Whenever anyone points the notorious fact that Cuba, the socialist model, is a starving hellhole, some commie says that it's all due to the american embargo against the island. Cuba would be just like Switzerland, they say, if it was not for the bloody yankee' embargo.
But let's analyze the facts:
1-The Embargo only prevents american people and business from cunducing business with Cuba. All other nations of the world can and do trade with Castro's regime. Among the many cuban trading partners, I can point out to Spain, Russia, Mexico, Canada, China and Brazil. And there are many others.
2-When the revolution took place, Castro nationalised ALL american property in the island. What did he expect? That the US would continue to do business with him? That the americans would pretend that nothing happened?
3- In 1974, following the rapprochement between the United States and China, the U.S. also sought engagement with Castro. Unilaterally, President Gerald Ford decreed a partial lifting of the embargo, allowing U.S. business established in other countries or their subsidiaries, to engage in commercial transactions with Cuba. This goodwill gesture on the part of the United States remained unanswered by Cuba, despite the fact that trade between Cuba and American business reached $704 million in 1989. In contrast, Castro's behavior became increasingly aggressive as opposed to conciliatory. For example, he sent Cuban troops to join the Armed conflicts in Angola and Ethiopia, and was involved in conflicts in the Middle East (Golan Heights) as well as Indochina.
4- Is the economic embargo responsible for the scarcity of food and medicine in Cuba? Absolutely not. Despite the U.S. embargo, Cuba can and does trade with the rest of the world. Any medicine or food that Cuba wishes to acquire can be obtained in Mexico, Canada or Panama, to mention only a few countries in geographic proximity with Cuba. In fact, acquiring medicines in Canada or Mexico is less expensive than buying them in the U.S. The medicines produced in the United States are on average 25% less expensive in those countries. In addition, the Cuban people lack even medicines that are produced in Cuba, such as aspirin, and antibiotics, because Castro exports them to countries like Nicaragua and Ecuador, thereby depriving the Cuban people. It is the same with food. To blame the embargo for the lack of food in Cuba is ridiculous. Food staples such as vegetables, pork, chicken and eggs that were in natural abundance in Cuba have declined markedly in Fidel Castro' centralized economy. His failed economic policies have ruined a previously prosperous nation. Farmers were stripped of land that now lies vacant and abandoned. The Minister of Agriculture himself recognized that 25% of the land is overrun with weeds. Farmers are not allowed to cultivate that land. To blame the United States and the embargo for shortages in Cuba is nothing more than a myth that has been propagated to hoodwink those who are not familiar with Cuba' reality.
5-Cuba's budget assigns an average of $4 million annually for importing medicines. In contrast, the European Union donates to Cuba approximately $10 million in food and medicine each year and the United States, the embargo notwithstanding, has donated nearly $472 millions in medicine to Cuba in the last ten years. With this quantities in donations, Cuban would have more than enough to satisfy internal demand. But, where are those medicines? They can be found in hospitals for the exclusive use of foreigners who pay for medical services in Cuba in dollars, and in hospitals reserved for the political elite of the country (when the average Cuban is prohibited from seeking medical care). Those exclusive hospitals and clinics do not suffer from medicine shortages. Medicines can also be found in stores that accept only dollars. The thruth is that the Cuban people do not have access to that food and medicine because of Fidel Castro' discriminatory policies.
Q:Why does the US trade with the communist dictatorship of China, but not with the the communist dictatorship of Cuba?
A:China never nationalized(stole) american property.
Q:So it's all about money then?
A: Yes, the embargo is much more about money then principles. But that doesn't make it any less legitmate. When you nationalize(steal) all property from a country inside your nation, you must expect some consequences. Why should the US trade with Cuba, having no guarantee whatsoever that Cuba shall respect american property?
But let's analyze the facts:
1-The Embargo only prevents american people and business from cunducing business with Cuba. All other nations of the world can and do trade with Castro's regime. Among the many cuban trading partners, I can point out to Spain, Russia, Mexico, Canada, China and Brazil. And there are many others.
2-When the revolution took place, Castro nationalised ALL american property in the island. What did he expect? That the US would continue to do business with him? That the americans would pretend that nothing happened?
3- In 1974, following the rapprochement between the United States and China, the U.S. also sought engagement with Castro. Unilaterally, President Gerald Ford decreed a partial lifting of the embargo, allowing U.S. business established in other countries or their subsidiaries, to engage in commercial transactions with Cuba. This goodwill gesture on the part of the United States remained unanswered by Cuba, despite the fact that trade between Cuba and American business reached $704 million in 1989. In contrast, Castro's behavior became increasingly aggressive as opposed to conciliatory. For example, he sent Cuban troops to join the Armed conflicts in Angola and Ethiopia, and was involved in conflicts in the Middle East (Golan Heights) as well as Indochina.
4- Is the economic embargo responsible for the scarcity of food and medicine in Cuba? Absolutely not. Despite the U.S. embargo, Cuba can and does trade with the rest of the world. Any medicine or food that Cuba wishes to acquire can be obtained in Mexico, Canada or Panama, to mention only a few countries in geographic proximity with Cuba. In fact, acquiring medicines in Canada or Mexico is less expensive than buying them in the U.S. The medicines produced in the United States are on average 25% less expensive in those countries. In addition, the Cuban people lack even medicines that are produced in Cuba, such as aspirin, and antibiotics, because Castro exports them to countries like Nicaragua and Ecuador, thereby depriving the Cuban people. It is the same with food. To blame the embargo for the lack of food in Cuba is ridiculous. Food staples such as vegetables, pork, chicken and eggs that were in natural abundance in Cuba have declined markedly in Fidel Castro' centralized economy. His failed economic policies have ruined a previously prosperous nation. Farmers were stripped of land that now lies vacant and abandoned. The Minister of Agriculture himself recognized that 25% of the land is overrun with weeds. Farmers are not allowed to cultivate that land. To blame the United States and the embargo for shortages in Cuba is nothing more than a myth that has been propagated to hoodwink those who are not familiar with Cuba' reality.
5-Cuba's budget assigns an average of $4 million annually for importing medicines. In contrast, the European Union donates to Cuba approximately $10 million in food and medicine each year and the United States, the embargo notwithstanding, has donated nearly $472 millions in medicine to Cuba in the last ten years. With this quantities in donations, Cuban would have more than enough to satisfy internal demand. But, where are those medicines? They can be found in hospitals for the exclusive use of foreigners who pay for medical services in Cuba in dollars, and in hospitals reserved for the political elite of the country (when the average Cuban is prohibited from seeking medical care). Those exclusive hospitals and clinics do not suffer from medicine shortages. Medicines can also be found in stores that accept only dollars. The thruth is that the Cuban people do not have access to that food and medicine because of Fidel Castro' discriminatory policies.
Q:Why does the US trade with the communist dictatorship of China, but not with the the communist dictatorship of Cuba?
A:China never nationalized(stole) american property.
Q:So it's all about money then?
A: Yes, the embargo is much more about money then principles. But that doesn't make it any less legitmate. When you nationalize(steal) all property from a country inside your nation, you must expect some consequences. Why should the US trade with Cuba, having no guarantee whatsoever that Cuba shall respect american property?
The whole goddam point in communism is that corporations and private property don't exist. If he allowed corporations to own private property, he wouldn't be a communist would he? 
