Cuba and the Environment

Cuba has been officially classified as sustainable by the World Wildlife Fund in 2006, which means that Cuba officially can provide for its energy, agriculture, and industrial needs without impacting the environment for future generations. Especially in agriculture, Cuba has been a world leader in sustainability. As established by the WWF, “when agricultural operations are sustainably managed, they can preserve and restore critical habitats, help protect watersheds, and improve soil health and water quality.” When Cuba was placed under the U.S. Embargo during the Cold War, it effectively severed ties between Cuba and the rest of the world. This meant that Cuba had limited access to resources such as oil, fertilizer, and coal. Thus, Cuba’s road to sustainability was crafted out of necessity under their formal Socialist rule. Many Cubans fear the determinantal effects of a U.S. presence in Cuba. These Cubans know that “Money talks” and many American companies are eager for the U.S. to begin trading with Cuba. While Cuba has been very sustainable, they still have environmental problems that could become increasingly worse with a U.S. presence in Cuba.

Domestic Attempts by Cuba to Combat Environmental Issues:

Cuban flag above a protected section of the Island
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/02/science/earth/cubas-environmental-concerns-grow-with-prospect-of-us-presence.html

Cuba has a plethora of centralized environmental organizations, including the National Commission of Environmental Protection and Rational Use of Natural Resources, the National Environmental Education and the National Commission for the Protection of the Environment and for Conservation of Natural Resources. However, as reflected by the names of some of these organizations, they are often criticized as redundant, and failing to take the perspectives of Cuban citizens into account due to their highly centralized nature. Despite the existence of such organizations and programs, the ways in which Cuba addresses environmental issues has also come under fire. State propaganda tends to downplay problems on the island itself, resulting to images and data about the environmental mishaps in foreign countries. This tendency is also present in Cuba’s Nationwide Environmental Educational Strategy, critiqued for inadequate application and implementation. As Isbel Diaz Torres, an activist and writer for the Havana Times, points out, “Primary, secondary, and senior secondary education provide an excessively didactic approach,” focusing solely on an abstract love of nature, leaving little room for “holistic or participative perspectives to be found anywhere.” Higher education proves no better, basing its small sect of environmental studies on research regarding basic natural resources rather than the serious environmental issues plaguing the country. However, environmental NGOs and autonomous associations have emerged after the economic crisis of the 1990s, and there are social and community projects which also address ecological problems of Cuba, as many communities are deeply affected by issues such as access to drinking water, air pollution, and waste treatment. Still, Cuba’s government and elite class retain the most influence on environmental policy, and it seems like they will continue serving their own interests rather than those of their people.

Cuban divers fishing out debris from the water
http://sites.psu.edu/cubazvh5116/2015/02/05/environmental-issue/

One of the main major environmental issues that are occurring in Cuba is water pollution. Water pollution is causing the people of Cuba to live in an unsafe environment that is negatively affecting the health and the well being of everyone in the country. The polluted water issue is not being solved and only students and volunteers are making an effort in trying to clean the water and stop the pollution. The Quibu river in Havana is polluted with dead animals, rotten food, bottles and cans, and many more items that should not be in the river. This pollution is causing deaths and diseases among the people of Cuba. The bacteria that is traveling through the water is leading  to infections and diseases such as amebiasis, hepatitis A, and dysentery, along with many others. A solution to the increasing water pollution needs to be solved with the help of the government coming up with ways to stop it because the problem can not be fixed with only volunteer work.  

Sources Cited

Cuba - Environment. (2016). Retrieved November 09, 2016, from http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Americas/Cuba-ENVIRONMENT.html

Goode, Erica. "Cuba’s Environmental Concerns Grow With Prospect of U.S. Presence." The New  York Times. The New York Times, 02 July 2015. Web. 14 Nov. 2016. <http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/02/science/earth/cubas-environmental-concerns-grow-with-prospect-of-us-presence.html>.

