To understand the nature of the Havana talks, a brief description of the context is owed – albeit with three caveats. First, the explanatory factors we outline below had both convergent and divergent effects. In some cases, they reinforced each other; in others, they gave rise to tensions that plagued the entire negotiation. Second, the relationship between context and activity is analogous to that of fabric and embroidery; context is not an external force but something that is interwoven into the many threads of the story. Third, the parties conducted the talks under the figment of sitting as equals at the table; this too had a direct effect in shaping the trajectory and outcomes of the negotiation.