Barack Obama: A New Day in U.S.-Cuba Relations Has Begun

On Monday, April 2, the presidents of the United States and Cuba called for setting aside their differences to pursue what Barack Obama referred to as a 'new day' in relations between the two neighboring countries during a meeting in Havana. Raul Castro confirmed in a press conference following a two-hour negotiation with his American counterpart that there are 'deep' disagreements over human rights and decades of U.S. sanctions against Cuba. However, he denied the existence of political prisoners in Cuba. According to Agence France-Presse, the Cuban president stated that former enemies should draw inspiration from the perseverance of Diana Nyad, an American swimmer who in 2013 attempted for the fifth time to be the first to swim from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage. He said, 'If she can do that, we can too.' Barack Obama is the first U.S. president to visit Cuba in 88 years, and after this meeting, he praised the beginning of a 'new day' in relations between former Cold War adversaries. In an effort to distance the U.S. from its past extensive involvement in Cuban affairs, he stated that 'the fate of Cuba will not be determined by the United States or any other country.' The U.S. president emphasized that Washington would not relent in its pressure for political freedoms in Cuba. Cuba is governed by a communist regime that has complete control over politics, the economy, and the media. Obama stated that the United States 'will continue to express its opinion on behalf of democracy.' The U.S. president arrived in Havana on Sunday, but Raul Castro did not attend the welcoming ceremony at the airport and sent the foreign minister in his place. At the same time, strict security measures were intensified in the Cuban capital to ensure that, according to Agence France-Presse, there would be no possibility of spontaneous gatherings during Obama's presence in the city. After arriving in Havana, the U.S. president told ABC News that changes were not expected to happen until 'midnight.' He clarified, 'Change will happen here (in Cuba), and Raul Castro understands that.' Obama added, 'Although we have significant disagreements over human rights and individual freedoms in Cuba, we feel that this current visit maximizes our ability to accelerate further changes.' Paul Webster Hare, a former British ambassador to Cuba who teaches international relations at Boston University, told the news agency, 'I think Raul is not looking for warm relations with the U.S. His expectations are: income from tourism and remittances, plus the lifting of sanctions.' In response to Obama's call for human rights, Raul Castro reacted during a joint press conference with Barack Obama. He stated that there is no country in the world that adheres to all global human rights standards. Barack Obama remarked in this press conference that he believes the trade embargo against Cuba is coming to an end, and although he cannot predict when this will happen, it will end because it does not serve the interests of either the U.S. or the Cuban people. According to him, the U.S. has shown considerable flexibility in lifting restrictions, but the list of actions his administration can take is getting shorter. Obama also stated that part of the changes lies with the U.S. Congress, and while the legislature does not act constructively during election years, the large number of lawmakers expected to visit Cuba indicates rising interests resulting from lifting sanctions. The U.S. president added that how quickly Congress moves to end the embargo will likely depend on how much Cuba addresses concerns about human rights. During this press conference, Jim Acosta, a CNN reporter of second-generation Cubans in the U.S., and Raul Castro engaged in an unprecedented exchange. When Acosta asked why Cuba has political prisoners, Castro directly addressed him and said, 'Right now, give me the list of political prisoners so they can be freed... If there are political prisoners, they will be freed before midnight.'