The St Vincent and the Grenadines-Cuba Friendship Society (SVGCFS) views with grave concerns the actions announced by US President Donald Trump last Friday in respect of US-Cuba relations.
Those relations were put on a more humanitarian level during the last years of the Obama administration, including President Obama’s historic visit to Havana, the lifting of restrictions on travel by US citizens to Cuba, the re-opening of diplomatic relations between both countries, and the easing of some trade restrictions. The cruel embargo against Cuba, which has been in effect for more than five decades and which has hurt the Cuban economy and its people, was however not lifted by Obama.
After an initial period of quiet on the Cuban front, the Trump administration has at last revealed its anti-Cuban nature. Under pressure at home for alleged misdeeds relating to interference in the justice process, President Trump chose to boost his sagging support by pleasing the reactionary anti-Cuba sections of the Cuban migrant community in Miami in reversing some of the positive acts of his predecessor.
His prohibition of “people-to-people” visits by Americans to Cuba belies his claims of “human rights” since it violates the cherished right to freedom of movement. President Trump also re-introduced obstacles in travel to Cuba and restrictions on business and financial transactions. It must be noted however that not all of President Obama’s Cuba actions were reversed and with diplomatic relations still intact, the possibility of negotiations with Cuba remain.
However, Friday’s announcements by the US President, including his futile prediction of “a quick end to the Castro regime”, represent a return to the discredited politics of the Cold War, a further violation of the rights of US citizens, and the resumption of a line of hostility towards Cuba. Like all the previous attempts in the past, these are doomed to failure.
The SVGCFS roundly condemns these latest announcements by the Trump administration. We continue to advocate for an end to the crippling embargo and all other restrictions on trade and economic relations with Cuba which affect not only US citizens but all other nations as well which enjoy relations with Cuba. It is time for a more enlightened approach.
Renwick Rose
SVGCF