The United States will resume diplomatic relations with Cuba and reaction to the announcement has been mixed. The decision to normalize a relationship with the Communist country could have a big impact on Florida for decades to come.
No one really knows how the newly-revived relationship between Cuba and the United States will play out, but Florida U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, believes it will be a disaster.
“They will tighten this regime’s on power for decades to come," Rubio said on C-Span shortly after President Obama announced the U.S. would move toward restoring a diplomatic relationship with Cuba.
Others call the decision historic.
“The symbolic nature of it is something that I--As a person who teaches the Cuban Revolution, is something that is really captivating me at this point," said Florida State University Professor Alex Avina.
"The perception of the embargo is tremendous, and there are extremely deep and strong feelings about the embargo in Cuba, and a lot of misconceptions about how it can be done away with."
Florida is deeply intertwined with the Cuba issue. For one, a large number of South Florida is populated by Cuban-Americans, many who, like Senator Rubio, have a deeply passionate and vested interest in the country. But according to studies done by Florida International University, opinions regarding the relationship between the communist country and the U.S. are changing. Many Cuban Americans, especially younger people, favor stronger ties with Cuba. FSU’s Avina says he sees that among the students he teaches.
“They don’t agree with the Cuban government, but they want to be able to travel there, he said. "This is long overdue, but it’s been long overdue because of the foreign policy issues, but the political power that used to be wielded by the Cuban-American population. That is also affected by demography and that political influence is also starting to lessen.”
The Embargo Remains
Immigration attorney Elizabeth Ricci traveled to Cuba last year, an experience that has informed her view of the country. Ricci says while she was welcomed, “it is the perception there in Cuba, that it is the vocal minority of Cubans in America who have such influence over policy that is the reason for the justification for the embargo."
Ricci's family emigrated to the U.S. from Cuba a century ago. She believes the revived diplomatic relationship could lead to more—especially when it comes to lifting the embargo, which bans imports and exports to and from Cuba, with few exceptions.
“Low birth rate came up over and over again…they [Cubans] attributed it to the embargo. They have a similar birthrate to Japan and many developing countries. It has nothing to do with the embargo. But the perception of the embargo is tremendous, and there are extremely deep and strong feelings about the embargo in Cuba and a lot of misconceptions about how it can be done away with.”
If the U.S. does lift the embargo—and that’s a big IF given the Republican makeup of the Congress—Florida could become an economic launching pad. The potential economic impact is outlined in a paper commissioned by the Florida Society of Association Executives, which envisioned this type of scenario seven years ago. In that paper, the FSAE writes about a need for better infrastructure, IT, Technology and Health care in the country—all areas that Florida businesses could serve. But the same document also notes challenges and drawbacks—and points out there are other countries, and even other states, in better positions than Florida to start tapping in to the Cuban market.
Still, as Immigration attorney Elizabeth Ricci says—while some things will be easy, the hardest part is cultural—and that is breaking down the walls of distrust fueled by more than half a century of hostility, that exist in the U.S. and in Cuba. Ricci says she saw that first-hand while in Cuba, when a woman told a dog to bite Ricci’s mother.
“But other than that, it was a warm and welcoming reception. And some people, our tour guide--an education woman, a fidelista— believe in Castro and his policies, believe we are the ones with the misconceptions.”
Overcoming 50 years of history is not something that will happen overnight, but more of a goal to work toward.
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