Cuban Flags and the U.S. Interest Section

On the first night of our arrival in Cuba we took a walk in the neighborhood surrounding the residence where we were staying.  Along the Malecon, the miles long sea wall, about 50 waving Cuban flags caught everyone’s attention.  We asked our Cuban guide about it and he said it was the US Interest Section behind all the flags and the memorial to the Revolution.  Most of us thought it very interesting that there would be such an exhibit of Cuban patriotism right in front of the US interest section unequivocally marring the beautiful view of the ocean.  This discordant undertone between the two countries continued throughout our lectures and discussions.

The Interest Section is only one of three such U.S. representative institutions in the world.  They are in place in countries where the US has no diplomatic relationship but still has some economic or governmental interests (hence the name).  The other two interest sections are in Iran and North Korea.  They carry on business like an embassy, but in Iran and North Korea they are staffed by the host country nationals and they represent more than just the U.S. but the EU and other countries that do not have embassies in place.  Cuba, on the other hand, is the only interest section that is staffed by US citizens and the only one that has its own building.  The other facilities have offices inside other embassies.  Even in Washington D.C., Cuba has its Interest Section inside the Swiss Embassy.  While in Havana, the interest section occupies the old US embassy but they can only communicate through Swiss Embassy letterheads.  This means that every letter is written on the Swiss Embassy stationary and has a brief introduction that the Swiss Embassy is has received a statement from the US Interest section and so on.

At the end of our two weeks the group had the opportunity to speak with the Deputy Chief of Missions, the title of the Ambassador who is not an Ambassador, John Caulfield and the Public Affairs Officer Gloria Berbena.  This was the first chance we had to see the Cuban relationship with the U.S. from the perspective of the U.S. government.  Before this meeting we had been to discussions and lectures about the Cuba’s policies with the US and Cuba’s thoughts on U.S. policy but now we had a chance to see the other side.  Caulfield spoke to us for about 45 minutes and then answered questions.  His speech touched on topics such as the arrest of Alan Gross and internet access in Cuba.  He said that Cuba development is stalled currently because to change there needs to be both political and economic change.  Caulfield also spoke of the embargo which is the largest issue for Cuba.   He said that Cubans use the embargo as a scapegoat for all their economic troubles when in actuality trade in Cuba would not look any different if it did not exist.  He ended by saying that the relationship between Cuba and the U.S. is at a standstill and that it does not appear that anything will change in the future.  He said that unless Cuba agrees to “keep their mouths shut” about human rights, media and freedom of speech there will be no negotiations or change in policy.  In conclusion,  Cuba’s relationship with the U.S. and future is ambiguous.

Ann Przybyl