Political Developments in Cuba: A conversation with Rafael Hernández

Since the December 2014 announcement of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba, President Barack Obama visited the island, and the U.S. has made significant regulatory changes to expand travel and commercial relations, within the boundaries of the U.S. embargo. These changes take place in the context of a slow process of economic change in Cuba, with the emergence of a small private sector, and modest increases in foreign investment. They also come in the context of possible leadership changes, as Castro has announced his intention to step down as President in early 2018.

How are the ongoing changes in Cuba proceeding? What is likely to happen when Raul Castro leaves office? And how has the new relationship with the United States, and the easing of the embargo, affected developments on the island?

Join the Inter-American Dialogue and WOLA, the Washington Office on Latin America, for a discussion on these topics with Cuban scholar Rafael Hernandez. Hernandez is the founding editor of Temas, acclaimed Cuban journal writing about political analysis and social policy, and has been a professor and researcher at the University of Havana, as well as a visiting scholar at Harvard, Columbia, the University of Texas, and other U.S. institutions.

Speaker:

• Rafael Hernandez, editor, revista Temas

Comments:

• Michael Shifter, President, Inter-American Dialogue (@MichaelShifter)

Moderator:

• Geoff Thale, Program Director, WOLA

 

Please RSVP: sbernal@wola.org