Pollution in more than 250 rivers in Cuba. Retrieved November 10, 2016, from http://www.martinews.com/a/pollution-in-more-than-two-hundred-fifty-rives-and-tributaries-in-cuba/26619.html

Sustainability. (n.d.). Retrieved November 09, 2016, from http://pages.vassar.edu/sustainability/video/history-of-sustainability-in-cuba/

Sustainable Agriculture. (n.d.). Retrieved November 09, 2016, from http://www.worldwildlife.org/industries/sustainable-agriculture

Torres, I. D. (2016, January 19). Environmental Awareness and Protection in Cuba. Retrieved November 09, 2016, from http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=116195

Cuba and the 21st Century

Holding the US and Cuban flags together
https://fronteranews.com/news/latam/cuba-may-finally-rejoin-global-economy-can-close-deal/

  As the notion of the normalization of the relations between the U.S. and Cuba begin to progress further along, there has been a host of questions that have arisen, including about how allowing tourists into the country will impact the nation. Currently, the U.S. State Department only allows tourism to Cuba under the following circumstances: family visits; official business of the U.S. government, foreign governments, and certain intergovernmental organizations; journalistic activity; professional research and professional meetings; educational activities; religious activities; public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions; support for the Cuban people; humanitarian projects; activities of private foundations or research or educational institutes; exportation, importation, or transmission of information or informational materials; and certain authorized export transactions.

Cuba, after decades of isolation from a more global economy, has seen rampant poverty and otherwise difficult conditions. Thus, the idea of introducing tourism may inject money into the country to stimulate economic developmen. However, on the reverse side, some fear that introducing tourism into Cuba may lead to desecration of Cuban national monuments, and other cultural disrespect by Western tourists. Regardless, the perspective that tourism gives to the discussion of what the normalization of relations between the two countries will mean both on a micro and macro scale provides a lens into the interactions of culture and tourism in previously seperated nations.

In Cuba there has been a lot of tourism due to the new President and changes of laws in Cuba. As social media has become more popular, so has the uprise in tourism and media attention for Cuba. Cuba is becoming a popular destination for people across the world to visit, which is something new that the people of Cuba are having to adjust to. Many famous celebrities have recently visited Cuba including the Kardashian family, Gisele Bundchen, Karl Lagerfeld, and Vin Diesel. The Kardashians had their annual family vacation to Cuba, which brought a lot of publicity to the area since it is a very popular reality show. Another big event that occurred was the Chanel 2016 Cruise Collection runway show by Karl Lagerfeld. Controversy behind the glamorous vacations and events occurring in Cuba is that it is not portraying the true lifestyle that the Cuban people live. Rep. Ileana  Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) in response to the Kardashian family vacation said, “but playing a role in making Cuba a fun, no-worries destination is nothing but a cruel trick on the Cuban people. The Kardashians are taking lots of selfies in Havana, but are they taking stock of the reality on the streets they walk on?” The issue is that tourists who visit the country do not understand the culture and history that the Cuban people have gone through. The people of Cuba are having a difficult time accepting that the lifestyle they struggle to live in is being seen as glamourous because of the people who travel to Cuba for vacations.

One image that brought particular controversy was an Instagram post of Khloe Kardashian under a monument to Fidel Castro. She posed against a quote cheering for revolution, wearing heels and a silk scarf, under the dictator’s name. Instead of responding to the backlash, she posted another glamorized snapshot, this time of Cuban cars, with the caption “My goal is to expand my mind”. The Kardashians, whose grandparents were survivors of the Armenian Genocide, had shown no sympathy to the Cuban people, instead glamorizing their trip.

