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I have never been to Cuba. That is strange given that I have visited Florida more than 100 times, including at least three times to Key West, just 90 miles away. I’ve also been on a couple of Caribbean cruises and have been on Islands to the south and east of Cuba. I have seen Cuba from afar. I’ve been to Mexico a few times and also to Central American countries, but not Cuba.
On the face of it, this is very odd. Cuba was once a famous vacation destination for Americans. Although we can now travel to Cuba, most Americans have been deprived of various forms of trading with the Cuban people (sugar, cigars, travel, nickel, etc.) for their entire life. We have been hurt. Likewise, the Cuban people have been deprived of trading with Americans and visiting their American relatives. We both have been pawns of foreign policy and, in particular, the military-industrial complex’s need for a “Cold War.”
I don’t want to dwell on the negatives, but the Cuban people are suffering from high rates of inflation and currency depreciation, widespread rationing and shortages, and electricity blackouts have become a common occurrence. With more open relations and trade, we can help each other, and the Cubans would be better able to help themselves.
Cuba was long a part of the Spanish Empire and, as the Cuban people fought for their independence, America came in and stole the jewels of the Spanish Empire, which included Puerto Rico and the Philippines. US politicians wanted their own empire and thus launched the unjustified “Spanish-American War” (1898). This also had the unfortunate effect of bringing the crackpot, warmongering politician Teddy Roosevelt to the center stage of American politics. Of course, this was really just a continuation of taking the colonial property from Spain which had already spanned from Florida to California.
Even though Cubans prospered during “independence,” it was a weak and unbalanced prosperity due to the “crony capitalist” model imposed by American “protection.” It was similar to their status as a Spanish colony. In this type of economic model, local leaders are protected from the citizens below. In this model, local leaders can exploit the economy, particularly low skilled labor, as they reward crony capitalists and hand out plunder to their friends. They are also insulated from above; certain things get imposed by the mother country, but otherwise there is neglect and unresponsiveness. Clearly, these issues are also major negatives for Puerto Rican economic development. Nobody really denies any of this and most agree that it was a driving force for the Communist Revolution in Cuba, as well as the lasting and unifying strength of the Castro regime.
Does anyone think this situation is good for Americans? Does anyone think this impasse is good for Cubans?
While Cubans were said to have prospered during the period of Soviet subsidies and while it is clear the Cuban people have extraordinary economic abilities, you would be hard pressed to argue that the Cuban economy is living up to its potential. The response of governments to the covid situation had an enormous negative impact on Cuba as vacation travel to the island plummeted. Cubans suffered and their economy has yet to fully recover.
A unilateral move on the part of the United States would break the foreign policy impasse and could help unleash Cuban potential. Recognize Cuba, end the embargo. This would include unlimited free trade and travel with Cuba, the return of Guantanamo Bay, full diplomatic relations, etc.
Increased trade and travel would benefit both countries. American business investment is sorely needed in the Cuban economy. The country’s potential as a retirement destination and business hub for Caribbean, Central, and South American business operations is obvious and other opportunities abound. Parts and upgrades to their electrical generation and distribution system are badly needed in Cuba.
The small amounts of détente between the countries have been mutually beneficial and have not brought the world to an end. The Cuban government has been willing to open up pockets of its economy to the market. Rather than try to take advantage of Cuba’s plight, a more generous stance on the part of the US is called for, as is with the case in any and all successful trade negotiations. This would also blunt China’s attempt to gain influence over Cuba.
The powers that be in both countries don’t want to see this opening up of economic relations. In the US we are told, for example, that the Cuban-American population opposes it, and the American sugar industry opposes it. If true, those interest groups depend on our own ignorance of how we would gain and how the Cuban people would gain.
You might ask, do Americans really need more sugar? Let’s just go further down that rabbit hole: if we bought Cuban sugar, then their price would go up benefitting the Cubans, and the price of American sugar would fall, hurting American producers. But currently Americans are forced to inefficiently farm sugar intensely, with large amounts of fertilizers and chemicals, hurting our environment. We also derive sugar from sugar beet agriculture—an obvious loss of efficiency in our economy and a degradation of our resources. Not only would our food products be cheaper, tastier, and healthier with less fructose and artificial substitutes, but we don’t even know all the other economic benefits that will materialize in the future with a more efficient economy.
Now that all the original players in this historical drama are dead, let’s think for ourselves. We can turn away from the “Dark Side” and put this ugly Cold War chapter in human history behind us. This is very low-hanging fruit in terms of helping people today and creating a brighter future.
Viva Cuba Libre!
