The US Economic Blockade Of Cuba

[rhondda rudie]

I'm well aware Cuba is an oppressive society.I don't like tyrannical regimes,be they of left or right wing political persuasion.

In October 2010 the UN voted for the 19th successive year for the US to lift their economic embargo on Cuba.Only Israel voted with the US and 3 nations abstained.Every other nation in the world voted for an end to the embargo.You may argue that the US is standing up for freedom and democracy but that viewpoint doesn't bear closer scrutiny.Consider some of the despotic regimes the US has backed in the past.Chile,El Salvador,in fact just about any of the fascist dictatorships that have blighted the lives of the citizens of Latin America.Cast your mind back to 80s when Reagan and his cronies armed the contras who were bidding to overthrow the democratically elected and very popular Sandanista government in Nicaragua.The Bush Junior government also welcomed the news of an army coup mounted against President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela before looking a complete fool (not an uncommon occurance) when the Venezuelan people made it clear that they were having none of it.Even today they back to the hilt the corrupt and barbaric regime of Saudi Arabia.The Cuban regime since the revolution in 1959 have been paragons of virtue compared to the squalid goverments listed above so why does the US persist in this irrational policy that has brought hardship to Cuba's population and has failed miserably to bring about the political changes the policy is trying to achieve.

I'm not a communist and,before anyone points it out,I'm well aware that we would not be able to comment on issues like this if we lived in Cuba.I just fail to see the logic in the US position and wish they would play an active role in encouraging Cuba to become a more open society.Surely this can only be achieved by a more enlightened policy of diplomatic engagement rather than the bullying posture that has characterised successive US governments.

[JB40]

The US has been responsible for some of the worst terrorist atrocities in south America. Including shooting down a passenger jet liner. They had a hand in the kidnapping of chavez, and don't even get me started on Pinochet.

I still have a lot of respect for Castro. And Chavez gets 60-70% of the vote even though all the newspapers and TV stations are owned by the right wing opposition.

The US took their eye off south America with the 'war against terror' in the middle east. And while they weren't looking the people managed to vote in left wingers in several latin countries.

Just goes to show. When they are not being interfered with those countries swing leftwards.

[San Diego]

It was Noriega, dumb arse!! Get your dictators straight

[rhondda rudie]

Originally Posted by JB40

The US has been responsible for some of the worst terrorist atrocities in south America. Including shooting down a passenger jet liner. They had a hand in the kidnapping of chavez, and don't even get me started on Pinochet.

I still have a lot of respect for Castro. And Chavez gets 60-70% of the vote even though all the newspapers and TV stations are owned by the right wing opposition.

The US took their eye off south America with the 'war against terror' in the middle east. And while they weren't looking the people managed to vote in left wingers in several latin countries.

Just goes to show. When they are not being interfered with those countries swing leftwards.

I have a lot of respect for the some of the achievments of the revolution too Jimmy.Literacy is higher than in the US and life expectancy is on a par too.Cuba also ranks higher than the US in health provision according to the World Health Organisation,food for thought after the bitter healthcare debate in the States.

However,it's impossible to ignore the fact that Cubans are denied freedom of expression and any semblance of democracy.I also think opinionated people like you and I wouldn't fare very well in such a political climate.

[kmaker]

Hiya Tom,
But isn't that the point...your last one? The UN is apparently opposed to oppression through Cuba's dictatorship. I guess the question is are things better in the USA or other "democracies" throughout the globe?
UN....now there's another subject altogether. It's the USA and all us others follow for fear of trade sanctions and embargoes don't we?
The tourism industry is an interesting one that defines the difference between the UN nations ("friends" of the USA) and the USA. Every year, thousands of tourists travel directly from Canada to Cuba. I would suggest that the Germans (all of Western Europeans actually) do the same thing taking advantage of the warm weather, pretty good food etc.
Ironically, it's the same majority of nations that represent the UN that support the "other" system by spending millions of dollars/Euros/Pounds that inevitably support the "other" system. Ironically, Americans travely to Cuba as well especially this time of year but have to transit Canada in order to get there and be allowed into the country.
So "trade embargoes" really don't exist as they would like us to believe. Maybe, just maybe, the UN (USA and friends) don't know.....maybe we should keep quiet but as you eluded to, we have the ability and the right to speak up.....shhhhhhh. We don't want educate the ignorant.
K

[kmaker]

and ps....you and Jimmy would be "detained" for questionning in Cuba for the rest of your years if you ever travelled there. Of course, I would act on your behalf mate.....

[rhondda rudie]

I think it's important to remember what Cuba was like before the revolution.It was run by a corrupt and ruthless dictator (Batista) who was backed by the US and the mafia.Indeed,it was the mafia that the CIA turned to for assistance in mounting the doomed Bay Of Pigs invasion and various attempts on Fidel Castro's life.

I also find the US government's attitude to UN votes nauseating.If you cast your mind back to the run up to the Iraq war we were constantly told the reason military conflict could happen was Saddam Hussain's violation of UN resolutions.So what about Cuba? The UN has deemed the economic blockade illegal in 19 successive votes.It should be no surprise that Israel is the US's main partner in crime,they are undisputed world champions when it comes to breaking international law.

[Starshine007]

Having been to Cuba not all that long ago for a nosey around, while Castro did ensure that the majority of the population are literate and have access to healthcare, etc, you can't just heap praise on him. He may have brought everyone up to the same minimum, but that's it. No matter what people train to do -doctors, lawyers, bin men - they can only earn a set amount. Castro also ran all the industry into the ground, even the Bacardi family emigrated as quickly as possible. To bring the nation up to a minimum level and leave them there just doesn't sit right with me. Why not take things further and allow people to keep bettering themselves instead of leaving them with just the basics? The big news while I was there was that every household would be given a rice cooker!

If you travel anywhere outside Havana you'll see farm equipment rusting by the side of the road instead of being utilised to create a thriving economy, I could go on... The main income generator these days is tourism. There's 2 official currencies in Cuba, the Cuban peso and the tourist peso. Tourist prices when I was there were much dearer than what the locals would pay, though still cheap to us. Maybe suprisingly, up until I went the US dollar was the most widely accepted hard currency, however, the government had recently taken umbrage toward it and to convert US $$$ attracted an extra 17% pentalty on top of the general rates.

That the populace tends to be so happy is a testament to their fortitude, outside of Havana that is. Those from the capital tend to be rather more savvy and consumerism is definitely growing in those parts. There are up-to-date appliances to be had; fridges, washing machines, mobile phones, every type of consumable imaginable. But hard cash is needed to buy these items that we tend to take for granted. And that can only be sent over "furtively" from the mainland. Or possibly not as furtively as Castro and his ilk would have us believe....

I'm very glad I went and saw the country for myself, just before Virgin started running air services and package holidays to overpriced resorts (Who do you think gets the money, certainly not the workers), and overwhelmingly so before Castro pops his clogs which I still feel will be the catalyst for an influx of the worst the "free" West has to offer - fast food chains, rabid consumerism etc.

[rhondda rudie]

I hear what you're saying about the economy Michele which in my opinion is because of three things.

1 The inefficency of the Cuban economic model.
2 The collapse of the former Soviet Union
3 The illegal US economic blockade

My main complaint is that the US continues to harass Cuba while backingand,indeed,arming far worse regimes.

[Starshine007]

I don't disagree with you Tom, I just don't think there's any easy answers. Its true that the Soviet Union collapse hit Cuba hard, but they could still have made their own economy work if they hadn't relied so heavily on the old USSR.