UNDERSTANDABLY, there have been widespread expressions across continents over the historic announcement of renewal of diplomatic relations between the United States of America and Cuba after some 53 years of Washington’s hostile, punishing economic blockade.Guyana and its Caribbean Community partners lost no time in applauding this development which significantly coincided with the Fifth CARICOM-Cuba Summit in Havana last month.
It cannot be forgotten that our relatively small Community, and
in particular, a quartet of its first independent states—Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad  and Tobago—had played a unique role in ending Cuba’s diplomatic isolation in 1972.
President Barack Obama, now entering his second and final term, deserves credit for exercising the initiative in reaching out to President Raul
Castro to reach the historic accord for re-establishment of diplomatic relations that could well result in the opening of embassies in their respective capitals during this year, and quite possibly, an official visit to Washington by the Cuban Head of State as guest of President Obama.
Mr. Obama was quite eloquent and candid in admitting that the decision to isolate Cuba with enforcement of a very punishing economic, commercial and financial blockade, had proven a failure against the (Fidel Castro-led) Cuban revolution of 1959.
This long overdue historic development has finally come against the monumental courage and sacrifices displayed by the great mass of the Cuban people.
We join in saluting them in reaffirming Guyana’ solidarity in defence of their political and cultural sovereignty, as well as extending our hope that the U.S. Congress, now controlled by the Republicans, would support President Obama’s desire for super power USA to end the unprecedented economic and financial blockade against that small island state.

Guyana/Venezuela ties
At the same time, it is imperative to note that with the Obama-Castro restoration of diplomatic ties, Washington should now engage in a critical reassessment of the prevailing undesirable relations between the USA and Guyana’s border neighbour Venezuela. There has been no known enlightened initiative from Washington for renewal of normal diplomatic relations since the death in office of President Hugo Chavez.
Guyana, of course, has much more than a passing interest in maintaining matured relations with Venezuela. After all, our Spanish-speaking neighbour officially maintains a
substantial territorial claim, of colonial origin, to Guyana’s territory, despite recurring assurances.
Presidents Obama and Castro have agreed, after half a century, to re-establish normal diplomatic ties in 2015. In contrast, Venezuela’s historical claim to some two thirds of Guyana’s 83,000 square miles of territory dates back to the 19th century!