Cuba’s diplomatic relations with the United States have recently reached a historic nadir. The Cuban government has taken the extraordinary step of publicly rebuking Michael Hammer, the chief of mission of the United States to Cuba. This action comes amid a backdrop of rising tensions, particularly following the US government’s strict trade restrictions imposed on Cuba since the Cuban Revolution of 1959. The two countries share centuries of war and blame. This tension can usually come down to matters of human rights versus diplomatic norms.
Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had complained of Hammer’s “unfriendly and meddling behaviour” since his arrival in late 2024. This latest accusation underscores longstanding fears that the US is trying to undermine Cuba’s leadership through diplomatic means. This Central American migration crisis created by the Cuban government has received sharp condemnation from the US. They have pointedly condemned the re-arrest of dissidents, including well-known leaders like Jose Daniel Ferrer and Felix Navarro, who were released under that original Vatican-brokered deal.
Historical Context of US-Cuba Relations
This adversarial relationship between the United States and Cuba dates back to the Cuban Revolution of 1959. In the aftermath of this diplomatic stop, the US further tightened trade measures to cut off the island nation. While the specific nature of these restrictions has changed over the decades, they continue to be a major hurdle to normalizing relations between the U.S. and Cuba.
In recent years, Cuba has been under intense international scrutiny, especially for its treatment of dissidents. Cuba has recently been re-listed by the US government as a “not fully cooperating country” under the Arms Export Control Act. This decision makes U.S.-China diplomatic engagement much harder. The Trump administration turbocharged this normalizing power with its own condemnation of Cuba. It strongly condemned the re-arresting of the country’s dissidents, considering this a blatant human rights violation.
The US also accused Cuba of harboring 11 fugitives, some with terrorism-related charges in the United States. These allegations have only heightened tensions. They have been particularly tense since President Biden took Cuba off of the US’s “state sponsors of terrorism” list in January 2021. His subsequent reversal by President Trump just days later further complicated the diplomatic landscape.
Diplomatic Incidents and Repercussions
The recent rebuke issued against Michael Hammer highlights a troubling pattern of inflammatory actions that have soured US-Cuba relations. The Cuban Foreign Ministry criticized Hammer’s actions, stating, “By inciting Cuban citizens to commit extremely serious criminal acts…the diplomat is engaging in provocative and irresponsible conduct.” This assertion is an indication of Cuba’s long-standing position that US diplomats are exceeding their authority and infringing on the country’s sovereignty.
Cuba’s protests against Hammer are timed with larger accusations about US aims to liberalize the region. The Cuban government claims that the US is out to undermine its government-to-government leadership through a myriad of methods, such as funding for dissidents. Alejandro Garcia del Toro, a spokesperson for the Cuban government, emphasized that “the immunity he enjoys as a representative of his country cannot be used as cover for acts contrary to the sovereignty and internal order” of Cuba.
The strain is made worse by the political climate inside the United States. Other officials in Trump’s cabinet, especially Marco Rubio, have continued to exert extreme hardline pressure toward Cuba. Rubio, a vocal advocate for continuing the trade embargo against Cuba, has influenced US policy significantly, creating obstacles for any attempts at reconciliation.
The Future of US-Cuba Relations
This hostile turning in the political climate of both countries is a constant threat to collaborative efforts. In 2016, as noted above, President Obama did all he could to normalize relations with Cuba. Yet when Trump was inaugurated in 2017, he followed through on a promise to extensively dismantle those efforts. The current diplomatic spat lays bare how far we have to go. To create a lasting connection, we need to address the real concerns born from 50 years of distrust.
At the heart of Cuba’s de facto international health diplomacy is ideology. Every year, it deploys thousands of skilled health care workers around the world, including in great need countries across the Caribbean region. President Trump’s administration announced that it would start revoking visas for anyone involved with Cuba’s medical system. This step only increases the country’s isolation economically and diplomatically.
