Although she did not take part in the historic protests that rocked the entire island of Cuba on Sunday, Caridad Montes, 50, says she understands why they took place.
Cuba has been grappling with acute shortages of food and medicine throughout the pandemic. People make lines for blocks to buy whatever they can find at stores. Inflation and blackouts during the tropical summer heat have aggravated the situation. The s were a period of little scarcity in Cuba, thanks to subsidies from the Soviet Union.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, subsidies dried up, and Cuba struggled with extreme deprivation and massive food shortages, its economy contracting by over 35 percent. Many economists say Cuba never really recovered. The U. But at the same time, Cuba has not heeded the advice of China and Vietnam in adopting economic reforms.
During its period of rapid economic growth, 30 million Vietnamese were lifted out of poverty. Many Cuban American activists and Republicans are urging Biden to keep up or even increase pressure on Cuba, and Democrats are divided on whether to maintain or ease the embargo.
The strongest reason to end the embargo against Cuba is the massive toll that the policy continues to enact on the Cuban population. The human toll is harder to quantify, but has clearly been significant.
Human rights experts at the UN have urged the US to ease sanctions during the COVID pandemic, arguing that such a change will save lives by allowing Cuba greater access to medical supplies and equipment. Cuba-policy hardliners have implicitly accepted the human and economic costs of the embargo as acceptable in order to achieve the goal of undermining the communist regime. They will point towards the unprecedented level of protests currently going on in Cuba as evidence that the embargo is working.
Yes, Cubans are angry at the economic hardships and pandemic suffering happening amongst their population. Counterintuitively, ending the embargo and promoting ties between the US and Cuba is the greatest weapon that America can deploy against the oppressive regime in Cuba. Many countries, as well as some American companies, do business in Cuba.
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Fact check: US embargo doesn't prevent Cuba from trading with other countries. Show Caption. Hide Caption. Miami rally supports protests in Cuba. Miami's Little Havana neighborhood is the scene of another rally by people showing their support for anti-government demonstrations in Cuba.
July People gather in support for Cuba in Little Havana. Family visits are permitted. Humanitarian visitors are allowed. In short, just about anybody could get to Cuba on one or more of those exceptions. At this point, U. An official Cuban site makes it clear that U.
Cuba's tropical beauty has an obvious allure to travelers, but the country offers the possibility of profit for more mundane enterprises. Food, clothing and agricultural implements are all potential Cuban imports.
Real estate agents are also likely to be in demand as Americans seek second homes or retirement homes in a sunnier part of the world. Automobile sales are another possible opportunity. Shipping companies would make money and generate jobs, particularly in the southern portion of the U.
In addition, large and mid-sized businesses and entrepreneurs both on and off the island are likely to identify profitable niche opportunities for everything from seafood to suntan lotion if renewed relations create opportunities.
Just when will all sanctions be lifted and trade relations normalized? Economic ties can be slow to develop, the politics relating to Cuba are complex, and businesses may be cautious about entering into relationships with a country known for nationalizing assets, however long ago. In the meantime, Cuba's forbidden fruit will continue to tantalize its northern neighbors. International Markets. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for Investopedia.
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