Has President Obama’s policy of engaging Cuba succeeded or failed? It’s probably much too early to say – but the fundraising efforts of groups on both sides of the issue indicate something important is working.
The New Cuba PAC (political action committee) was launched last spring in Miami and is based in Washington D.C. It supports President Obama’s year-old project to normalize relations with Cuba – including efforts to repeal the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba.
On Thursday New Cuba announced it had raised an impressive $350,000 in its first six months.
That’s roughly the same amount in the treasury of another Cuba policy group – the Hialeah-based U.S.-Cuba Democracy PAC. It opposes normalization and focuses more on aiding Cuban dissidents.
There’s a lot of noise from opposing camps on the Cuba issue right now: Claims that normalization is working to change the communist island and claims that it’s failed. One side lauds Obama's promotion of entrepreneurs in Cuba – including this week's relaxation of restrictions on U.S. exports there –while the other complains that the number of private businesses registered in Cuba has actually fallen the past year.
Diplomacy experts tell WLRN each of those assertions is way too premature.
They say normalization is a marathon – requiring both engagement with and pro-democracy pressure on Cuba. If so, the fundraising success of both the New Cuba and U.S.-Cuba Democracy PACs is good news.
