{"id":193193,"date":"2019-02-07T07:32:48","date_gmt":"2019-02-07T12:32:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/?p=193193"},"modified":"2019-02-07T07:32:48","modified_gmt":"2019-02-07T12:32:48","slug":"the-american-who-became-ocean-doctor-in-the-cuban-seas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/cuba-usa\/the-american-who-became-ocean-doctor-in-the-cuban-seas\/","title":{"rendered":"The American who became &#8220;Ocean Doctor &#8221; in the Cuban seas"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2015, shortly after the reestablishment of relations between Cuba and the United States, a photo of two divers holding flags of both countries went viral on the Internet.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The story behind the snapshot, loaded with the symbolism of that moment, is linked to American scientist David E. Guggenheim, who for more than 20 years has conducted research on Cuba\u2019s corals and marine ecosystems.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThere are actually two such photos \u2013 one taken in 2004 during a research expedition off of Cuba\u2019s northwestern coast and the second in 2015 in Jardines de la Reina,\u201d says Guggenheim. <\/span><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-193193 gallery-columns-2 gallery-size-full'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/cuba-usa\/the-american-who-became-ocean-doctor-in-the-cuban-seas\/attachment\/andres-jimenez-l-david-e-guggenheim-r_2015-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2447\" height=\"1630\" src=\"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/andres-jimenez-l-david-e-guggenheim-r_2015-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-193194\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/andres-jimenez-l-david-e-guggenheim-r_2015-1.jpg 2447w, https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/andres-jimenez-l-david-e-guggenheim-r_2015-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/andres-jimenez-l-david-e-guggenheim-r_2015-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/andres-jimenez-l-david-e-guggenheim-r_2015-1-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/andres-jimenez-l-david-e-guggenheim-r_2015-1-750x500.jpg 750w, https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/andres-jimenez-l-david-e-guggenheim-r_2015-1-1140x759.jpg 1140w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2447px) 100vw, 2447px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-193194'>\n\t\t\t\tAndr\u00e9s Jim\u00e9nez (left) and David Guggenheim (right) in 2015\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/cuba-usa\/the-american-who-became-ocean-doctor-in-the-cuban-seas\/attachment\/dr-david-guggenheim-l-dr-gaspar-gonzalez-r_photo-by-abel-valdivia_2004-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1536\" src=\"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/dr-david-guggenheim-l-dr.-gaspar-gonzalez-r_photo-by-abel-valdivia_2004-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-193195\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/dr-david-guggenheim-l-dr.-gaspar-gonzalez-r_photo-by-abel-valdivia_2004-1.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/dr-david-guggenheim-l-dr.-gaspar-gonzalez-r_photo-by-abel-valdivia_2004-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/dr-david-guggenheim-l-dr.-gaspar-gonzalez-r_photo-by-abel-valdivia_2004-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/dr-david-guggenheim-l-dr.-gaspar-gonzalez-r_photo-by-abel-valdivia_2004-1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/dr-david-guggenheim-l-dr.-gaspar-gonzalez-r_photo-by-abel-valdivia_2004-1-750x563.jpg 750w, https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/dr-david-guggenheim-l-dr.-gaspar-gonzalez-r_photo-by-abel-valdivia_2004-1-1140x855.jpg 1140w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-193195'>\n\t\t\t\tDr. David Guggenheim (Left) and Dr. Gaspar Gonz\u00e1lez (Right) in 2004. Photo: Abel Valdivia.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;I organized the photos to symbolize the profound friendship and unity Cubans and Americans have below the waves and how we are truly connected \u2013 not separated \u2013 by the waters between our countries,&#8221; said Guggenheim, who also takes pictures of the seabed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Doctor of Science, Guggenheim is the founder and current director of Ocean Doctor, a non-profit organization based in Washington, DC, with the mission is to advance the conservation of the world\u2019s oceans \u201cthrough scientific research, education and community engagement.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">His collaboration with Cuban scientists and his research on the island for more than two decades made him a specialist on Cuban marine life and ecosystems. However, his work has surpassed the borders of science to have an influence on the highest levels of diplomacy between Cuba and the United States.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In his speech in Havana, during his March 2016 visit, then President Barack Obama mentioned the collaboration between both countries to protect the oceans.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The name &#8220;Ocean Doctor&#8221; was an idea of \u200b\u200bhis daughter Anna, during a long road trip to the university. David told her how his parents would have wanted him to be a medical doctor. At that time, he told her, marine biology was not common and they were troubled that he could never make a &#8220;real&#8221; career out of his passion for the ocean. His daughter chimed in, \u201cBut you are a doctor. You\u2019re an ocean doctor!