Whither Helms-Burton? A Retrospective on the 10th Year Anniversary. Jean Monnet/Robert Schuman Paper Series Vol. 6 No. 5, February 2006

Perl, Shoshana. (2006) Whither Helms-Burton? A Retrospective on the 10th Year Anniversary. Jean Monnet/Robert Schuman Paper Series Vol. 6 No. 5, February 2006.

Abstract

[From the introduction]. This paper is written as Helms-Burton celebrates its 10 year anniversary, a significant milestone and an appropriate time to analyze what this bill has achieved. Helms-Burton has clearly not accomplished its stated aims of either internationalizing the embargo or of bringing democracy to Cuba, as Castro continues to rule Cuba with his iron fist, and the US remains as isolated as ever in its embargo against Cuba. This paper argues that Helms-Burton was a controversial bill that provoked widespread fears of negative repercussions both on Capitol Hill and in the Clinton White House, many of which were realized, including a prolonged dispute with the European Union. It is therefore no surprise that Helms-Burton has been sparingly implemented; indeed, this paper will highlight evidence of collusion between Washington and Brussels in emasculating the bill.