The U.S. Embassy in Havana has stirred discussion by expressing gratitude for a comment advocating the end of the Cuban embargo on its Facebook page. The controversy erupted in the comments section of a post about a meeting between newly appointed Chief of Mission Mike Hammer and Czech Republic Ambassador in Havana, Petr Kaván. The two diplomats discussed "shared values and reinforced their joint commitments to promoting and defending human rights in Cuba."
Underneath a photo of the meeting, Facebook user Carlos Alberto Suárez Leyva, who has a restricted profile with only 13 friends on the platform but actively shares content related to Kamala Harris, Biden, Michelle Obama, and the Democratic Party on X (formerly Twitter) since January 2024, commented: "Brotherhood among peoples is what we need, not hatred, embargoes, blockades, or sanctions. Cuba is open to everyone. Let's live and share as much as possible for our mutual benefit." The U.S. Embassy simply thanked him for this reflection, sparking criticism from those questioning, "Are Cuba’s agro-industrial development, livestock, and agriculture blocked by the United States?"
One Facebook user, Ramón Rodríguez, remarked, "Why invest in so many empty hotels instead of clean and renewable energy, especially when there's plenty of sun and land? I've been hearing about this so-called blockade all my life. Cuba, what kind of life have you given me?" Numerous comments echoed this sentiment, while others criticized the Embassy's response, interpreting it as more than just a polite acknowledgment but rather as a continuation of the Biden Administration’s conciliatory approach toward the Havana regime.
Mar Leyva expressed this viewpoint, stating, "U.S. Embassy in Cuba, you thank a communist reflection. That and human rights cannot go hand in hand. Make up your minds," demanded the commenter.
Last week, the U.S. Embassy in Cuba announced the arrival of Mike Hammer as the new Chief of Mission, replacing his predecessor Benjamin G. Ziff. Hammer comes from the Horn of Africa, a region marked by instability, particularly due to Somali insurgents and continuous migration flows from Eritrea. Despite the leadership change, the U.S. Embassy in Havana remains under President Biden's administration, which in 2024 extended the Cuban embargo for another year, continuing a policy maintained by thirteen administrations to date.
The Cuban regime frequently uses the embargo as an excuse to mask its inefficiencies, internal blockades, and failed economic strategies like the "Tarea Ordenamiento," initiated by the Communist Party in 2021 and suspended by 2023 after a disastrous failure that left 89% of Cuban families in extreme poverty.