\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;Funny, but I had never thought of it that way. Yet I have spent much of my career studying and diagnosing what ails the oceans and advocating policies to heal them. So that was the birth of what originally was my moniker and later the name of the organization that I now lead,&#8221; Guggenheim told <strong>OnCuba<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;We focus on coral reef ecosystems and work to promote economic and environmentally sustainable solutions for communities. Most of our work is concentrated in Cuba, where many of its coral reef ecosystems remain exceptionally healthy at a time when the Caribbean has lost half of its coral reefs since 1972, &#8220;he explained.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cOur focus is on coral reef ecosystems and we work to advance economically \u0336 and environmentally \u0336 sustainable solutions for coastal communities. The majority of our work is based in Cuba where many of its coral reef ecosystems remain exceptionally healthy at a time when the Caribbean has lost half of its coral reefs since 1970,\u201d he explained.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_193196\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-193196\" style=\"width: 1000px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/20150107-img_3701-guggenheim-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-193196 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/20150107-img_3701-guggenheim-1.jpg\" alt=\"Photo: David Guggenheim. Courtesy of the author.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"666\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/20150107-img_3701-guggenheim-1.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/20150107-img_3701-guggenheim-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/20150107-img_3701-guggenheim-1-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/20150107-img_3701-guggenheim-1-750x500.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-193196\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: David Guggenheim. Courtesy of the author.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>What have been the biggest obstacles for the realization of your projects?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It has never been easy, as an American, to work in Cuba, due to restrictions by both governments. However, I consider those of us working to study and protect the environment very lucky. For the most part, we have been able to avoid political backlash and have been able to accomplish a great deal. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I think it\u2019s because Cubans, Cuban-Americans and Americans all see science as something critical that must move forward and helping to keep Cuba\u2019s magnificent ecosystems healthy is important work. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unfortunately, working in Cuba has become especially difficult, due in part to a reaction by the Cuban government to Trump\u2019s harsh rhetoric. Nevertheless, as we have over nearly 20 years of experience, we remain dedicated and persistent.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>You have had contact with officials and diplomats from both countries at the highest level, how do you think marine science has contributed to relations between the two countries and how have you personally contributed?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I sometimes joke that as much as I tried to avoid politics, I became an accidental diplomat during the first 15 years of our work in Cuba and I organized meetings in the U.S. to convey the importance of Cuba-U.S. collaboration in marine science and conservation. In 2015 I was invited to attend the re-opening ceremony of the Cuban Embassy in Washington, DC. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was quite an emotional event, but I was surprised how many in the Cuban diplomatic corps reached out to shake my hand to say that this day would have been impossible without our work over the years. I was surprised by such warm gestures and hadn\u2019t considered that marine science became one of the best examples of collaboration between our countries and that our close collaboration had built a foundation of trust between us that, in a small way, helped set the stage for the normalization of diplomatic relations between our countries. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In May 2014\u2013months before normalization of relations came to be\u2013Ocean Doctor organized a high-level meeting in Washington, including members of the Senate, the State Department, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Cuban Ambassador, the head of U.S. relations for the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Relations (MINREX) and two esteemed Cuban scientists. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Together we explored how to elevate collaboration in marine science and conservation to a new level and developed a blueprint of such collaboration, identifying priority areas for joint work. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That blueprint became the basis of our government-to-government collaboration once diplomatic relations were restored, and it was incredibly gratifying to hear President Obama, in his remarks during his visit to Cuba, say, \u201cWe will work together to protect the beautiful waters that we share.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/david-e-guggenheim-in-deepworker-submarine-photo-credit-todd-warshaw-360x180-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-193197\" src=\"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/david-e-guggenheim-in-deepworker-submarine-photo-credit-todd-warshaw-360x180-1-300x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/david-e-guggenheim-in-deepworker-submarine-photo-credit-todd-warshaw-360x180-1-300x150.jpg 300w, https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/david-e-guggenheim-in-deepworker-submarine-photo-credit-todd-warshaw-360x180-1.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>What do you think about the current state of bilateral relations?