ZBLIŽAVANJE SAD-a I KUBE

After more than 50 years of a hostile relationship, the United States of America and Cuba have normalized their relations by reestablishing diplomatic and economic relations. On December 17, 2014, the rapprochement was proclaimed by Presidents Raúl Castro and Barack Obama. Why was it precisely during Barack Obama’s presidency that the rapprochement took place? What was it that made Obama and his team succeed in doing what previous US presidents have failed to do? What were the impediments for not changing the US policy toward Cuba for previous US presidents? This work aim was to respond to the questions posed. Apart from changes in interests from both Cuban and US side, the two countries have changed the perceptions of each other throughout the years. These two factors are starting points for the constructivist approach with which it was proved that this were the factors which enabled Obama and his team to normalize relations with Cuba.Nakon više od pedeset godina zategnutih odnosa, Sjedinjene Američke Države i Kuba uspostavile su diplomatske i ekonomske odnose. Zbližavanje su 17. prosinca 2014. proglasili predsjednici Raúl Castro i Barack Obama. Zašto je baš za vrijeme administracije Baracka Obame došlo do približavanja? Zašto su baš predsjednik Obama i njegova administracija uspjeli ostvariti ono što prethodni američki predsjednici nisu mogli? Na kakve su sve prepreke u mijenjaju politike prema Kubi nailazili Obamini prethodnici? Cilj ovog rada bio je odgovoriti na ta pitanja. Osim promjena interesa kako kubanske, tako i američke strane, dvije su zemlje promijenile međusobnu percepciju tijekom godina. Ova dva čimbenika polazišne su točke konstruktivističkog pristupa kojim je dokazano da su to bili glavni razlozi koji su omogućili Obami i njegovoj administraciji normalizaciju odnosa s Kubom