Why It Matters

Cuba Primero is making its first formal foray into Washington lobbying, hiring Cormac Group LLP in January 2024 to enter a fiercely divided policy debate.

The assembled team—Jonathan Blair Slade, Jose R. Cardenas, and Yanet Brunet Perez—brings established expertise. All three have recent experience lobbying identical issues for the Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba and Bacardi USA. Cardenas notably served as Senior Professional Staff Member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee—critical for influencing foreign policy legislation.

Congress is currently gridlocked on Cuba policy, with hardline Republicans pushing sanctions bills like the DEMOCRACIA Act and FORCE Act, while Democrats champion the United States-Cuba Trade Act to lift the embargo. Chinese intelligence operations in Cuba and the island’s economic crisis have elevated the issue’s strategic importance in Washington.

By the Numbers

Cuba Primero is a newcomer to federal lobbying with no prior spending history, retaining Cormac Group on January 13, 2024.

The three-lobbyist team brings overlapping U.S.-Cuba expertise:

  • Jonathan Blair Slade: Over two decades at Cormac Group, previously representing Bacardi USA (2003-2025) and Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba (2019-2025).

  • Jose R. Cardenas: Latin American affairs specialist who represented Bacardi USA (2019-2025) and Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba (2019-2025). Served as Senior Professional Staff Member on Senate Foreign Relations Committee (April-September 2002).

  • Yanet Brunet Perez: Focused on Latin American affairs, represented Bacardi USA (2022-2025) and Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba (2022-2025). Served as Caseworker for Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL-22) for approximately 3 years, 9 months.

The Agenda

Cuba Primero has not disclosed specific legislation in its initial registration, focusing exclusively on U.S.-Cuba relations. Based on Cormac Group’s lobbying history and the organization’s mission, its agenda likely centers on:

  • Supporting democratic transition and human rights in Cuba
  • Advocating sanctions and accountability measures against the Cuban regime
  • Opposing normalization and lifting of the economic embargo

The congressional environment reflects deep division. Hardline members advance bills like the DEMOCRACIA Act and FORCE Act, imposing comprehensive sanctions and maintaining Cuba’s terrorism designation. Conversely, the United States-Cuba Trade Act seeks to lift the embargo entirely.

Broader Context

Cuba Primero launches amid heightened national security concerns over China’s intelligence operations on the island. Beijing’s SIGINT facilities can monitor roughly 20 key U.S. military bases, transforming Cuba from a regional issue into a great power competition flashpoint. Simultaneously, Cuba faces economic catastrophe as Trump administration oil tanker seizures threaten energy supplies.

Recent policy reversals—Biden’s January 2025 removal of Cuba from the terrorism list followed by Trump’s immediate reinstatement—have created urgency for organized interests to cement legislative positions. Human rights developments reinforce hardline narratives, with Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara receiving the 2025 Václav Havel Prize despite imprisonment and Amnesty International designating multiple Cuban activists as prisoners of conscience.

Between The Lines

Congressional polarization creates a contested landscape. Republicans have introduced sweeping sanctions legislation, including the DEMOCRACIA Act seeking comprehensive regime sanctions and the FORCE Act codifying terrorism designation requirements. The Frank Connor and Trooper Werner Foerster Justice Act demands extradition of fugitives harbored by Cuba.

Member statements underscore the divide. Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart called Biden’s terrorism list removal a "final betrayal" to national security, while Democrats like Rep. Joaquin Castro supported it as beneficial to ordinary Cubans.

A May 2025 House Homeland Security hearing on Chinese surveillance operations reframed the debate as national security competition with China, adding urgency to hardline positions.

Competitive Landscape

Cuba Primero enters a space dominated by established hardline organizations. Bacardi USA remains a major corporate voice opposing embargo lifting, while the Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba advocates for dissident support.

Notably, Cuba Primero’s lobbying team already represents both organizations through Cormac Group, creating strategic overlap rather than competition. Republicans control the current advocacy environment, with Rep. Carlos Giménez calling for ending all economic ties and Rep. María Salazar demanding sanctions evasion investigations.

The Bottom Line

Cuba Primero has entered federal lobbying with an experienced team familiar with key legislative priorities. Jose R. Cardenas brings crucial Senate Foreign Relations Committee experience for foreign policy advocacy. The team’s prior work for Bacardi USA and the Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba suggests immediate familiarity with Cuba policy debates.

Congress remains sharply divided, with hardline Republicans pushing sanctions while Democrats support embargo lifting. Recent congressional activity, including hearings on Chinese surveillance operations, has elevated Cuba from a regional issue to a national security concern in great power competition.

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