Exploring Cuba And Bolivia: Unique Travel Destinations

Bolivia and Cuba have had a tumultuous relationship over the years, with diplomatic ties being established in 1983 under Bolivian President Hernán Siles Zuazo and Cuban President Fidel Castro. Bolivia and Cuba became staunch allies following Evo Morales' rise to power in Bolivia in 2006, with Bolivia joining the Cuba- and Venezuela-founded trade bloc ALBA. However, relations deteriorated in 2019 when Bolivia's interim president Jeanine Áñez accused Cuba of instigating rebellion and expelled 725 Cuban citizens, mostly medical professionals. In 2020, Luis Arce was elected President of Bolivia and moved to restore ties with Cuba.

Bolivia and Cuba have historically experienced contrasting economic fortunes, with Cuba suffering economic stagnation in the 1990s following the fall of the Soviet Union, while Bolivia has faced a severe socioeconomic crisis since the fall of the Soviet Union, leading to record emigration. Both nations are members of the United Nations, and Cuba has provided medical assistance to Bolivia as part of its international medical programme.

Diplomatic relations between Bolivia and Cuba

Bolivia and Cuba established diplomatic relations on January 11, 1983, under Bolivian President Hernán Siles Zuazo and Cuban President Fidel Castro. Since then, relations between the two countries have waxed and waned depending on geopolitical and regional political circumstances.

Relations between the two countries improved significantly following Evo Morales' rise to power in Bolivia in January 2006. Bolivia and Cuba became staunch allies, and Bolivia joined the Cuba- and Venezuela-founded trade bloc ALBA. Bolivia also became a long-time recipient of aid from Cuba, especially in the form of Cuban medical internationalism. In 2013, the Cuban ambassador to Bolivia, La Paz Rolando Gomez, characterised the countries' relations as "excellent".

However, relations deteriorated following the ouster of Evo Morales in November 2019. Bolivia's new interim president, Jeanine Áñez, sent 725 Cuban citizens (700 of them doctors) back to Cuba, accusing them of protesting against the new government. In January 2020, the interim government suspended relations with Cuba in response to remarks made by Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, who called Áñez a "liar", "coupist", and "self-proclaimed" in reference to her statements about the role of Cuban medical doctors in the country.

In October 2020, Luis Arce, who served as finance minister in Morales's government, was elected President of Bolivia. After his victory, Arce announced the restoration of ties with Cuba, stressing his government's willingness to maintain relations with any country based on mutual respect and sovereignty.

Cuba's foreign policy

Cuba has been a staunch ally of the USSR during the Cold War, modelling its political structure after that of the CPSU. Owing to the fundamental role that internationalism plays in Cuban socialist ideology, Cuba became a major supporter of liberation movements not only in Latin America but across the globe.

Cuba has also been a supporter of leftist groups and parties in Latin America and the Caribbean since the 1959 revolution. It has provided political assistance and support for left-leaning groups and parties in the developing Western Hemisphere. During the Cold War, Cuba's influence in the Americas was limited by the Monroe Doctrine and the dominance of the United States. Despite this, Fidel Castro became an influential figurehead for leftist groups in the region, extending support to Marxist Revolutionary movements throughout Latin America.

In the post-Cold War environment, Cuban support for guerrilla warfare in Latin America has largely subsided. However, the Cuban government continued to provide political assistance and support for left-leaning groups and parties in the developing Western Hemisphere. Cuba has also developed a growing relationship with the People's Republic of China and Russia.

Cuba is currently a lead country on the United Nations Human Rights Council and is a founding member of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas. It is also a member of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, the Latin American Integration Association, and the United Nations.

In recent years, Cuba has worked with a growing bloc of Latin American politicians opposed to the "Washington consensus", the American-led doctrine that free trade, open markets, and privatisation will lift poor third-world countries out of economic stagnation. Cuba has condemned neoliberalism as a destructive force in the developing world, forming alliances with Hugo Chávez of Venezuela and Evo Morales of Bolivia to oppose such policies.

Bolivia's foreign relations with the US

Bolivia and the United States established diplomatic relations in 1849 following Bolivia's independence from Spain. However, the relationship between the two countries has been strained at times, particularly due to differences in policy and political ideologies.

One significant source of tension between Bolivia and the US has been the issue of coca leaf production and the illicit drug trade. Bolivia is a traditional grower of coca leaves, which are chewed and used in rituals by the indigenous Aymara people. However, the emergence of the drug trade and the use of coca leaves to produce cocaine have led to tensions with the US, which is seeking to combat cocaine abuse domestically. In 2008, US President George W. Bush placed Bolivia on a counter-narcotics blacklist, accusing the country of failing to meet commitments to combat illicit drug production and trafficking. In response, then-Bolivian President Evo Morales accused the US of thwarting his policies and supporting pro-autonomy movements in Bolivia.

