Diplomacy or Confrontation – What Comes Next in Cuba?

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.

Ricardo Zúniga is a Founding Partner of Dinámica Americas.

He was a career member of the U.S. Senior Foreign Service, serving for 30 years in multiple roles, including as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, U.S. Special Envoy for the Northern Triangle, and U.S. Consul General in São Paulo, Brazil, where he focused on advancing U.S. commercial relations with Brazil. Zuniga was detailed from the State Department to serve as President Obama’s principal advisor for the Americas from 2012 to 2015, during which time he worked closely with then-Vice President Biden and advised Cabinet members and other senior leaders on events in the Americas.

Ricardo was previously a member of the Advisory Board of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Latin America Program. He is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and served diplomatic tours in Mexico, Portugal, Cuba, Spain, and twice in Brazil.