RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Vicki Huddleston, April 2008, CubaNews
As Cuba’s transition from Fidel Castro continues, Vicki Huddleston hypothesizes what the country may look like in 2010 following further changes at the leadership level. She states that one thing likely to remain constant “is the enmity between Washington and Havana.” Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Vicki Huddleston, May 09, 2008, Inter-American Dialogue's Latin America Advisor
In this article from Inter-American Dialogues's America Advisor, Vicki Huddleston discusses the recent economic reforms in Cuba following the transition in leadership from Fidel Castro to his brother Raul. She states that the reforms, if continued, will lead to more personal freedoms and better lives for Cuban citizens. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Vicki Huddleston, March 10, 2008, Miami Herald
Raul Castro’s ascent to power is a reminder that the Cuban revolution likely has survived despite U.S. efforts to bring about the contrary. Vicki Huddleston asserts that continued U.S. economic and diplomatic isolation of Cuba cannot bring about the end of the revolution, but that “if we remove the barriers to communication, we will speed the forces of change.” Read More
PAST EVENT
Thursday, February 07, 2008
12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Washington, DC
Foreign Policy at Brookings held day long simulations regarding the future of U.S. policy toward Cuba after Fidel Castro. Participants discussed what would happen following the death of Castro and what a new administration sworn in after the 2008 U.S. elections would do differently with a Cuba led by Raul Castro. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Vicki Huddleston, June 16-20 Issue, Inter-American Dialogue's Latin America Energy Advisor
Vicki Huddleston discusses Cuba's plans to start drilling off the country's coast in order to access billions of barrels of crude oil. Huddleston says that United States companies should get involved and believes continuing to isolate the U.S. from Cuba in a competitive oil market will only hurt in the long run. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Daniel L. Byman, May 2008, Saban Center Analysis Paper
The current United States approach to state sponsorship of terrorism is flawed, writes Daniel Byman. He suggests that instead of simply managing a list of state sponsors, Washington needs to recognize the complexity of sponsorship, monitor states using a broad definition of what constitutes state sponsorship, and use diplomatic pressure as well as political and economic penalties when needed. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Raj M. Desai, March 28, 2008, The Washington Times
Raj Desai discusses lessons that Cuba's new President, Raul Castro, can take from other socialist countries like China and those in Eastern Europe as he moves toward economic reform. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Raj M. Desai, March 2008, The Brookings Institution
No single U.S. move would have a greater impact on the direction of Cuban reform than the lifting of travel, trade and financial restrictions, argues Raj Desai. Although Washington's options are severely limited by the current political-economic mood in Latin America, the United States can clear a path for a reformist Cuba to seek its own solutions and to understand the tradeoffs involved in different reform strategies. Read More
PAST EVENT
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
8:30 AM to 5:30 PM
Washington, DC
On March 4, 2008, Brookings hosted its second U.S.-Cuba simulation exercise, focusing on the internal dynamics, motivations, and decision-making processes of Cuba’s leadership. With the date of the meeting following on the heels of Fidel Castro’s decision to formally step down from power, the exercise called on participants to put themselves in the shoes of an inner circle of advisers to Raul Castro as they meet to assess possible political and economic strategies for the next five years. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Vicki Huddleston, February 20, 2008, Inter-American Dialogue's Latin America Advisor
Vicki Huddleston comments on Fidel Castro's announcement that he will no longer be the leader of Cuba and offers ideas about what it might mean for the U.S.-Cuban relationship. Read More
VIDEO
Vicki Huddleston, February 19, 2008
After 49 years of absolute rule in Cuba, Fidel Castro has ceded his offices to his brother, Raúl. However, as Vicki Huddleston argues, power in Cuba will be weilded by the same hierarchy. Huddleston says the U.S. should look for ways to help the Cuban people achieve democracy and economic betterment by removing restrictions on person-to-person contact and exchange of ideas.
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Raj M. Desai, February 19, 2008, The Brookings Institution
With Fidel Castro’s resignation as president of Cuba, what is next for the Cuban economy under new leadership? Can Cuban industry reform and what are the historical lessons the new leadership should examine before tackling economic policy changes? Raj Desai examines related issues. Read More
PAST EVENT
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
8:30 AM to 5:15 PM
Washington, DC
Brookings hosted a conference on the challenges and opportunities as a new Cuba emerges. A distinguished panel of experts on Cuba and Latin American discussed whether Cuba’s leaders will be up to the challenge of managing the succession of Fidel Castro and beyond. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Michael E. O'Hanlon, Diana Villiers Negroponte and Leonardo Martinez-Diaz, November 2007, The Brookings Institution
In October and November of 2007, Brookings Scholars Michael O'Hanlon, Diana Negroponte and Leonardo Martinez-Diaz had an e-mail exchange with prominent Latin American scholars with a variety of perspectives to discuss the issues facing Latin America. Read More
VIDEO
Vicki Huddleston, Jay Taylor, Wayne Smith, John Ferch and Alan Flanigan, November 14, 2007
Drawing on their years of experience as career officers in Foreign Service, a panel of scholars recall Cuba’s past and speak of the island nation’s future.