Policy & Advocacy
Backgrounder on Cuba, August 2018
Backgrounder on Cuba, August 2018
- Political context: Reforms begun under former President Raúl Castro expanded opportunities to own property, run small businesses, and access credit while serious human rights concerns remain. Miguel Díaz‑Canel, Cuba’s new president, faces a fragile balance between reformists and hardliners.
- Religious engagement: Religious leaders, especially the Catholic Church, continue cautious, uneven progress in engaging society and dialoguing with the government.
- Papal visit: Pope Francis’s September 2015 visit signaled pastoral support for the Cuban people.
Church Situation
- Government limits: The state restricts the Church’s freedom in education, mass communications, and receiving pastoral agents from abroad.
- Social ministry: Despite constraints, the Church operates social-assistance projects that reach many sick, elderly, and disabled people and continues pastoral work within those limits.
U.S.-Cuba Rapprochement under Obama
- Restoration of ties: The U.S. reestablished diplomatic relations in 2014, removed Cuba from the state sponsors of terrorism list, expanded authorized travel and charter flights, and President Obama visited Cuba in March 2016.
- Immigration change: In January 2017 the U.S. ended the “wet foot, dry foot” policy.
Trump Administration Policy Modification
- Policy shift: The June 2017 National Security Presidential Memorandum narrowed engagement to prevent economic benefits from disproportionately reaching Cuban government or security entities.
- Consequences: The policy tightened travel and economic engagement parameters while exempting many U.S. businesses already operating in Cuba; the USCCB and Cuban bishops expressed disappointment.
USCCB Position
- Engagement over isolation: USCCB argues that increased contact, trade, and travel better promote human rights, civil society, and religious freedom than isolation or embargo.
- Solidarity with Cuban Church: USCCB opposes crackdowns on peaceful dissent, restrictions on ecclesial life, and unwarranted use of the death penalty; it supports Church pastoral and social work with visits and resources.
- Critique of embargo: USCCB and many in Cuban civil society view the U.S. embargo as strengthening government control and harming vulnerable populations.
Action Requested
- Policy asks: USCCB urges Congress to end all travel restrictions for Americans visiting Cuba, foster greater trade, resist reimposing pre‑Obama restrictions, and work toward a complete end to the economic embargo.
- Rationale: Greater people‑to‑people contact and economic openness are viewed as the most effective means to improve Cuban living conditions and encourage democracy and human rights.