At the eighth congress of the Communist Party of Cuba last month, Raul Castro stepped down as head of the party, passing the reins to President Miguel Diaz-Canel in a choreographed transition of power. This changing of the guard took place amid rising dissent on the island, as well as a severe economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and strict U.S. sanctions that were imposed by the Trump administration.
Despite expectations he would return to a policy of engagement, President Joe Biden has so far chosen to keep Trump’s aggressive policies toward Cuba largely in place. This week on Trend Lines, Michael Bustamante, an assistant professor of Latin American history at Florida International University, joined WPR’s Elliot Waldman to discuss the latest political developments in Havana and what Biden’s cautious approach means for Cubans.
Listen to the full interview with Michael Bustamante here: