Cuban Beach Vacation

The Castros have made more progress in gaining influence in the hemisphere during recent months than they have in decades. In efforts to repair relations, the Obama Administration has bent over backwards while Cuba comfortably retains their communist stance. While Cuba is making headway in U.S.-funded regional organizations without even being a part of them – the OAS – the United States is being pressured to tolerate and compromise our standards for the sake of cooperation. Who is really cooperating with whom?

Last Tuesday, U.S. talks with Cuba were considered “fructiferous” by the Cuban delegation. This was said without mentioning the fact that while the U.S. Congress considers lifting travel restrictions, Cuba continues to retain U.S. Visa-holders. There are currently an estimated 600 Cubans waiting for Castro’s permission to leave the island. Although, the Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation (CCDHRN) calculates this number to be more than 800. These Cubans could wait three to ten years for permission, and some may never see a green light to visit family outside of the country as a form of state castigation.

As the U.S. continues to turn a blind eye to human rights violations in Cuba as part of “cooperation efforts”, Cuba is running with the ball and scoring political points. Before we lose too much ground, it’s time for the U.S to grab the ball and take charge of the game again.