Khloe Kardashian under Fidel Castro's name in Cuba
http://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/khloe-kardashian-causes-controversy-on-instagam-after-posing-under-fidel-castro-monument-a3241426.html

Music and tourism have been constantly interacting and influencing each other over time, reflecting a reciprocal and developing relationship between the U.S. and Cuba. Early on, the Cuban government, a secular body, was anti-traditional music that involved themes of religion. However, a western conception of and desire for cuban music to be traditional, authentic and separate from the changing tides of time and modernization led to developments in the spheres of both music and tourism. The Cuban government began to capitalize on this American desire in the 1980s with increased tourism. Cubans, in the music world as well as the government, adhered to these forces because they brought money to the economy. The popularity of trovas, public outdoor spaces for live music, began to increase, serving American exocitized notions of what Cuba was, which were also informed by a broader need for authenticity in music and tourism, industries that thrive on the genuine nature of their products and experiences. Cuban street musicians used this to their advantage, helping to “take tourists back in time,” and deliver these unique and genuine experiences, despite a monetary influence relating to tourism holding sway in the background. However, the history of Cuban music goes beyond street performers catering to tourist fantasies. It is also a tradition that has never been as isolated as the West paints it to be. Multiple influences, stemming from African, American, and Spanish styles, merged together to form a uniquely Cuban sound. The rise of Afro-Cuban Jazz reflects these tides of globalization and integration despite relative political isolation. This genre emerged in the mid-twentieth century, led by innovators such as Mario Bauza, who worked with American Jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie, introducing Cuban percussion to American music while adopting sounds of American Jazz into Cuban music. This musical diversity and interaction highlights the complexity of relations between people, culture, and nations that surpass the rigid ideological conflicts that are so often pushed to the forefront. Like the conversations between musicians themselves, the relation between these two countries must be seen as a two-way interaction rather than a Western reform of an “isolated” culture through tourism. We must look at cuba as a nation affected by world influences just like any other countries, in order to normalize relations, as an inaccurate fantastical portrayal will only serve to perpetuate misunderstanding. Hopefully, with the influx of tourism brought by the recently indoctrinated normalization, the dynamic nature of Cuban music will become clearer to tourists, and cultural understanding will begin to take root.

Sources Cited

Afro-Cuban Jazz. (2016). Retrieved October 19, 2016, from http://www.allmusic.com/

http://www.allmusic.com/style/afro-cuban-jazz-ma0000012262

D'Zurilla, Christine. "Kardashians' Havana Visit Is Part of 'a Cruel Trick on the Cuban People,' Congresswoman Says." Los Angeles Times. Web. 20 Oct. 2016. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/gossip/la-et-mg-kardashians-visit-cuba-20160505-snap-htmlstory.html

Gibson, C., & Connell, J. (2005). Music and tourism: On the road again. Clevedon: Channel View Publications.

https://books.google.com/books?id=bjsb1QSBWPcC&pg=PA141&lpg=PA141&dq=music+and+tourism+in+cuba&source=bl&ots=9VifTG8urG&sig=AUnCSgoy_7_s02VV-ztjAIWs4SM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiW7ZqPyOfPAhWIv1QKHdphByAQ6AEIKjAC#v=onepage&q=music%20and%20tourism%20in%20cuba&f=false       

Khloe Kardashian causes controversy on Instagam after ... (n.d.). Retrieved October 24, 2016, from http://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/khloe-kardashian-causes-controversy-on-instagam-after-posing-under-fidel-castro-monument-a3241426.html

D'Zurilla, Christine. "Kardashians' Havana Visit Is Part of 'a Cruel Trick on the Cuban People,' Congresswoman Says." Los Angeles Times. Web. 20 Oct. 2016. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/gossip/la-et-mg-kardashians-visit-cuba-20160505-snap-htmlstory.html

Rodriguez, Andrea, and Michael Weissenstein. "U.S. Culture Already Influences Cuba as Political Ties Resume." The Seattle Times. 13 Aug. 2015. Web. 20 Oct. 2016. http://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/us-culture-already-influences-cuba-as-political-ties-resume

Relations Between Cuba and the United States

What are the US and Cuba relations?

