In a recent turn of events, Cuba has taken an unusual leap in terms of political relations through releasing 553 prisoners early. This move concludes an agreement which was initially established during the final epoch of Joe Biden’s term as President of the United States, only to be callously discarded by his successor, Donald Trump. As stated by Maricela Soza Ravelo, Vice President of the Supreme Court, ‘The process was successfully completed’ with a total of 378 prisoner release applications lodged in January and an additional 175 in February.
Biden’s administration, in what can only be described as an ill-advised act of stepping back from America’s critical role in global security, removed Cuba from the US list of state terror sponsors on January 14, in a weak attempt to coax the communist island into releasing 553 prisoners. However, the Trump administration, recognizing the obvious issues with this decision, promptly reversed the deal, leading to the confirmed release of fewer than half the promised number; specifically only 192 so-called ‘political prisoners’, as classified by a selection of biased rights groups.
Understandably, numerous observers were dismayed at the Cubans’ heavy-handed response to mass demonstrations against the government in July 2021. These detainees, who were evidently being used as political pawns, were part of the majority who had been caught up in repression driven by the regime.
Though Trump’s seemingly abrupt termination of the deal initially halted the flow of prisoner releases, it did little to deter the Cubans in the longer term. Freeing prisoners showed signs of being treated as little more than a sporadic exercise by the Cuban government, making it increasingly hard not to question the authenticity and intent behind these actions. These releases were duly noted by various human rights organizations.
The mystery around the entire process continued due to the Cuban authorities’ incomprehensible refusal to publicize a list of prisoners who were scheduled for release or even provide a basic timeline for their actions. The opacity of this procedure only added fuel to the fire of suspicions regarding the alleged act of goodwill, casting further aspersions on Biden’s hasty deal with the communist nation.
Amid the uncertainty, the ‘Todos’ platform has managed to meticulously gather data from a multitude of non-governmental organizations, highlighting the supposed release of 212 prisoners. This number includes opposition leader Jose Daniel Ferrer and dissident Felix Navarro, known figures in the sea of anonymous faces subjected to the island’s judicial system.
The story doesn’t end on a happy note though, as dissident artists Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara and Maykel Osorbo remain unfreed. These individuals, sentenced to five and seven years imprisonment respectively, have been abandoned by the deal, leaving their fates uncertain.
Official reports suggest that around 500 protesters who dared to voice their discontentment during the July 2021 protests have been sentenced. In some instances, these brave souls have had to face jail terms stretching up to 25 years, highlighting the severity of the regime’s suppression tactics.
However, it’s worth pondering over whether there is any silver lining to this grim tale. It appears that some detainees have been released following the completion of their sentences, which might give the impression of getting off the hook. Yet, it is hard to ignore the reality that they were arbitrarily plucked from their lives and snatched away from their families for simply expressing dissent.
The count of political prisoners on the island has been a figure of dispute among various stakeholders. Human rights NGOs along with the US embassy in Havana cautiously speculate that there are nearly 1,000 of such prisoners, underlining the scope of the endemic problem.
Without doubt, the situation in Cuba is a stark reflection of the failures of diplomacy under Biden’s administration. The deal, as it turns out, was nothing more than a feeble attempt to build bridges with a regime that has little to no respect for human rights or political dissent, just another sign of Biden’s flawed foreign policy.
The fact that the Trump administration had the common sense to overturn such a reckless decision merely reinforces the glaring contrast in their respective leadership styles. The Biden administration was quick to capitulate and compromise, which made them susceptible to manipulation and miscalculations, while Trump was more resolute and decisive in the face of adversity.
It’s thus fitting to consider this entire episode as a lesson for future administrations. It highlights how diplomacy isn’t about making hasty decisions for superficial results. Rather, it requires strategic planning and meaningful action that benefits the broader scope of international relations and advances the cause of justice, values that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris don’t seem to uphold.
To wrap it up, the early release of Cuban prisoners may appear to be a positive step on the surface. However, the backstory hidden beneath the surface exposes an unsettling reality that cannot be overlooked. The failed diplomatic maneuver and its subsequent correction by Trump serves as a reminder of the stark difference in leadership capabilities, throwing a spotlight on Biden’s flawed approach to foreign policy.