O processo de negociação da reaproximação entre Estados Unidos da América e Cuba (2008 – 2016)

Abstract

This article analyzes the rapprochement process between the US and Cuban governments in the period 2008-2016. It works the hypothesis that the change of actors in the international scene, mainly, Raúl Castro in place of Fidel Castro and Barack Obama in place of George Walker Bush; together with the Vatican's intermediation through the political offices of the then elected Pope Francis, they configured the main factor that made it possible to negotiate advances to reduce the distance between both countries within the international political context that took place in this specific historical period. The article identifies and discusses the role of the actors involved according to the Graham Allison's Governmental Politics Model (1999), seeking to understand how their action took place and the consequences they brought to the politics of both countries. The contribution of other actors is also analyzed, including the US business community, Latin American countries, Europe and China, which were important for their power of influence and persuasion in the process of this rapprochement, which, being ephemeral. Despite not having given continuity with the advances obtained after the election of Donald Trump, this meant a demonstration that there are paths that can be traced to overcome historical and political-economic divergences between both countries.