By: Mariah Hall, Angelica Becker, Cassie Murphey, Dominic Rubio, and Becky Fisk

Cuba and the United States have a had a rocky relationship, to put it lightly, for many years. This began when Cuban dictator, Fidel Castro began taxing American products heavily and then proceeded to let the Soviet Union build a missile bases in Cuba while they were at war with the U.S. The United States and Cuba had completely severed diplomatic relations in 1961. After decades of embargos and isolation, Cuba still has not been able to return to its former prosperity. President Obama is trying to change this situation. On April 11, 2015, President Obama met Raul Castro, brother of former dictator Fidel, at the summit of the Americas in Panama. This was the first meeting between the United States and Cuban leaders since 1961. Later in March of 2016, Obama and his family went to Cuba. This is the first time a President of the United States has stepped on Cuban soil during Presidency since Calvin Coolidge in 1928. Obama has said that "Neither the American nor the Cuban people are well-served by a rigid policy that's rooted in events that took place before most of us were born." Obama believes that it is time to try something new, and only time will tell if he’s right.

Raul Castro and Barack Obama ahead of meeting at U.N. Headquarters in New York City.

http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Obama-Makes-It-Official-Hes-Going-to-Cuba-20160218-0001.html

What made the relations turn sour?

The governments of the United States and Cuba began interacting in the 1850s, with pro-slavery Americans pushing for either the purchase or forced conquest of Cuba from Spain, while anti-slavery sentiments advocated against this form of imperialism. These opposing interests were once again reignited with the Spanish American War, in which the U.S. backed a Cuban uprising against the Spanish that was successful. Technically, Cuba was an independent state, but the U.S. treated it as essentially a protectorate. This meant that the U.S. still had a hand in Cuban foreign policy and the right to interfere in their affairs as outlines by the Platt amendment. These interventions, often military in practice, happened multiple times in the subsequent decades, both in 1906 and 1917, usually in order to safeguard their economic interest in sugar imports  under the fronts of needing to solve “political crises.” In 1933, a Cuban uprising led the establishment of a democracy, despite no support from the U.S., who stayed neutral in the conflict. However, this progress was halted by Fulgencio Batista, an authoritarian dictator who seized power through a coup in 1952, revoking the Constitution and oppressing the people.

However, the real narrative of the tumultous tensions between the U.S. and Cuba begins in 1959. This was the year that Fidel Castro, along with a band of radicalized peasants and Che Guevara overthrew the government of General Fulgencio Batista. During this time, Castro had decidedly nationalist tendencies, which were not necessarily Communist. During the early years of his consolidation of power, the U.S. government generally supported Castro as a welcome relief from the corrupt Batista regime. However, later in 1960, the United States and Cuba were in conflict over trade agreements and tariffs. To remedy this issue, Eisenhower tried to limit trade by only allowing food and medical supplies as exports. However, Castro decided that this was insufficient, and thus began to seek out trade with the Soviet Union. Because of the extreme animosity and polarization of the Cold War, the relationship between the U.S. and Cuba fell apart, and officially ended in 1962 when President John F. Kennedy issued a permanent trade embargo. With this embargo, the U.S. officially cemented themselves against Cuba. In the bipolar Cold War, this pushed the Cubans in full alliance with the Soviets.

Cubans lining up outside of the United States embassy in Cuba hoping to get visas. This was 48 hours before the US shutdown the embassy and severed relations with Cuba.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/ap-us-breaks-relations-cuba-015809158.html?ref=gs

Why does this matter?

The governments of the United States and Cuba began interacting in the 1850s, with pro-slavery Americans pushing for either the purchase or forced conquest of Cuba from Spain, while anti-slavery sentiments advocated against this form of imperialism. These opposing interests were once again reignited with the Spanish American War, in which the U.S. backed a Cuban uprising against the Spanish that was successful. Technically, Cuba was an independent state, but the U.S. treated it as essentially a protectorate. This meant that the U.S. still had a hand in Cuban foreign policy and the right to interfere in their affairs as outlined by the Platt amendment. These interventions, often military in practice, happened multiple times in the subsequent decades, both in 1906 and 1917, usually in order to safeguard their economic interest in sugar imports  under the fronts of needing to solve “political crises.” In 1933, a Cuban uprising led the establishment of a democracy, despite no support from the U.S., who stayed neutral in the conflict. However, this progress was halted by Fulgencio Batista, an authoritarian dictator who seized power through a coup in 1952, revoking the Constitution and oppressing the people.  

