POLITICAL watchers/analysts would find it hard ignoring what seems to be a policy by United States (U.S.) President Donald Trump to reverse predecessor Barack Obama’s legacy. Whereas some had forewarned Trump’s nature is to target and destroy those he considers enemy, and others see as necessary given ideological differences, those who aren’t apathetic about these occurrences are concerned.

Our Government, irrespective of the group or party in office, has communicated Guyana’s unwavering commitment to the U.S. lifting its trade embargo on Cuba. Last October, Guyana once again voted with 190 other member-states in the United Nations for this. The two countries that abstained were the U.S. and Israel. The embargo was imposed in 1960 by an act of Congress (Legislature) and requires the said body to approve its lifting, but it was heartening news when Obama, during his presidency (2009-2017), joined the removal call. In 2014 Obama began a series of actions to normalise U.S./Cuba relations after more than half-a-century of frosted relations. Some of these include restoring diplomatic relations and lifting travel and goods restrictions.

The current polarising relations between Republicans and Democrats, where the former control the House of Representatives and Senate, and take a hardline positon on Cuba, may not result in reversal any time soon. Some Cuban-Americans also favour the hardline position, which they think is aiming at the politicians, though it deprives their fellow men, makes good sense. Last Friday, Republican President Trump signed an Executive Order which he said would “completely” cancel Obama’s policy. In fact, it will see a partial shift through the tightening of restrictions which will require months of regulatory work to make effective. Shortly after the signing, Cuba’s Raúl Castro’s Government condemned the act calling it “ill-advised.”

As an instructive aside, the embargo was signed into law by Democratic President John Kennedy, extended by Democratic President Bill Clinton (1999) and the call to lift it by Democratic President Barack Obama, which is supported by Democratic legislators. Though President Trump holds the view that Cuban politicians — not the people — stand to benefit from Obama’s policy, critical analyses do not bear out that view. If 57 years of isolation has not broken the Cuban government, and deprivations are felt more by the masses not the politicians, it brings no empowerment to those it is said the harsh policy is designed to benefit. Such thinking ignores crucial points of global referencing. Communist Russia, for instance, was a major player in the Cold War era; setting aside current soured relations around the U.S. 2016 Presidential Elections, the two continue to forge relations of mutual interests, making mute or frivolous the desire to treat Cuba as enemy/persona non grata.

Further, with the Raúl Castro presidency (2006), Cuba began relaxing restrictions and opening up to Foreign Direct Investment. Guyana and sister Caribbean Community (CARICOM) economies continue to be beneficiaries with the steady traffic of Cuban traders. With increasing global trade, travel and competitive opportunities, how much longer does the U.S. think its policy will last before it self-implodes and emasculates its ability to directly influence global relations, is anyone’s guess.

Obama’s foresight in recognising and sourcing advantages to national interest by reversing a useless policy in furtherance of the country’s agenda, rather than suffer reversed isolation or having to play catch-up, was shrewd positioning in international relations. If communist Cuba was not brought to its knees or has not disintegrated in the last 57 years under several U.S. presidents, when the modern world was at its most polarised, the chance of this ever being achieved becomes slimmer.

Global trade in the presence of determined international efforts to eradicate money-laundering and countering the financing of terrorism which pose clear and present dangers to governments and societies, necessitate the value of having Cuba as an ally, not a foe. It brings three immediate benefits– expansion of trade/economic opportunities, cross-fertilisation of ideas and values, and partnership in the fight against the new war, i.e. terrorism. The U.S.’ policy which was shaped by bruised egos and ideological war is no longer of much significant value. At the economic and political levels, where communist China and others continue to expand and by extension increasing international influence threatening to rival the US’, Congress and President Trump may be forced to wake up one morning and recognize that the world, time and events have overtaken them.