Cuban-Soviet Relations; from ‘sovietisation’ to reform processes: Insights from the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba (MINREX)

This article utilises previously underused documents from the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba (MINREX) archive in Havana to examine Havana-Moscow relations from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s. A period of flux in geopolitics with notably a process of détente materializing between the Soviet Union and United States before superpower rivalry again intensified, exemplified by military action in Africa and in December 1979 with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. At this time, Havana-Moscow relations firstly impacted geopolitics with Cuban and Soviet involvement in Africa and Cuban support for the Afghan invasion and secondly significant change occurred within the bilateral relationship. A rigorous quantitative analysis of Cuban, Soviet and third-party data and a meticulous historical analysis of primary and secondary sources are used throughout. Specific focus is given to the article’s principal source - the aforementioned underutilized MINREX documents. Adding to its originality this article postulates that the degree of contentions, uncertainties and difficulties that existed within Cuban-Soviet relations at this time were greater than previously believed. Particularly noticeable in bilateral trade relations. Therefore, this article posits that the foundational elements of post-1959 Cuban-Soviet relations - Havana and Moscow’s individual relationships with Washington, broader geopolitical dynamics, and Cold War tension – remained crucial for the enduring nature of Havana-Moscow relations despite ongoing criticisms and disputes. Consequently, this article’s analysis informs debates on 1) geopolitics in general; 2) Havana-Moscow relations; and 3) bilateral Cuban-Soviet trade specifically. Thus of significance for scholars of a wide variety of different disciplines.