Today – the 14th of September – Obama announced the extension of the embargo by one year. The extension is motivated by the American wish for a democratic and economically free Cuba. High hopes were raised when Raul Castro took over the presidency from his brother Fidel, but thus far the only improvements in the American-Cuban relations have been easier travel possibilities and leaner financial trade restrictions for US citizens.
I’m convinced, bygones should be bygones. The cold war has ended and most feuds from that time have been buried deep under the earth. The Cuban-American problem is an ancient one which is only kept alive by tradition, not by common politic, social or economical sense. The Cuban people have been dumped into poverty by the regime and it’ll be a slow and troublesome process getting them out of it. The conditions for the of the embargo are contradictory with the actions it’s causing. In order for the country to economically improve itself, it needs to be able to trade with nearby markets without any restrictions imposed by the US. Cuba has a lot of potential, it holds a large amount of resources, has a great climate for agriculture and could flourish as a touristic venue.
The media is also partly to blame; the American news stations have tipped the public opinion against Cuba. People forget that the greatest victims are the Cuban people themselves. Instead of maintaining trade embargos, quotas and protectionism we should think about maintaining the people first.
My advice: if the embargo ever is lifted, the first thing that should be exported are the values on which the United States were founded - equality and liberty for all!
Deaulmerie Julie
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/14/obama-extends-cuba-embarg_n_286154.html
Julie,
ReplyDeleteI agree with the greater part of your argument, it is certainly true that the embargo is mainly kept alive by tradition and the ignorance of most American citizens. But you can’t forget that there is so much more to the embargo than what meets the eye.
Take this into consideration; it is prohibited by United States law for any business to participate in secondary embargos – meaning that if an American business is pressurized into participating in an embargo issued by a third country on a conflict the States have nothing do with – said business has the duty to report and refuse this request. We can find infractions on this law everywhere (look at Israel, Iraq during the Gulf war, etc).
But nonetheless they are the first to prevent – at least to the degree they can, which isn’t that much – countries from having trade relations with Cuba, because they have – and have had – an embargo on Cuba since 1962 (cfr. “el bloqueo”).
You can certainly see the pattern here, the economical interest in Cuba for America isn’t that big a deal, so why bother showing ‘political weakness’ in a matter of nearly ‘no importance’. This attitude of keeping the embargo in effect in order to ‘improve human rights and freedom’ is only creating the same environment they pushed Cuba in 50 years ago, where they had to start looking elsewhere for economical aid (leading to Cuba accepting aid from the Soviets and thus giving the states an excuse to try and invade Cuba – cfr. The Pigs Bay).
As you see; this problem goes so far back and has so many roots, that it is nearly impossible to give an accurate and founded description of what the situation is really like.
As for the rest of your argument; I also believe that Cuba could have a strong and solid export-based economy if it had an easier time finding trade partners and a less dictatorial regime (I’m not accusing Cuba to be under a dictator right now, but it sure looks like it sometimes – cfr. Raul Castro). It is – as you say – a country with a lot of resources that haven’t been depleted yet and it has a climate fit for many exotic products.
But I remain skeptical. It will take many years for Cuba to get themselves out of the mud – where they’ve been in since the years of collectivization and corruption. It reminds me of many of the African ex-colonies who now struggle to stand on their own feet, but lack leadership with integrity and a heart for the people.
Anyway, you wrote a good piece and your heart for the people brings a tear to my eye ^_~