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As I mentioned earlier, working in Cuba has become especially difficult now\u2013perhaps more difficult than in all the years I have worked there. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I am deeply concerned that project delays are causing projects to become more expensive and many organizations like Ocean Doctor are moving their focus to other countries, perhaps permanently. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The problems are occurring at the high levels of government so we have been trying to focus on small-scale projects where we are able to move ahead less encumbered by so many needed permits and signatures. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now we have a project helping a group of community volunteers rehabilitate, spay\/neuter and find homes for abandoned kittens and young cats\u2013a major problem in Cuba. The project is called \u201cDe La Calle\u201d (From the Streets). <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In normal times, it\u2019s something that we would not be involved in, but at present it\u2019s a small project where we feel we can make a difference. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many projects with U.S. NGOs, including some of our own, have been stopped by the Cuban side. For some NGOs, the projects do not advance at all. The changes in Trump&#8217;s policy had minimal impact on our scientific research efforts, but his strong anti-Cuban rhetoric, along with his reckless and ignorant approach to foreign policy in general, has meant that the rest of the world, including Cuba, is understandably cautious.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some of our Cuban colleagues have indicated that Cuba has stopped the collaboration efforts with the United States because of Trump. We\u2019ve been in this situation for at least 18 months. Whatever the real cause, the net result is affecting U.S. NGOs and their Cuban partners. It is more difficult for us to raise funds if we can\u2019t show our sponsors solid results.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cuba not only runs the risk of losing some of its best U.S. partners, but also millions of dollars of support for a critically important job.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even so, marine science and conservation are considered among the most successful areas of collaboration between the United States and Cuba.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>You have several projects on La Isla de La Juventud, which you have called &#8220;an invisible island&#8221;. Why do you encourage Americans to travel there? What makes it special, in your opinion?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Isle of Youth is special in countless ways. It has a remarkable history, including a visit by Columbus, a favorite spot for Caribbean pirates, the many years of U.S. control, the Presidio Modelo prison where Fidel and Raul were incarcerated, and the network of international schools that was created in the seventies. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s also a special place as it remains tranquil, authentic and natural\u2013the southern half of the island is protected and absolutely beautiful, including the Punta Frances marine reserve. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unfortunately, the island is poor and several Cuban officials have told me that improving conditions is a top priority for the Cuban government. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I think Americans enjoy the uniqueness and beauty of the island and the fact that most of Ocean Doctor\u2019s work is now focused on the island and the tiny community at its southernmost point, Cocodrilo, where there is high unemployment and few opportunities. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Working in the Cuban National Center for Protected Areas, we are conducting an environmental economics project\u2013i.e., evaluating the economic value of the island\u2019s natural resources\u2013to help develop alternatives that are both economically- and environmentally-sustainable. Such alternatives are especially important for coastal communities like Cocodrilo and similar communities throughout the country.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>As for tourist trips, you have greatly emphasized the issue of conservation and responsible policies to avoid ecological damage due to the massive nature of this sector. How would you describe that situation in Cuba today?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So far Cuba has managed to avoid the environmental and social destruction of mass tourism that much of the rest of the Caribbean has experienced. Small-scale tourism\u2013casas particulares, etc.\u2013have provided a way to minimize the negative aspects of mass tourism, has helped keep more tourism revenues within the visited communities and has offered tourists a more authentic experience, something that travelers are willing to pay a premium for. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today the situation is precarious. To help the Cuban economy there is tremendous pressure to increase tourism in Cuba and a recent study shows that the vast majority of tourist accommodations to be constructed over the next decade are in all-inclusive resorts, the icon of mass tourism and a dangerous direction for Cuba that could end up in many of the problems faced by the rest of the Caribbean.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ocean Doctor and the Center for International Policy held an event in Washington, DC in June 2018 with the participation of the Cuban Ambassador, where we released <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/oceandoctor.org\/report-centuring-unsustainable-tourism-caribbean-lessons-opportunities-cuba\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a report<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, \u201cA Century of Unsustainable Tourism in the Caribbean: Lessons Learned and Opportunities for Cuba.