Biden administration decided to loosen some restrictive policies this month towards Cuba and Venezuela in a bid to broaden relations with the previously isolated countries, a move that has drawn bipartisan backlash and which political analysts say could further jeopardize the Democrats’ chances of winning over some Hispanic voters in the upcoming midterm elections.

With much of the world focused on the ongoing war in Ukraine, this week the White House rolled out reversals of some Trump-era policies toward Venezuela and Cuba. “Both nations were pummeled with economic sanctions by the former administration, which viewed them as proof of the consequences of socialism as Cubans and Venezuelans faced food shortages and collapsed economies”, according to The Hills’s publication.

Among some changes announced on Monday 16, limited flights into Cuban cities other than Havana will be allowed, besides reestablishing a family reunification program that had gone dormant, and supporting efforts to boost the Cuban private sector by providing more access to U.S. internet services, according to the same publication.

On Tuesday 17, the administration followed up with plans to lift some sanctions on Venezuela in an attempt to foster talks between Nicolas Maduro’s regime and opposition leaders. The administration said it would allow discussions between the Maduro government and Chevron, an American oil company that operates in Venezuela.

“The limited openings to Cuba and Venezuela are unlikely to have a large impact on bilateral relations with either country, but could smooth the way for other Latin American leaders to attend the Summit of the Americas being hosted by the Biden administration in June in Los Angeles. A number of leaders had previously said they will not attend, including the presidents of Mexico and Honduras. And any deal with Cuba will necessarily include a migration aspect, helping reduce the number of Cuban nationals presenting at the southwest border, addressing a more pressing political liability for the Biden administration”, observes The Hill.

The Biden administration's policy easing announcements made it possible for opposition attacks, such as those delivered at the “2020 Republican National Convention” which featured speakers from Cuba who spoke of brutal conditions and warned of the dangers of socialism. The attacks proved effective in some ways, as Biden and the Democrats saw Trump make significant gains among the Latino population.

According to The Hill, “outside of South Florida, Republican messaging on perceived Democratic proclivities toward socialism has been shown to have limited appeal among voters outside the GOP base. And the Biden administration is taking a holistic view of foreign affairs, with Latin American allies clamoring for openness toward Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua amid larger fights on the international stage”.

US government officials have signaled that policy changes for Cuba and Venezuela could benefit the population of each nation involved. They also signaled those sanctions could be quickly reversed if either regime appeared to be acting in good faith.

A senior government official, according to The Hill, argued that Cuban Americans and Americans traveling to Cuba can help spread democratic values in the island nation and further stated that, “these are steps that are intended to help alleviate humanitarian suffering that leads to migration from Cuba, and to promote our interest in supporting the Cuban people”.