However, the real narrative of the tumultuous tensions between the U.S. and Cuba begins in 1959. This was the year that Fidel Castro, along with a band of radicalized peasants and Che Guevara overthrew the government of General Fulgencio Batista. During this time, Castro had decidedly nationalist tendencies, which were not necessarily Communist. During the early years of his consolidation of power, the U.S. government generally supported Castro as a welcome relief from the corrupt Batista regime. However, later in 1960, the United States and Cuba were in conflict over trade agreements and tariffs. To remedy this issue, Eisenhower tried to limit trade by only allowing food and medical supplies as exports. However, Castro decided that this was insufficient, and thus began to seek out trade with the Soviet Union. Because of the extreme animosity and polarization of the Cold War, the relationship between the U.S. and Cuba fell apart, and officially ended in 1962 when President John F. Kennedy issued a permanent trade embargo. With this embargo, the U.S. officially cemented themselves against Cuba. In the bipolar Cold War, this pushed the Cubans in full alliance with the Soviets.

After a while, things settled down, but in the 1980s, new developments brought new conflict. Castro began allowing people to leave the island for the first time, prompting mass migration to Florida, where a growing population of Cuban dissidents began to extend an influence on American politics. Although Florida had accepted its fair share of Cuban refugees and exiles prior to Castro’s change of heart, this demographic surge was transformative for establishing a political platform to advocate the views of the dissidents. These generation that followed would be known as ABCs, or American-Born Cubans. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, relations were still unable to be normalized despite agreement from both Clinton and Castro. The public sentiment, especially that of older Cuban Americans, was staunchly anti-Castro, while ABCs still hoped to someday return home. After Cuba’s shooting of two private planes chartered by Cuban-American activists, Clinton ended attempts to normalize relations. When Raul Castro, Fidel’s brother, assumed control in 2008, he seemed to have provided a more progressive mindset in Cuba, which led to increased possibilities for normalizing of relations. After meetings between Pope Francis, Raul Castro, and Obama in 2013, these possibilities started to become realized.

Despite the complicated history between the U.S. and Cuba, or perhaps because of it, Cuba remains relevant today. The normalization of the relations between the two countries reflects the continuing fall of Cold War Era hostilities. This hostility that existed between the two countries, especially the strengthening of those tensions that happened after the Cuban Missile Crisis, served as a prominent reminder of Cold War troubles. The normalization of relations reflects the desire to reopen trade, and thus essentially bury the hatchet between the two countries. Moreover, the fact that Cuba is now more open to the influences of global commerce, including tourism, the state will prove to be a fascinating case study in the effects of isolation in a globalized world. Because of Cuba’s isolation from global oil and natural gas, they were forced into developing more sustainable and home-grown methods of energy. While their comparative environmental sustainability is in part due to lower standards of living, it stills serves as an interesting model for the impact of globalization on the environment. With the normalization of U.S./Cuba relations, the state will prove to serve as an interesting yardstick to compare the rest of the world with going forward.

Sources Cited:

"Cuba United States Relations." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 13 Sept. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cuba%E2%80%93United_States_relations&oldid=738816174>.

Gomez, Alan. "One Year Later: What's Changed -- and What Hasn't -- in U.S.-Cuba Relations." USA Today. Gannett, 15 Dec. 2015. Web. 13 Sept. 2016. <http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/12/15/cuba-us-one-year-anniversary-diplomatic-relations-whats-changed/77085846/>.

History.com Staff. "Cuban Missile Crisis." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2010. Web. 13 Sept. 2016. <http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/cuban-missile-crisis>.

