These migrants have left a permanent mark on both Canadian and Mexican cultures. Personal ties between Canadian, Mexican, and Cuban citizens have strengthened over generations, thanks to the economic investments of companies from both countries operating in the vacuum left by the United States, and thanks to the annual flow of tourists to the island. In fact, Canadian tourists were the largest source of foreign currency for the Cuban economy until Canadian airlines cancelled flights to the island in the face of recent fuel shortages. These shared ties, shaped by previous foreign policy decisions, can now support greater cooperation in humanitarian aid. In the case of Mexico, relations with Cuba were forged by the revolutionary nationalism that followed its 1910 revolution. Expanding humanitarian aid to the Cuban people suffering from the consequences of the U.S. blockade could enable Canada and Mexico to live up to the foreign policy principles many believe they have adhered to since 1959. Based on the historical similarities in Canada's and Mexico's relationships with Cuba, Ottawa should cooperate with Mexico to expand its commitment to providing essential humanitarian aid at a time when both countries are hesitant to antagonize their neighbour, the United States, whose every move or decision has a huge impact on both nations. However, providing aid to Cuba when it needs it most could help 'correct the past' and form a strong basis for improving Canada-Mexico relations, as both governments must face the existential threat to the liberal world order posed by their largest common trading partner. The fact that Canada and Mexico were the only two countries in the Western Hemisphere that refused to break ties with Cuba after the 1959 Cuban Revolution holds a significant place in the foreign policy of both countries. Both Canada and Mexico have large Cuban diasporas, with approximately 20,000 Cuba-born residents in Canada and over 42,000 in Mexico, according to 2022 census data. Despite a Russian oil tanker recently breaking the blockade to deliver much-needed fuel, daily life for ordinary Cubans remains fraught with dangers as they face unemployment, food shortages, and other essentials. The Cuban people face an unprecedented humanitarian crisis due to the blockade imposed on this island nation. This double standard is well-known to historians but has not caught the attention of most Canadians and Mexicans, who still believe in the principled difference of their countries from the United States. Today, as public opinion of the United States and its president in both Canada and Mexico is at an all-time low, the two governments should work together to bolster their ties with Cuba. Citizens and organizations in both countries have organized solidarity marches and private relief missions. During the government of Adolfo López Mateos (1958-1964), these ties were viewed through the lens of domestic politics and the Cold War, as the government pleased its local electoral base by strongly supporting Cuban sovereignty and the principle of non-intervention. This led Mexico to lead the condemnation campaign in the UN against the U.S. invasion of the 'Bay of Pigs' in 1961 and its refusal to break ties with Cuba after the U.S. forced other Latin American countries to expel Cuba from the Organization of American States in 1964. Canada's objections to the 'Bay of Pigs' invasion were more moderate, and it did not become a full member of the OAS until 1990. Yet, while both Canadian and Mexican governments publicly professed friendship and constructive cooperation with Cuba, subsequent historical investigations revealed that Canada and Mexico cooperated with successive U.S. administrations to provide intelligence on the Cuban regime. Canada and Mexico were the only two countries in the Western Hemisphere that refused to break ties with Cuba after the 1959 Cuban Revolution.
