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Google revealed as unlikely go-between to help Trump-Cuba relations
Source: The Guardian
Google revealed as unlikely go-between to help Trump-Cuba relations
Tech firm has acted as US-Havana intermediary as memo says Cubans trust Google more than Trump administration
Stephanie Kirchgaessner in Washington
Fri 29 Mar 2019 18.40 GMT
Google has worked as an intermediary between the Trump administration and the Cuban government as it has sought a deal to improve internet access on the island, according to private remarks by Google’s manager in Havana.
A new memorandum of understanding unveiled this week between Google and Etesca, the Cuban telecommunications monopoly, is set to kickstart negotiations on technical ways that Google could help improve internet connectivity, including the possible buildout of an underwater cable.
The memo, which reinforces Google’s unique position of being the only western company with a telecommunications foothold in Cuba, is an extension of an agreement that was launched under Barack Obama, and reflects years-long engagement between Google and the Cuban government.
At times, that engagement has included working as a go-between between the Trump administration and Havana, according to private remarks made by Brett Perlmutter, the head of strategy and operations at Google Cuba who has been active in Google’s Cuba policy since 2014.
Perlmutter recently said in a private conversation that he helped to “convey” messages between the Trump administration and the Cuban government and that Google was used as a “messenger” for the greater relationship, according to two sources with close knowledge of the matter. The Cubans, he said, trusted Google more than they did the Trump administration.
-snip-
Tech firm has acted as US-Havana intermediary as memo says Cubans trust Google more than Trump administration
Stephanie Kirchgaessner in Washington
Fri 29 Mar 2019 18.40 GMT
Google has worked as an intermediary between the Trump administration and the Cuban government as it has sought a deal to improve internet access on the island, according to private remarks by Google’s manager in Havana.
A new memorandum of understanding unveiled this week between Google and Etesca, the Cuban telecommunications monopoly, is set to kickstart negotiations on technical ways that Google could help improve internet connectivity, including the possible buildout of an underwater cable.
The memo, which reinforces Google’s unique position of being the only western company with a telecommunications foothold in Cuba, is an extension of an agreement that was launched under Barack Obama, and reflects years-long engagement between Google and the Cuban government.
At times, that engagement has included working as a go-between between the Trump administration and Havana, according to private remarks made by Brett Perlmutter, the head of strategy and operations at Google Cuba who has been active in Google’s Cuba policy since 2014.
Perlmutter recently said in a private conversation that he helped to “convey” messages between the Trump administration and the Cuban government and that Google was used as a “messenger” for the greater relationship, according to two sources with close knowledge of the matter. The Cubans, he said, trusted Google more than they did the Trump administration.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/mar/29/google-is-an-unlikely-messenger-between-trump-and-cuba-insider-says