The election of Evo Morales as president in 2006 caused further tensions between the two countries. Morales, a strong ally of leftist governments in the region, such as Venezuela, Cuba, and Iran, has been publicly critical of US policies. Morales' platform included programs to return land and power to the indigenous Aymara people, nationalize key industries, and legalize the use of coca leaves. These policies clashed with US interests and led to accusations from the US that Morales was supporting the illicit drug trade. In 2013, relations deteriorated further when Morales' plane was forced to land in Austria due to unsubstantiated rumors that US whistleblower Edward Snowden was on board. Morales accused the US of pressuring European countries to prevent his passage and threatened to close the US Embassy in La Paz.

The US has also been critical of what it perceives as anti-democratic actions and the politicization of the legal system in Bolivia. In 2019, after accusations of fraud in the general election and a political crisis, Evo Morales resigned as President and was replaced by interim President Jeanine Áñez, who sought to improve relations with the US. However, relations worsened again after the victory of socialist candidate Luis Arce in the 2020 general election. The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, criticized the arrest of Áñez and her cabinet ministers on charges related to massacres during her presidency, leading to accusations from the Arce administration of US interference in Bolivia's internal affairs.

Despite the challenges, the US and Bolivia maintain economic and trade relations. The US is an important trade partner for Bolivia, with about $1 billion in bilateral goods trade in 2022. The US exports various products to Bolivia, including mineral oils, fuels, and pharmaceuticals, while Bolivia exports raw materials such as tin, mineral ores, and cereals to the US. However, the investment climate in Bolivia is challenging due to weak judicial recourse, corruption, and unclear investment incentives.

Cuba's foreign relations with the US

Cuba's foreign policy has been fluid throughout history, depending on world events and other variables, including relations with the United States. Cuba's relationship with the US has been tumultuous, with the two countries severing diplomatic ties in 1961 during the Cold War. The US has maintained a comprehensive trade embargo against Cuba since 1958, which includes restrictions on all commercial, economic, and financial activities, making it illegal for US corporations to do business with Cuba.

In 2014, US President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raúl Castro announced the start of the process to normalize diplomatic relations between the two countries, and on July 20, 2015, Cuba and the US officially restored diplomatic relations. However, the US still holds a trade embargo against Cuba, and relations remain cold, stemming from historical conflict and divergent political ideologies.

Cuba's pursuit of robust relations with China, Russia, and other nations has been accelerated by the US's policy of severely restricting bilateral cooperation. Cuba's top diplomat, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, has stated that Cuba has developed a broad pattern of international relations based on its lack of relations with the US. Cuba has also questioned the logic behind the US strategy, arguing that it leaves Cuba open for Chinese business, including those related to cutting-edge technology.

Cuba's relationship with the US has been further strained by the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay, established in 1903 through an indefinite leasing agreement that has been rejected by the Communist Party of Cuba since it came to power in 1959. Despite the strained relationship, the US is the largest provider of food and agricultural products to Cuba, with exports valued at $220.5 million in 2018. The US is also a significant supplier of humanitarian goods, including medicines and medical products, with total exports to Cuba of $275.9 million in 2018. Remittances from the US to Cuba are also substantial, estimated at $3.5 billion in 2017.

While the US and Cuba have embassies in each other's capitals, indicating a willingness for cooperation, there are still many hurdles to clear for full normalization of relations. Congress would need to repeal the trade embargo to allow most exports, imports, and investment, and the differences between the two governments make clear that there is still a long road ahead after decades of mistrust.

Cuba's relations with the USSR

After the Cuban Revolution of 1959, which brought Fidel Castro to power, Cuba and the USSR established diplomatic ties. Initially, the USSR was cautious, but Cuba's increasing isolation from the US pushed it towards dependence on the Soviet Union, both militarily and economically. In 1960, the USSR agreed to buy Cuban sugar in exchange for Soviet oil, and Khrushchev congratulated Castro for repelling the Bay of Pigs Invasion.

The Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 was a significant event in Cuba-USSR relations. Khrushchev agreed to a deployment plan in response to NATO's positioning of nuclear missiles in Turkey. This led to a U.S. blockade of Cuba and the world stood at the brink of nuclear war. The crisis ended with a deal in which the USSR agreed to withdraw its missiles in return for a US guarantee not to invade Cuba.

Relations between Cuba and the USSR cooled after the crisis, as Castro was angered by not being consulted during the negotiations. However, Cuba remained an important Cold War ally for the USSR, and the two countries continued to collaborate in various fields. In 1972, Cuba joined the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (Comecon), an economic organisation of socialist states dominated by the USSR.

During the Gorbachev era, tensions characterised Cuba-USSR relations as Gorbachev's reforms clashed with Castro's regime. The dissolution of the USSR in 1991 ended Soviet-Cuban relations and led to an era of economic hardship for Cuba, as it lost valuable aid and trading privileges.

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