Diplomacy or Confrontation – What Comes Next in Cuba?
May 27th, 2026 12:00PM -1:00PM
Washington’s “maximum pressure” campaign on Cuba has deepened a humanitarian crisis on the island, with food, fuel, and electricity in increasingly short supply. Meanwhile, President Trump has suggested the United States could “take Cuba” and warned that “Cuba’s next,” even as U.S. diplomats quietly returned to Havana for talks—the first such visit since 2016. Is the United States moving toward confrontation, or is there still space for diplomacy? Join the World Affairs Council for a timely discussion exploring the stakes, scenarios, and consequences of U.S. policy at a pivotal moment for Cuba.
About our Speakers
Ricardo "Ric" Herrero is the Executive Director of the Cuba Study Group, a non-partisan organization of Cuban American business leaders that analyzes U.S.-Cuba relations and develops policy options that advance U.S. national interests and the wellbeing of the Cuban people.
Ricardo has close to two decades of experience working at the intersection of government advocacy, international relations, politics, media, and philanthropy. From 2012 through 2017, he led two successful advocacy campaigns to promote diplomatic and economic ties between the United States and Cuba. Ricardo has been recognized by both the Biden-Harris and Obama-Biden administrations for his pivotal work as an advocate for constructive bilateral engagement and regulatory changes to enhance U.S. support for Cuba's private sector.
His views and articles have been published in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, The Washington Post, The Economist, Bloomberg, Financial Times, El País, and The Miami Herald. He has appeared as a commentator on NPR, MSNBC, Fox News, CNN, Al Jazeera, Noticias Univision, and Telemundo.
Ricardo is an Eisenhower Fellow, a Life Member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and an Advisory Director of the Cuba Emprende Foundation. He holds a J.D. from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and a B.A. in Business Administration from Florida International University. Ricardo is based in Washington, D.C., and is the son of Cuban exiles.
More speakers to be announced.