\u201d We are now working with Cuban colleagues to explore the conclusions of the report and how they may be helpful in guiding tourism policy in Cuba.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/20160421-img_3358_guggenheim-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-193198\" src=\"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/20160421-img_3358_guggenheim-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"805\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/20160421-img_3358_guggenheim-1.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/20160421-img_3358_guggenheim-1-300x242.jpg 300w, https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/20160421-img_3358_guggenheim-1-768x618.jpg 768w, https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/20160421-img_3358_guggenheim-1-750x604.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>What actions should Cuba take to avoid greater damage to flora and fauna, corals and marine life?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cuba has very impressive environmental laws and continuing to use them to protect the environment is paramount. Avoiding the bitter lessons of other Caribbean nations, such as mass tourism, overuse of fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture and continuing to educate citizens and build an environmental ethic are fundamental elements of protecting Cuba\u2019s natural heritage. Cuban environmental law requires the use of environmental economics as part of decision-making, something that is the centerpiece of our work in Cuba. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For too long\u2013especially in the U.S.\u2013the environment was \u201cfree.\u201d In other words, there was no cost considered to dumping pollution into the air, rivers and oceans, nor was the cost considered of taking resources out of the natural ecosystems, such as fishing. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Environmental economics provides tools to assess those costs and apply them to decision-making. For example, it has been estimated that, on average, coral reefs absorb 97 percent of wave energy, something that is of enormous value for coastal protection, especially given the growing impacts of climate change. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The good news is that Cuba has done more right than it has done wrong and its largely healthy natural ecosystems stand as proof of that. Cuba could become a model of sustainability, a green jewel in the Caribbean where people around the world go to see an example of how sustainability can be achieved and create a better life for its people. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/20150225-img_4338-guggenheim-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-193199\" src=\"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/20150225-img_4338-guggenheim-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"666\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/20150225-img_4338-guggenheim-1.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/20150225-img_4338-guggenheim-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/20150225-img_4338-guggenheim-1-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/20150225-img_4338-guggenheim-1-750x500.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>After more than 100 trips to Cuba and many years of work there, what do you personally like the most?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are so many funny stories I\u2019ve accumulated over the years\u2026. I\u2019m not a native Spanish speaker nor do I have any Latin blood. So I\u2019ve made countless mistakes and been humbled many times over the years, especially since, unlike many U.S. colleagues who stay in hotels and don\u2019t venture too far alone, I\u2019ve lived more like a Cuban, traveling in almendrones, standing in line to buy chicken, living in a casa particular and stumbling many times along the way. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just learning how to stand in line and using the magic question, \u201cultimo?\u201d was a big step for me. I\u2019ve learned most of my Spanish from my Cuban colleagues and in the streets of Cuba. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I\u2019ve always felt that there is a need for more inspiring images and messages to provide an appreciation and a vision of how Cubans and Americans can and need to work closely together to protect the waters that we share.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In 2015, shortly after the reestablishment of relations between Cuba and the United States, a photo of two divers holding flags of both countries went viral on the Internet. The story behind the snapshot, loaded with the symbolism of that moment, is linked to American scientist David E. Guggenheim, who for more than 20 years [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3096,"featured_media":193200,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13944],"tags":[19058,14891,19055,19057,19056],"ppma_author":[33549,7168],"class_list":["post-193193","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cuba-usa","tag-caribbean-ocean","tag-cuba-usa-relations","tag-david-guggenheim","tag-marine-life-in-cuba","tag-ocean-doctor"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The American who became &quot;Ocean Doctor &quot; in the Cuban seas | OnCubaNews English<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"American scientist David E. Guggenheim, for more than 20 years has conducted research on Cuba\u2019s corals and marine ecosystems.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/cuba-usa\/the-american-who-became-ocean-doctor-in-the-cuban-seas\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The American who became &quot;Ocean Doctor &quot; in the Cuban seas | OnCubaNews English\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"American scientist David E. 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