Hoff, Rhoda, and Margaret Regler. Uneasy Neighbors: Cuba and the United States. New York: F. Watts, 1997. Print.

Jaffe, Alexandra, and Elise Labott. "U.S. Reaches Landmark Deal with Cuba." WPTV. N.p., 17 Dec. 2014. Web. 13 Sept. 2016. <http://www.wptv.com/news/world/alan-gross-cuba-frees-us-citizen>.

Kim, Susanna. "Here's What Happened the Last Time a US President Visited Cuba." ABC News. ABC News Network, 21 Mar. 2016. Web. 13 Sept. 2016. <http://abcnews.go.com/International/happened-time-us-president-visited-cuba/story?id=27689730>.

"Milestones: 1945–1952 - Office of the Historian." U.S. Department of State. U.S. Department of State, n.d. Web. 13 Sept. 2016. <https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/kennan>.

"Milestones: 1945–1952 - Office of the Historian." U.S. Department of State. U.S. Department of State, n.d. Web. 13 Sept. 2016. <https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/truman-doctrine>.

Mitchell, Andrea, and Mcclam Erin. "Cuba Frees American Alan Gross, Held for Five Years." NBC News. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Sept. 2016. <http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/u-s-cuba-relations/cuba-frees-american-alan-gross-held-five-years-n269926>.

Rhodes, James Ford, and Allan Nevins. History of the United States from the Compromise of 1850. Chicago: U of Chicago, 1966. Print.

Russell   |  , By Shawndra. "Cuba History: What Is the Teller Amendment?" Newsmax. N.p., 18 Feb. 2016. Web. 13 Sept. 2016. <http://www.newsmax.com/FastFeatures/cuba-history-teller-amendment/2016/02/18/id/715055/>.

Suddath, Claire. "U.S.-Cuba Relations." Time. Time Inc., 15 Apr. 2009. Web. 12 Oct. 2016. <http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1891359,00.html>.

Relations Between The United States and Cuba

Relations Between The United States and Cuba

By Angelica Becker, Becky Fisk, Mariah Hall, Cassie Murphy, and Dominic Rubio

The United States and Cuba had completely severed diplomatic relations in 1961. After decades of embargos and isolation, Cuba still has not been able to return to its former prosperity. President Obama is trying to change this situation. On April 11, 2015, President Obama met Raul Castro, brother of former dictator Fidel, at the summit of the Americas in Panama. This was the first meeting between the United States and Cuban leaders since 1961. Later in March of 2016, Obama and his family went to Cuba. This is the first time a President of the United States has stepped on Cuban soil during Presidency since Calvin Coolidge in 1928. Obama has said that "Neither the American nor the Cuban people are well-served by a rigid policy that's rooted in events that took place before most of us were born." Obama believes that it is time to try something new, and only time will tell if he’s right.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/12/15/cuba-us-one-year-anniversary-diplomatic-relations-whats-changed/77085846/

The United States and Cuba have a long history of interactions, which helps in explaining the current state of relations. It began in the 1850s, with pro-slavery Americans pushing for the purchase or forced conquest of Cuba from Spain, while anti-slavery sentiments advocated against this form of imperialism. These opposing interests were once again reignited with the Spanish American War, in which the U.S. backed a Cuban uprising against the Spanish, resulting in a supposedly independent Cuba. However, the U.S. still had a hand in Cuban foreign policy and the right to interfere in their affairs with the passing of the Platt amendment. These interventions, often military in practice, happened multiple times in the ensuing decades, both in 1906 and 1917, usually in order to safeguard their economic interest in sugar imports, despite fronts of needing to solve “political crises.” In 1933, a Cuban uprising led the establishment of a democracy, despite no support from the U.S., who stayed neutral in the conflict. However, this progress was halted by Fulgencio Batista, an authoritarian dictator who rose to power through a coup in 1952, revoking the Constitution and oppressing the people.

