The Two-Step Tango with Havana
FIRST INSTANCE: The Embargo of 'Principles' The US embargo against Cuba, codified in 1962 following Castro's revolution and closer ties to the Soviet Union, was framed as a response to perceived communist threats and human rights abuses (State Department, 1962). This initial justification set the precedent for subsequent administrations to invoke similar principles whenever convenient. The
economic impact was immediate: studies estimate the embargo cost Cuba upwards of $130 billion by 2020 (UNCTAD, 2020). REPETITIONS: The Policy Pendulum The Helms-Burton Act (1996): Following the Cuban shootdown of two civilian planes, President Clinton signed the Helms-Burton Act, tightening the embargo and codifying it further by penalizing foreign companies dealing in expropriated Cuban property.
This move, widely criticized internationally, notably by EU states, was justified on grounds of 'promoting democracy' and holding the Cuban government accountable (Council on Foreign Relations, 1996). However, the timing also coincided with a US presidential election year, appealing to a vocal Cuban-American exile community. Obama's Opening (2014-2016): President Obama's administration initiated a
historic normalization of relations, re-establishing diplomatic ties and easing travel and trade restrictions. This shift was lauded as pragmatic engagement, recognizing the failure of decades of isolation (White House, 2014). The rhetoric emphasized 'empowering the Cuban people' through engagement. Yet, this policy also emerged in Obama's second term, when he was less constrained by electoral