Goodbye, Cold War

Yesterday’s announcement by President Barack Obama and President Raul Castro to commence the process that will end the embargo and reestablish diplomatic relations between their two countries after more than 55 years of tension is excellent news that we greet with much enthusiasm. Due to its importance for the American continent, the event resembles, to some extent, the fall of the Berlin wall. April 2015, the Summit of the Americas in Panama, could be the definitive moment for the formal meeting between the two chiefs of state.

The fact that political and economic realism have succeeded despite pressure from the Republican right pleases Obama greatly. For many years, it has been said that the embargo and the political and economic sanctions that Washington imposed on Havana have not obtained their desired results; in other words, they did not succeed in breaking down the Cuban government. The same can be said of Raul Castro, who is taking a historic step in keeping with his movement toward an open economy on the island ever since he took power to replace his brother Fidel. The offices of interest that exist in the two capitals have served as de facto ambassadors, as the break in relations made formal diplomatic contact impossible. Consequently, the two countries will not start from zero in this “thaw,” but will rather be able to use the existing ties and infrastructure with confidence.

The consequences are extraordinary — not just because of the gradual decline and, hopefully, speedy termination of the tension that has existed for more than a century between the two countries. But we must also consider the human side, since families that were split between the United States and the island due to economic problems or the lack of freedoms in Cuba after the revolution will be able to meet again in the near future. The rafts that caused the deaths of a good number people who launched themselves into the sea in an attempt to reach the United States will remain in history. At the same time, an eventual normalization of relations will in itself produce greater transparency and vigilance regarding Cuba’s cuts to the democratic rights of its citizens.

Concerning the region, one issue of note is that Cuba’s intimacy with Venezuela and the countries in the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) must be reevaluated. The anti-imperialist discourse upon which all the problems of some of these countries — beginning with Venezuela — have been blamed, will no longer be an excuse to hide behind or a way to conceal the failure of their economic models. Without ignoring some successes in social practices, reality has shown that the failed communist system, which is only maintained in Stalinist dictatorships like North Korea, is ready to be replaced.

For Colombia, the news also endorses President Juan Manuel Santos’ risky move to associate his country with Cuba as the principal force in the peace process, both in its role as the peace talk headquarters as well as its efforts, together with Venezuela, to reason with the guerilla group that was long ago left out of history’s story. Now, President Santos will have to act assertively so that Colombia will be able to collaborate with Havana in its growth process in the immediate future.

Beyond the significance of this decision, there is one essential pending issue: the process of transition to an operating democracy, with independent elections, separation of powers, liberation of political prisoners and free speech, among other things. If Cuba wants to enter the realm of democratic countries in the hemisphere, it will have to prove itself with the aforementioned changes. Let’s hope that it takes the first step in that direction sooner rather than later.