http://www.wptv.com/news/world/alan-gross-cuba-frees-us-citizen

At this time, Fidel Castro and the Communist party he represented were beginning to gain support, as an equality-promising savior in opposition to the oppressive rule of Batista. However, the U.S., still entrenched in Cold War fears, backed Batista, who was nevertheless toppled by Castro in 1959. What followed was a time of conflict, with the U.S. pushing embargos to sabotage Cuba’s economy, as well failed assassination attempts on Castro. The Bay of Pigs is a pertinent example of the U.S.’s desperately-pursued containment policy, where CIA-trained Cubans were sent to take over the island, but were unsuccessful. Castro then looked to the Soviets for help, to which Stalin happily obliged, sending nuclear missiles to Cuba. The U.S. government was in a state of turmoil as they began intense negotiations with Cuba, with both sides pointing their nuclear weapons at each other and threatening to shoot. After a while, things settled down, but in the 1980s, new developments brought new conflict. Castro began allowing people to leave the island for the first time, prompting mass migration to Florida, where a growing population of Cuban dissidents began to extend an influence on American politics. These generation that followed would be known as ABCs, or American-Born Cubans.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, relations were still unable to be normalized despite agreement from both Clinton and Castro. The public sentiment, especially that of older Cuban-Americans, was staunchly anti-Castro, while ABCs still hoped to one day return home. After Cuba’s shooting of two private planes chartered by Cuban-American activists, Clinton ended attempts to normalize relations. When Raul Castro, Fidel’s brother, assumed control in 2008, he seemed to have provided a more progressive mindset in Cuba, which led to increased possibilities for normalizing of relations. After meetings between the Pope, Raul, and Obama in 2013, these possibilities started to become realized.

Despite the complicated history between the U.S. and Cuba, or perhaps because of it, Cuba remains relevant today. The normalization of the relations between the two countries reflects the continuing fall of Cold War Era hostilities. Moreover, the fact that Cuba is now more open to the influences of global commerce, including tourism, the state will prove to be a fascinating case study in the effects of isolation in a globalized world. Because of Cuba’s isolation from global oil and natural gas, they were forced into developing more sustainable and home-grown methods of energy. While their comparative environmental sustainability is in part due to lower standards of living, it stills serves as an interesting model for the impact of globalization on the environment. With the normalization of U.S./Cuba relations, the state will prove to serve as an interesting yardstick to compare the rest of the world with going forward.

APA Citations:

V. (2016, April 12). A brief history of America and Cuba. Retrieved September 13, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chYBlArm9Ao

Cuba–United States relations. (2016, September 11). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 20:45, September 13, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cuba%E2%80%93United_States_relations&oldid=738816174

Gomez, A. (2015, December 15). One year later: What’s changed -- and what hasn’t -- in U.S.-Cuba relations. . Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/12/15/cuba-us-one-year-anniversary-diplomatic-relations-whats-changed/77085846/

Hoff, R., & Regler, M. (1997). Uneasy neighbors: Cuba and the United States. New York: F. Watts.

Jaffe, A., & CNN, E. L. (2014, December 17). President announces new U.S.-Cuba relationship. Retrieved September 19, 2016, from World, http://www.wptv.com/news/world/alan-gross-cuba-frees-us-citizen

Kim, S. Here's What Happened the Last Time a US President Visited Cuba. Retrieved September 15, 2016, from http://abcnews.go.com/International/happened-time-us-president-visited-cuba/story?id=2768973

Mitchell, A., & McClam, E. (2014, December 18). Cuba frees American Alan Gross, held for Five years. . Retrieved from http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/u-s-cuba-relations/cuba-frees-american-alan-gross-held-five-years-n269926

Newsmax (2016, February 18). Cuba history: What is the teller amendment? FastFeatures. Retrieved from http://www.newsmax.com/FastFeatures/cuba-history-teller-amendment/2016/02/18/id/71505

Rhodes, James Ford (1893). History of the United States from the Compromise of 1850, Vol. II: 1854–1860. New York: Harper & Bros.