Re-establishing of U.S.-Cuba diplomatic ties has been no good for the Cuban people

Raul Castro and Barack Obama are all smiles as Cuban people continue to suffer under one of the most repressive regimes in the world.

After a break of more than 50 years, the United States and Cuba on Monday will reopen their embassies in each other's capital, completing a remarkable seven months of rapprochement that hasn't meant a damn thing for the Cuban people. They still live and suffer but somehow survive under one of the most repressive regimes in the world.

Here are some specifics:

-- As of June 30, the dictatorship's secret police this year had made at least 2,822 politically motivated arrests of opposition activists across the island, bringing to more than 3,000 the number of arrests since President Barack Obama on Dec. 17 announced the re-establishing of relations. Most of the arrests have amounted to short-term detentions, but dictator Raul Castro's message is clear: Relations with the U.S. won't loosen my regime's grip on power or my tolerance for dissent.

-- Leading up to and after the Dec. 17 announcement, the dictatorship released more than 50 political prisoners. But in June, the unofficial Cuban Commission on Human Rights and National Reconciliation, said there remained at least 71 political prisoners in Castro's jails. Other groups and individuals say there are many more.

-- In April, Committee to Protect Journalists named Cuba the 10th-most censored country in the world. For those who think it's only right and consistent for the the United States to do business with Cuba because we already do business with fellow communist countries China and Vietnam, conditions there for journalists -- Vietnam is No. 6 and China is No. 8 -- are even worse, according to CPJ.

-- The dictatorship this year also has been cracking down on religious liberties, according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide. "The number of violations of freedom of religion or belief held steady, while the violations themselves grew in severity, in the first half of 2015. For the first time since 2011, to CSW’s knowledge, a church leader has been imprisoned; while the government also apparently modified their tactics to target the property of religiousorganisations as a means to control these groups."

Obama and Castro have gotten plenty in the months leading up to Monday's embassy openings. Castro has scored a diplomatic coup and more importantly, a potential economic lifeline more valuable than anything his unreliable clients in Venezuela could provide.

Obama has scored a legacy point. Hope in change!

The Cuban people are only getting more of the same.