It's easy and obvious to call the photo above historic. It was. It followed a series of milestones: Months of secret negotiations, a phone call between the two leaders, President Obama announcing efforts to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba, easing of travel restrictions by Americas, allowing U.S. credit cards to be used in Cuba, expanding the list of items that can be legally exported to the island from America and increasing remittances sent to Cuba from family in the U.S.
It's been four months since President Obama launched the effort to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba after 53 years. Travel restrictions have been eased, credit cards are being accepted and peer-to-peer accommodation website Airbnb launched in Cuba, matching casa particulares with licensed U.S. travelers.
Surveys of Cubans & Cuban-Americans
The changing American policy comes up against long-held beliefs, practices and systems. The policies may be changing faster than almost three generations of convictions and the workarounds the desire (and need) for commerce has created.
Polling firm Bendixen and Amandi International conducted two separate polls of Cuban-Americans in the United States and a groundbreaking survey of Cubans in Cuba. The polls were both done in March before President Obama and Raul Castro met at the Summit of the Americas in Panama. Among the findings;
- Overwhelming support in Cuba of the change in U.S. policy toward Cuba, but far less support among Cuban-Americans in the United States.
- Overwhelming opposition in Cuba to the U.S. trade embargo, but much more mixed feelings among Cuban-Americans.
- Cuban confidence in their education and health care systems is high but not for their economic opportunities and political system.
- President Obama is more popular in Cuba than the Castros and the Communist Party of Cuba. However, support for Cuban opposition groups is mixed.