BtH: Cuban Diplomat Speaks at Pardee School
The Beyond the Headlines, or BtH, series at the Fredrick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University continued on April 27, 2017 with conversation on the past, present and future of relations between the United States and Cuba with Miguel Fraga, First Secretary of the Embassy of the Republic of Cuba in Washington, D.C. The event was co-hosted by the Latin American Studies Program, an affiliated program of the Pardee School.
Pardee School Dean Adil Najam and Director of Latin American Studies Adela Pineda both welcomed Fraga, and thanked him for his contribution to the ongoing conversations at the Pardee School on the developing relationship between the United States and Cuba.
Fraga gave remarks on the recent changes to the relationship between the U.S. and Cuba since the reopening of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2015.
“We reestablished diplomatic relations with the United States in 2015, but unfortunately we don’t have normal relations with the United States yet,” Fraga said. “The embargo is still in place. 191 countries in the United Nations last year asked the United States to lift the embargo. You can say right now that no country in the world supports the U.S. embargo against Cuba. Also, we are in the best moment in the last 50 years between Cuba and the United States. We don’t want to wait another 50 years.”
Following Fraga’s remarks Amb. Paul Hare, Professor of the Practice of International Relations at the Pardee School and the British ambassador to Cuba from 2001-04, moderated a question and answer session between Fraga and Pardee School students and faculty. Fraga discussed the attitude in Cuba toward some of the sweeping changes that have taken place in the country over the past two years.
“We cannot be afraid of the change. People say to us are you ready to see the end of the embargo, and I really believe that we need to see that if you want to improve the life of the Cuban people,” Fraga said. “After that, we’ll have to deal with new challenges and if we have the support of the majority of the Cuban people all the changes won’t be a problem.”
Fraga was asked about the reception in Cuba to the outcome of the 2016 U.S. presidential election, and how a new U.S. president could affect the developing relationship between the U.S. and Cuba since diplomatic relations were reestablished in 2015.
“That is the big question that we have right now,” Fraga said. “If you look at what Cuba said before the election, the official position of Cuba was that we are ready to work with the next administration, whoever it ends up being. We are open to working with that administration. The day after the election our president sent a message to the president-elect saying congratulations.”
Fraga said he hopes that the two countries can continue to improve relations, and that he believes it is in the best interest of the people of both the U.S. and Cuba to develop stronger ties.
“On January 25, at the meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, our president said we want to continue on the same path we started with President Obama,” Fraga said. “We face the same challenge, and we can work together to make progress. Our position is the door is open on our side. If you follow what the majority of both countries want, we really believe that President Trump can see that we can do more and it’s good for both sides.”