Events on Thursday, March 25 (2021)

anel Discussion as part of the Institute of the Americas’ Hemisphere in Transition Webinar Series

With the Biden Administration there is the growing prospect of a potential reversal of sanctions and regulations imposed by the Trump Administration that resulted in restricting travel, investment and remittances that were made possible under the prior Obama Administration. At the same time, President Biden faces a different political landscape with Cuba as human rights abuses continue to be a serious problem in the country, its intelligence service continues to support Venezuela’s autocratic leader Nicolas Maduro, and unanswered questions about the strange brain trauma injuries experienced by U.S diplomats and their families in Cuba linger. Additionally, pressure from the American Cuban community against a possible detente between Washington and Havana remains, adding a domestic political dimension to proposed relaxing of sanctions.

In spite of U.S. domestic political pressures, the recent San Isidro Movement led by Cuba's artistic community—challenging government restrictions on the performing arts and calling for free speech, free assembly, ownership of businesses and political pluralism—provides hope that a new re-set in U.S-Cuba relations could lead to social and political changes on the island that would otherwise not be possible if current sanctions remain.

Given the evolving nature of U.S. bilateral relations with Cuba, the Institute of the Americas plans to organize a special panel discussion, as part of its virtual Hemisphere in Transition Series, with five noted Cuba experts offering a range of views on the topic of U.S-Cuba Bilateral Relations under the Biden Administration.

William LeoGrande, Associate Vice Provost of Academic Affairs, Department of Government, American University and author of Our Own Backyard: The United States in Central America, 1977 - 1992. Most recently, he is coauthor of Back Channel to Cuba: The Hidden History of Negotiations between Washington and Havana.
Richard Feinberg, Professor of Latin American Studies, School for Global Policy & Strategy, UC San Diego, and author of the book, "Open for Business: The New Cuban Economy."
Michael J. Bustamante, Assistant Professor of History, Florida International University, and author of Cuban Memory Wars: Retrospective Politics in Revolution and Exile.
Javier Corrales, Chair of the Political Science Department, Amherst College and co-editor of the book, co-editor with Mario Pecheny of The Politics of Sexuality in Latin America: A Reader on GLBT Rights.
Ted A. Henken, Associate Professor of Sociology at Baruch College, CUNY; co-editor, Cuba's Digital Revolution: Citizen Innovation and State Policy

Admission/Cost: FREE

Location:
Online streaming event
Link: Register Here

Thursday, March 25 - 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM


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