Longboat resident helping to re-establish U.S.-Cuban relations

After 54 years, Cuba opened its embassy in Washington, D.C., July 20 — and one Longboat man was there to witness it.

Jorge Fernandez, a native of Cuba, moved to the U.S. at the age of 8 in the mid-1960s in the midst of the Cuban revolution. He first returned to Cuba in 1998, when he was offered the chance to visit with Pope John Paul II.

That same year, Fernandez founded the Americans for Humanitarian Trade with Cuba, which focuses on restoring the trade and sales of U.S. medical and food supplies with Cuba.

Fernandez has since worked with prominent worldwide leaders to try and re-establish Cuban-U.S. relations. President Obama’s Dec. 17 announcement that he would work to restore diplomatic relationships between the countries was decades in the making for Fernandez.

“The floodgates of engagement have been open,” Fernandez said. “Discussions between the two countries have been opened right away. Actions speak louder than words, and the actions taken are already great.”

Cuban ambassador Jose Cabanas invited Fernandez to attend the opening of the Cuban embassy. 

“It’s all about fostering good will and engagement. The more people who can see this for themselves, the more the word will spread.” – Jorge Fernandez

“It was truly a very joyful occasion for me personally,” Fernandez said. “It was very moving to see the restoring of diplomatic relations of the countries after 54 years. It was a very, very happy moment for us, and the crowd was very positive.”

The U.S. will open its embassy in Cuba in August, and Secretary of State John Kerry will be there to witness it.

“Cuba getting off the terrorism list was a very big thing, but re-establishing the embassies was No. 2,” Fernandez said. “It’s two major steps forward that demonstrate to the world that we’re serious about engagement with our neighbor.”

Although much progress has been made with restoring the country’s relations with Cuba, Fernandez said there are still many more steps that need to be taken.

“We need to work on opening up more traveling for Americans, and we need to end this trade embargo that is still in place,” Fernandez said. “We need to have no restrictions like we have with most of the rest of the world. We need more easing of travel and more ways for products and services that can be sold to Cuba. I do believe, though, that everything sooner or later will be worked out.”

Since his first visit in 1998, Fernandez has returned to Cuba 17 times and has brought more than 800 Americans with him, including President Jimmy Carter and the Philadelphia Boys Choir.

“I’ve taken children, adults, professors and politicians to Cuba,” Fernandez said. “When I take Americans, they see how nice and warm the Cubans are. They fall in love with Cuba and the Cubans and wonder why we’ve had this wall.”

Fernandez serves as the CEO, managing partner and major shareholder of Havana Ferry Partners, which has the goal of becoming the principal ferry transportation between Florida and Cuba. Headquartered on Longboat Key, Fernandez plans for the company to take its first groups of Americans to Cuba by the end of the year. The ferries will leave from Port Manatee or Key West.

Fernandez hopes that taking more Americans to Cuba will help them believe that the U.S. needs to end the trade embargo with Cuba.

“It’s all about fostering good will and engagement," Fernandez said. "The more people who can see this for themselves, the more the word will spread.”

Fernandez will take 50 Americans to Cuba in September to witness Pope Francis’ visit to the country. This will be the third pope Fernandez will visit with in Cuba, including Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI.

“We get to be a part of history,” Fernandez said. “I’ve been blessed that this will be the third papal mass in Cuba I’ve witnessed. Believer or non-believer, to be there will be truly historic and moving.”

According to CBS News, a national poll from July shows that 58% of Americans favor re-establishing diplomatic relations with Cuba, and only 24% oppose.

“It’s what Americans want,” Fernandez said. “I think more and more we’ll see Congress coming around saying, 'It’s time.'”

Fernandez knows the embargo will eventually end, but, for now, he’s pleased with the progress the countries have made.

“It’s a beautiful thing when two neighbors can work together to make the world better,” Fernandez said. “I’m personally thrilled and proud to be part of the growing engagement between the two nations. The support from Longboat Key and Sarasota has been overwhelming.”