CubaTrade-One-Flip

INTERVIEW
A Q&A with James Williams:
The Impact of
President-Elect Trump
Nonprofit national coalition Engage Cuba has
quickly become a major force in the effort to lift
the embargo against Cuba, creating
pro-engagement councils now in 15 U.S. states.
We spoke with its president, James Williams, on
the impact of Trump’s election as president.
CUBA TRADE: Many observers are
pessimistic about lifting the embargo in
the near future because of what Presidentelect
Donald Trump said in the final
weeks before the election. Do you share
that pessimism?
WILLIAMS: I don’t. One thing we saw
with this election, the number one concern
of voters, was jobs and the economy.
That’s the mandate that sent Mr. Trump
to Washington, along with an anti-establishment
wave. When you think of something
that personifies the failed policies of
the establishment, it’s the Cuba embargo.
Lifting it is something he could to do end
a failed policy and bring jobs back to the
U.S. economy. It seems like a win-win.
WILLIAMS: I think it would be difficult.
There is broad support from the business
community [for the openings], and even
from the Cuban community. Americans
are voting with their feet by getting on
planes to Cuba. The idea that it’s going to
be rolled back is not only unlikely but unpopular.
It would serve no interest, neither
here nor in Cuba. We are optimistic that it
[a roll back] will not occur.
CUBA TRADE: In the end, as your
organization realizes, this is going to be a
legislative issue. Helms-Burton must be
reversed by Congress. Do you think we are
making progress there?
James Williams speaking at a press conference in Jackson Mississippi
WILLIAMS:There will be a small and
shrill minority who will continue to support
the embargo. But that is the past. The
American and Cuban people are moving
forward. [Continuing the embargo] is
the personal agenda of a few members of
Congress and that’s wrong. The Senate
wants to move forward and we are close in
the House.
Photo by Madeleine Russak
CUBA TRADE: President Obama made
a concerted effort to make his openings
‘irreversible.’ We know that is not the case
with executive orders. Nonetheless, how
hard do you think it would be to reverse
the momentum?
WILLIAMS:This is one area where we are
most excited about the election results. We
gained four new pro-engagement Senators,
and more than 10 pro-engagement
House members, including Republicans
and Democrats. People are looking for
places where there is common ground to
move the country forward, and this is a
great place to start.
CUBA TRADE: What about vocal Congressional
supporters of the embargo, like
Paul Ryan, Bob Menendez, and Marco
Rubio?
CUBA TRADE: What about the ‘lame
duck’ session of Congress? Any chance
that the amendment by Sen. Boozman
(R-Ark) to the spending bill [to loosen
restrictions on financing agricultural
trade] will go forward?
WILLIAMS: This is an area where
it is a real no-brainer. If you look at
the communities that propelled Mr.
Trump’s victory, that’s who this bill is
designed to help. This is for American
farmer. I see no reason why it shouldn’t
move forward. H
16 CUBATRADE DEC 2016