American Restrictions On Cuba

[HoboFactory]

I'm of the opinion that the various restrictions the USA has placed on Cuba are hypocritical and wrong. Just spotted this article on CNN; I think it's good that Cuba can encounter a degree of success despite attempts on the part of the USA to sabotage any accomplishment they could potentially encounter.

 

HAVANA, Cuba (Reuters) -- Cuba's tourism minister said Sunday that 2 million people visited the Caribbean island so far this year, achieving a long-sought-after goal despite U.S. efforts to undermine the country's main foreign exchange earner.

 

"This year the U.S. government increased the unjust blockade imposed on our country and pledged to affect the unstoppable development of our industry," Tourism Minister Manuel Marrero said.

 

"These 2 million visitors represent an 8 percent increase over last year and are one more demonstration that Cuba is not alone," he added at a ceremony in eastern Holguin province, where one of the island's tourist resorts is located.

 

Most U.S. citizens are banned by their government from traveling to Cuba, and visits by Cuban-Americans are also restricted. Nevertheless, 200,000 people came from the United States last year, 130,000 of whom were of Cuban origin.

 

Full Article

[Ravenous Yam]

I'm of the opinion that the various restrictions the USA has placed on Cuba are hypocritical and wrong.

I agree with you totally there.

Good article too.

[Biggie]

Very hypocritical, considering that the US does a great deal of business in the world's largest Communist country.

 

If the US wants Castro gone, they are certainly going about it wrong. Instead of restricting trade and travel, it should be encouraged. America has succeeded in isolating Cuba in this hemisphere, but that has also strengthened Castro's rule over the Cuban people. Many economists agree that free trade is the best way to empower people in the long term, and trade with the world's largest economy would cause a huge impact.

 

The US doesn't need to normalize diplomatic relations and recognize Castro as a legitimate leader. But it does need to lift the barriers that prevent Americans from commerce with the Cuban people.

Edited December 29, 2004 by Biggie

[HoboFactory]

China's record of oppression and human rights abuse is far worse than that of Cuba, as is Vietnam's. But China is practically America's biggest trading partner, and American investment in Vietnam is growing rapidly from what I've read. So I'm not sure why the US sees fit to encourage free trade with some communist countries, and forbid Cuba.

[no yu begin wher i end]

Because NO ONE is allowed to have a Communist government under their noses.

Edited December 31, 2004 by no yu begin wher i end

[HoboFactory]

And of course the US is quick to label Castro as an evil dictator. But I understand that he's relatively popular in Cuba. When the Bay of Pigs invasion was launched, with it's aim to take down Castro's gov't, they expected that ordinary Cuban citizens would rise up in favor of the invasion, and Castro would be ousted. Since nobody did rise to the occasion, one can understand that nobody wanted Castro ousted. I think the reason the US has such problems with him isn't that he's communist (China and Vietnam have proven that the US can ignore the abuses of an oppressive gov't if it is profitable to American corporations), it is that he has deprived, and in a sense, continues to deprive the US of a lot of profits. Prior to Castro, the land of Cuba and its government were subjects of American investors. So when Castro came into the picture, offering a Cuba where Cubans own the land, and Cubans govern, rather than the interestes of American business; naturally Cubans took well to the idea, and the US did not. Some people always point out that if Cuba is so great, how come those handfuls of people in makeshift boats always try to escape. Well, if one looks at Mexico, a capitalist country and a democracy, millions of Mexicans escape into the US every year.

[Dan #2]

I want to visit Cuba. To see if it's really as bad as Americans paint them. And how the hell do you block your residents from going to a certain country? Hmm, free country eh?

[cavalier_eternal]

i love how the states try to screw with everyone. <not.> i'm waiting for the day when the world gets so cheesed off that we all just stop trade with them for one day, and watch their economy fall apart. then we drag their arses out of it, and put the people who make the bad decisions and such in their place.

 

come to think of it, they should do that for virtually every country at some point...

 

canada's next.

[Biggie]

Some people always point out that if Cuba is so great, how come those handfuls of people in makeshift boats always try to escape. Well, if one looks at Mexico, a capitalist country and a democracy, millions of Mexicans escape into the US every year.

Perhaps is just says more about the United States as a perceived place of opportunity.

[Matt]

I want to visit Cuba. To see if it's really as bad as Americans paint them. And how the hell do you block your residents from going to a certain country? Hmm, free country eh?

Because if it is found that an American citizen has gone to Cuba, then they are to be arrested.

[no yu begin wher i end]

I want to visit Cuba. To see if it's really as bad as Americans paint them. And how the hell do you block your residents from going to a certain country? Hmm, free country eh?

Americans can get in undetected through Mexico, my band teacher was telling us. Our school symphonic band is going there during spring break, so it should be interesting.