Most Americans still support good Cuban ties

With the change in administration, many Latin American leaders have been outspoken about their hopes that some US policies will undergo huge transformations in the next four years. Barack Obama shook hands and greeted Hugo Chavez with alacrity at last week’s Summit of the Americas, signifying at least a lessening of tension between the U.S. and the Latin American states.

A Gallup poll conducted earlier this week and released on Friday discovered that most Americans would support a good relationship between American and Cuban governments. 60% favor re-establishing U.S. diplomatic relations with Cuba, while 30% are opposed to the idea. Since 1999, a majority of Americans have consistently said they would support a good relationship, according to Gallup’s data.

The poll also indicated that 51 percent favored ending the trade embargo against Cuba, a move that has seen support hovering between 48 and 51 percent since 1999. Not surprisingly, those who were most resistant to ending the embargo were conservatives. The poll can be found here.

Some real changes have been made regarding Cuba since Obama has become president. At last week’s Summit of the Americas, a portion of Obama’s opening remarks were reserved for Havana: “I am prepared to have my administration engage with the Cuban government on a wide range of issues - from human rights, free speech, and democratic reform to drugs, migration and economic issues.” Obama has loosened some of the less debated sanctions against Cuba. Travel restrictions against Cuban Americans were dropped, as was the restriction of telecommunication companies from pursuing business in Cuba. But he has also repeated what every American president since Kennedy has said: the embargo will stay.

Other leaders are taking advantage of the new political climate to promote Cuban involvement in the global economy. Brazilian finance minister Guido Mantega took the floor at an IMF meeting on Saturday to argue for Cuba’s membership in the global bank. Mantega told the International Monetary and Financial committee, “Cuba is the only country in the Western Hemisphere that is not a member of this institution. The time has come to open the doors. In a climate of understanding, it would be an additional step.” Havana leadership has given no indication it wants to be included in the IMF.

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