ABSTRACT
Cuban diplomacy had been characterized by regional reactivism, which means that it was primarily concerned with responding to other nation's initiatives in the Caribbean. In any discussion of Cuban globalism, the surrogate thesis, which in effect denies that Havana has its own foreign policy and instead views its initiatives as simply one element of Moscow's expansionistic macro-strategy, quickly surfaces. Convergence of interests provides a more satisfactory explanation than the surrogate concept for the foreign policy coordination between Havana and Moscow. The main factors that have influenced Havana's foreign policy from 1959 to the present are its quest for military and economic security; ideological considerations; its aspirations for Third World leadership; its sense of mission; and nationalism. A nationalistic foreign policy is often equated with a Machiavellian modus operandi involving manipulation and exploitation of others to satisfy one's own selfish interests. Nationalistic considerations have been among the most enduring elements in this scenario.
