Young Perspectives, Rapprochement With Cuba: Reasons, Reactions And Repercussion

On December 17, 2014, President of the United States Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro announced to reestablish diplomatic relations in a joint declaration. Against the backdrop of more than 50 years of economic sanctions, trade restrictions, and political deadlock between the U.S. and Cuba, the international community praised the decision as a historic turning point. Because the preceding 18-month long negotiations had remained secret, the announcement came as a surprise. With "The United States' Rapprochement with Cuba: Reasons, Reactions, and Repercussions," Judith Radtke sheds light on the United States' reasons and motivation to reestablish political and economic relations with Cuba. By depicting Obama's election promises as presidential candidate and highlighting the actual steps taken by his administration after the December announcement, the author gives an insight into the evolution of Barack Obama's policy stance on Cuba. Radtke further analyzes the political, financial, entrepreneurial, and social implications of the rapprochement process at the respective domestic and international levels, as well as reactions by the Cuban government and stakeholders in the United States. Given the change of government at the beginning of 2017 in the United States, this publication was recently updated, thereby providing an outlook on future challenges for the relationship between Washington and Havana.