Country Snapshot:
Cuba
Area in square km: 110,860
Defense expenditure as percentage of GDP (2006): 3.80%
Per capita GDP in dollars (2009): 9,700
Population (2010): 11,477,459
Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index ranking (2010): 69 (out of 178)
U.S. military personnel present (2009): 926
U.S. Aid to Cuba, All Programs, 1996-2012
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Grant economic and social aid to Cuba, All Programs, 1996-2012
| Aid Program | 1997 | 1998 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | Program Total |
| Economic Support Fund | 1,500,000 | 2,000,000 | 3,500,000 | 4,989,000 | 5,000,000 | 6,000,000 | 21,369,000 | 8,928,000 | 8,910,000 | 13,300,000 | 45,330,000 | 20,000,000 | 20,000,000 | 20,000,000 | 20,000,000 | 200,826,000 |
| Development Assistance | 1,984,000 | 1,984,000 | ||||||||||||||
| TOTAL | 1,500,000 | 2,000,000 | 3,500,000 | 4,989,000 | 5,000,000 | 6,000,000 | 21,369,000 | 8,928,000 | 10,894,000 | 13,300,000 | 45,330,000 | 20,000,000 | 20,000,000 | 20,000,000 | 20,000,000 | 202,810,000 |
All amounts in U.S. dollars.
All Grant Aid to Cuba, All Programs, 1996-2012
| TOTAL | ||||||||||||||||||
| TOTAL | 0 | 1,500,000 | 2,000,000 | 0 | 3,500,000 | 4,989,000 | 5,000,000 | 6,000,000 | 21,369,000 | 8,928,000 | 10,894,000 | 13,300,000 | 45,330,000 | 20,000,000 | 20,000,000 | 20,000,000 | 20,000,000 | 202,810,000 |
Official Descriptions of Aid to Cuba
Document: FY 2010 Congressional Budget Justification for Foreign Operations
The goal of U.S. assistance is to empower Cuban civil society to demand more effective democracy and respect for human dignity. To promote a peaceful transition to self-determined democracy on the island, U.S. assistance programs focus on providing humanitarian assistance to victims of repression, strengthening civil society, weakening the information blockade, and helping Cubans to create space for dialogue about democratic change and reconciliation. Recognizing the challenges of working in Cuba, the United States remains flexible to respond to evolving opportunities.
Governing Justly and Democratically: U.S. foreign assistance promotes peaceful transition to selfdetermined democracy on the island. To encourage civic participation in Cuba, the U.S. program focuses on strengthening independent Cuban civil society organizations, including professional associations and labor groups. Efforts are aimed at increasing the capacity for community involvement in, and networks among, civil society organizations. The United States supports information sharing into and out of Cuba, as well as among civil society groups on the island. In the interest of advancing human rights, the United States provides humanitarian assistance to political prisoners and their families, and other victims of repression. The program also raises awareness of human rights and supports Cubans to document human rights violations. In response to an increasingly vocal pro-democracy movement on the island, the United States supports nascent pro-democracy groups. The use of technology and new media enhance program results and galvanize international support and solidarity for the objectives.
Document: International Narcotics Control Strategy Report
The U.S. has no counternarcotics agreements with Cuba and does not fund any GOC counternarcotics law enforcement initiatives. In the absence of normal bilateral relations, the USCG DIS officer assigned at the USINT Havana acts as the main conduit of anti-narcotics cooperation with the host country on a case-by-case basis. Cuban authorities have provided DIS exposure to Cuban counternarcotics efforts, including providing investigative criminal information, such as the names of suspects and vessels; debriefings on drug trafficking cases; visits to the Cuban national canine training center and anti-doping laboratory in Havana; tours of CBG facilities; and access to meet with the Chiefs of Havana’s INTERPOL and Customs offices.
Document: March 6, 2007 Hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee
Admiral Stavridis, commander, U.S. Southern Command: The good news is the United States remains the partner of choice to, I would say, the majority of nations in the region, including almost everywhere in Central America, most of the Caribbean, and most of South America. We have close military-to-military relations with almost every state with the exception of Cuba and Venezuela. Even in countries where we have differences at the government-to- government level, like Nicaragua or Bolivia, Ecuador at times, we continue to have strong military-to-military relations.
Document: International Narcotics Control Strategy Report
Bilateral Cooperation. The U.S. has no counternarcotics bilateral agreements with Cuba and does not fund any GOC counternarcotics law enforcement initiatives. In the absence of normal bilateral relations, the USCG DIS officer assigned at the USINT Havana acts as the main conduit of anti-narcotics cooperation with the host country on a case-by-case basis. Cuban authorities have provided DIS more exposure to Cuban counternarcotics efforts, including providing investigative criminal information, such as the names of suspects and vessels; debriefings on drug trafficking cases; visits to the Cuban national canine training center and anti-doping laboratory in Havana; and access to meet with the Chiefs of Havana’s INTERPOL and Customs office.
Road Ahead. U.S. counternarcotics efforts in Cuba face a number of obstacles. The current Cuban regime’s long history of anti-Americanism in rhetoric and action has limited the scope for joint activity and made bilateral dealings always subject to political imperatives. Cuba’s Drug Czar has raised the idea of greater counternarcotics cooperation with the USG. De facto Commander-in-Chief, Raul Castro has called for a bilateral agreement on narcotics, migration and terrorism during his de facto status as head of state. However, these approaches have not been offered with forthright or actionable proposals as to what the USG should expect from future Cuban cooperation. The USG continues to encourage Cuba’s full participation in regional interdiction efforts.
