MEXICO CITY, June 15 -- Progress in U.S.-Cuba ties is likely to suffer a setback under U.S. President Donald Trump, according to Mario Torrico, a research professor at the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (Flacso) in Mexico City.
According to media reports, Trump is set to announce in Miami on Friday a rollback to the thaw between Washington and Havana, a promise he made during his election campaign last year.
"It appears the new U.S. president will arrive with a different Cuba policy that is opposed to that of his predecessor Barack Obama, as we have seen in (the areas of) environment and immigration," Torrico told Xinhua in an interview.
While Trump made his position against restoring ties with Cuba clear during the campaign period, saying the island's government must first meet human rights standards set by Washington, his presidency has so far centered mostly on issues of national interest.
"He has focused more on domestic policy and other aspects, such as how to impose restrictions on Middle East travel -- for which he has had to confront his country's judicial branch -- environmental policy and ties with NATO," said Torrico.
"Cuba is an important political topic at the regional level, but it carries little economic weight compared to other issues of interest to Trump," added Torrico, who also coordinates the master's program in public policy at Flacso.
Trump is set to announce the new policy towards Cuba from Miami, Florida, home to the large community of Cuban exiles who fled their country after the 1959 revolution.
Choosing Miami signals that he plans to take a harder stance on Cuba, though how far he will roll back the reforms pursued by Obama remains to be seen.
Under Obama, the two countries restored diplomatic ties and direct communications, including air connections and postal service. Obama also relaxed restrictions on travel to Cuba, though the five-decade trade embargo remains in place.
When asked how much of a setback the new policy could represent, "not much," says Torrico, adding that because little real progress was made in bilateral ties, especially since Cuba's main demand -- that the embargo be lifted -- was largely ignored.
Improvements in ties, in fact, "have been very slow and even disappointing, so to speak," said Torrico.
Restoring ties led to spectacular photo opportunities, such as the reopening of the respective embassies in Havana and Washington, but to few concrete advances.
"At the very least, we were expecting to see the start of investment in Cuba, as well as greater political opening of the Cuban government and the diversification of the island's economy," said Torrico.
However, the biggest change has been in the flow of U.S. tourists to the island, so in terms of meeting expectations, the restoration of ties fell short, added Torrico.
Ties under Trump are bound to slide back, he noted.
"They will not be able to negotiate anything, because while one side -- the U.S. -- is interested in seeing progress in greater political opening towards democratization, the other side -- Cuba -- wants non-intervention and the reduction of economic restrictions ... to lift the embargo," said Torrico, adding "I think neither side is willing to accept these conditions."
"Rather, I think that for the sake of their domestic policies and interests, both sides are going to do nothing and roll back what has been done," said Torrico.
主人给自家肥猫挂了块牌:我要减肥别喂我啦
她们定义了中国女性
美国皮肤专家告诉你:什么样的化妆品痘痘族千万不能用
谷歌机器人VS李世石:人机斗棋 你猜谁会赢
世界上第一件衣服:妈呀好潮好有现代感!
三八女神节:8位不凡女神教你如何成功
盘点那些营养价值被低估的美味
中概股回归表明中国不差钱?
中国180万煤炭和钢铁工人面临下岗
如何买单才公平?让Equipay来告诉你!
外长记者会金句摘录
单身狗慎入,看歪果仁如何谈恋爱
自恋分三种 你是哪种呢?
网坛女神作死之路:莎拉波娃服禁药惨遭禁赛
真正的“裸考”:印度考生考试时只允许穿内裤
有哪些对话非常“中国”?
特朗普遭“打脸”:西服领带皆中国产
2016政府工作报告中的20个金句
人类粪便或成未来汽车燃料
十种令其他国家居民抓狂的行为
2016政府工作报告要点回顾
这自拍杆太牛X了 用苹果电脑自拍是什么体验
中国两会将传递哪些重要信号
数据告诉你:剩男危机论还没到来
活植物珠宝,边戴边长!
2016两会:习大大连续四年到上海团都说了啥
彼得兔成首位登上英国钱币的儿童文学主角
楼继伟批劳动合同法:过分保护在职员工
让你的英语写作高大上的10个技能
运动一周:你的生活会发生惊人改变
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |