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There’s a pretty good analysis written by Bernd Debusmann for in a Reuters blog, The Great Debate, dealing with the issue of Cuba — travel and the trade embargo. Debusmann argues that Obama has a great chance here to score points on a situation which is not really difficult. When you are dealing with Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan and so on, Cuba becomes, as he titles his piece based on a Steve Clemons quote, “low-hanging fruit.” It may be, I say, but for some strange reason, Obama sure has become cold on Cuba since he assumed the presidency more than a month ago. Not a words from the White House.

Could it be the people he has surrounded himself with? Has Hillary’s ideas - as expressed during her campaign - convinced President Obama that he was too generous in his offerings while running for president. Whatever the case, we sit and wait for President Obama to act on campaign promises on Cuba he has yet to deliver.

Read the Reuters piece. It’s a clever take on Obama’s international situation.

Alvaro F. Fernandez 2-25-2009
IN CUBA, LOW HANGING FRUIT FOR OBAMA
A look at a list of the foreign policy problems facing U.S. President Barack Obama could send the sunniest optimist into depression.

The Arab-Israeli conflict: no solution in sight. Afghanistan/Pakistan: the outlook is bleak. Iran and its nuclear plans: tricky. No easy wins here. Iraq: the war is not over.

But in the foreign policy landscape, there is one low-hanging fruit ripe for the picking — Cuba - and the picking has just been made easier by a report commissioned by the ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Richard Lugar, and released this week.

To keep reading: http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2009/02/25/in-cuba-low-hanging-fruit-for-obama/

HAVANA, Cuba, Feb 23 (acn) The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has bestowed the World Decade Medal on Havana’s historian Eusebio Leal as a new recognition to his work.

Francoise Riviere, UNESCO’s Assistant-Director General for Culture will give the medal to Leal, who has been awarded many times during his working life, including the UNECO Victor Hugo medal, reported Prensa Latina.
 
The Director of the Havana Historian’s Office will give a lecture in Paris entitled Havana’s historic center, as a model of comprehensive management in terms of restoration, a project considered by the UN organization as a genuine economic and social development engine within the island.

In tomorrow’s edition of Progreso Weekly I write my column on discussions taking place regarding the lifting of travel restrictions to Cuba by our new president Barack Obama. There are some, and I am one of those, who argues in favor of pushing the president to fulfill a campaign promise and lift restrictions for Cubans living in the U.S. allowing them to visit family members on the island whenever they care to. There’s another side who differs with my opinion and is pushing for lifting of all restrictions — for all Americans.

I explain that I am not against the lifting of restrictions for all, it’s just a little trickier and a quick victory — as promised by President Obama during his campaign — would only make lifting of all restrictions easier. And as I mention in my column, there is some history behind this discourse which has been taking place for nearly five years.

But just today, I received an interview with Cuba’s Ricardo Alarcon which seems to back my thoughts. In the article (which I link at the end of this note) Alarcon says, “In the case of Cuba, what Obama promised is to eliminate the restrictions that Bush added to the existing ones limiting remittances and travel to the island for Cubans residing in the U.S. Since they were executive decisions Obama can annul them with another executive decision. That, speaking objectively, is not the end of the blockade or the end of the aggressive politics, but it is very good news for Cubans on both sides of the Strait. It is something healthy. If he doesn’t do it, forget it. He will not do anything.”

Later in the interview with Mexico’s La Jornada, when asked if he feels that Obama will go further, he says “There is nothing of what he has said that indicates that. It depends on many other factors.”

So, there goes, from a U.S. expert on the side of the Cubans. Read my column tomorrow and let’s start the debate: Travel for Cubans only vs. Travel for all Americans.

Alvaro F. Fernandez
02-11-2009

http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2008/12/16/index.php?section=politica&article=010e1pol

The latest trend in politics seems to be one where you leave your political office (for whatever the reason: election loss, termed out or in need of a bigger paycheck) and you jump right into a cushy job in the private sector or in the case of Florida’s last two Speakers of the House — a job with one of the state universities. Interestingly, both Marco Rubio and who followed him Ray Sansom happened to have lavished the universities where they landed jobs with state moneys while in power. In the case of disgraced Speaker Ray Sansom, who hasn’t read what has been happening in the newspapers. Right here in Miami, Marco Rubio, who after being termed out, landed a $69,000 a year part-time job with Florida International University. I am still trying to find out what he really does, but the question might be better framed by asking what he did as Speaker. Apparently Rubio and outgoing FIU president Mitch Maidique got along well…

I write this because I just received an interesting press release from the Florida Democratic Party, who I will admit, is slanted — since both Sansom and Rubio are republicans. But they do have a huge point. They inform that Florida Atlantic University is opening up a Public Ethics Academy. And FAU has chosen Rubio as part of a panel on ‘Public Corruption and the Need for Reform.’ Aside from his job with FIU, Rubio, you might remember, was involved in countless ethics scandals revolving around sweetheart mortgages, legislative favors for big donors, and other shady dealings.

Alvaro F. Fernandez

For information on Rubio’s dubious dealings, here is a list which makes for some interesting readings:

For information on Rubio’s ethics scandals can be found here:

Lawmakers cash in with campus jobs
Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times Tallahassee Bureau, 12/20/08
http://www.miamiherald.com/295/v-print/story/821328.html

FIU: FIU gives Rubio a job
Miami Herald, 7/25/08
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/617215.html

Rubio: The 69K professor
St. Petersburg Times, 7/24/08
http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2008/07/rubio-the-69k-p.html

Rubio defends added language
Miami Herald, 4/8/08
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/broward/story/486913.html

Dems: Rubio ‘reeks of corruption’
St. Petersburg Times Blog, 4/7/08
http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2008/04/dems-rubio-reek.html

Rubio’s budget wording benefits ally
Miami Herald, 4/7/08
http://www.miamiherald.com/458/story/485704.html

Rubio’s Fast $135,000
Palm Beach Post, 4/7/08
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/opinion/epaper/2008/04/07/m18a_rubio_edit_0407.html

Rubio Amends Disclosure Forms After Newspaper Investigation
Associated Press, 4/1/08
http://www.nbc6.net/news/15766474/detail.html

Rubio Home Equity Loan Questioned
Miami Herald, 3/29/08
http://www.miamiherald.com/top_stories/story/474645.html

Tax Flip Benefits Richer Families
Palm Beach Post, 3/30/08
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/search/content/state/epaper/2008/03/30/m1a_prop_tax_0330.html