cuban Democratic Solidarity Act, better known as the Helms-Burton Act.
But if the aim of economic sanctions is to hasten the fall of President Castro's regime, it has not yet worked. With Pope John Paul's visit, some experts are asking the question: will the papal visit succeed in doing what economic sanctions and the CIA have not been able to achieve?
The head of the Catholic Church visiting a country under Communist rule-- a political system which leaves no room for religious convictions-- is an ironic situation. Although the Vatican says the aim of the Pope's visit is to strengthen the church, not undermine the government, it is impossible to overlook its political significance.
Many political scientists contend that Pope John Paul's numerous visits to his native Poland helped spur political change in the country and aid in the downfall of Communism throughout Eastern Europe. His passionate defense of human rights and his support of the Solidarity labor movement instilled hope in the Polish people and brought international support to the nation's struggle. Although Cuba's current political environment differs from Poland's situation in the 1980s, some contend that the anti-Communist pontiff possesses a spiritual strength that could transform the island nation.
It remains to be seen what impact the Pope's visit will have on Cuba or U.S. policy. Our three guests have very different perspectives on these issues:
Riordan Roett, director of Latin American studies at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, contends that the papal visit will not effect American policy at all. Representative Lincoln Diaz-Balart of Florida was born in Cuba. He is "cautiously optimistic" about the effect of the visit on Cuba and Castro, but says it's politically inconceivable that U.S. policy will change. Representing the Cuban government, Cuban Ambassador Fernando Remirec would like to see the sanctions lifted.
Will the Pope's visit amount to any significant change in either U.S. policy or political and religious freedoms within Cuba? What will happen if Castro opens Cuba up to the West? Why has the U.S. abandoned the policy of engagement in our own backyard? How does the U.S. hope to overcome the bitterness between the two countries? Is there any way to allow medicine into Cuba without changing the political goals of the embargo?
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