Cuban Embargo Analysis

Many of these factors had either been introduced or improved by Castro and just the idea of having a country that is third world having these factors so long ago is an indication of how beneficial Fidel Castro was to Cuba. The extent to which the US — a superpower — felt threatened by a third world country like Cuba is also an indication of how beneficial Fidel Castro was to Cuba. This source further explains how under Castro there were food shortages, increased rationing and growing scarcities. The introduction of sanctions under Castro’s rule is said to have been damaging because the source these sanctions upset and disadvantaged the middle-class and therefore were a social disadvantage. This source also explores how the suspension of US exports under Castro was damaging as these badly affected people like retail merchants, manufacturers and industrialists and many of them found it difficult to remain in Cuba. Therefore, this particular policy under Fidel Castro proved to be both socially and economically

In 1959, Cubareceived 74 percent of its imports from the US, and the US received 65 percentof Cuba’s exports. On February 3, 1962, the United States imposed a fulltrade embargo on Cuba, completely ending any type of trade between the twocountries. This embargo remains in effect today, more than four decades later,and has grown ! to be a huge center of debate and controversy (DeVarona 8).Opponents to the embargo argue that the embargo does nothing more than hurt theCuban people, while proponents argue that the embargo places pressure on Castroto repair Cuba’s mismanaged and corrupt government. Both the supportersand the opponents of this embargo have strong arguments and evidence to supportthese

During the Cold War, relations between Cuba and the United States were icy. Cuba was allied with the USSR, America’s enemy, and was well within their sphere of influence. With events like the failed Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis happening on their soil, Cuba was at the center of the Cold War. Between ideological differences and their alliance with Russia, Cuba became an enemy of America as well. It took the efforts of ten American presidents, six Popes, and countless other actors, but Cuba and America are finally in the process of normalizing relations. There is still work to be done, but the path is clear and the time is right. However, one cannot simply ignore the last fifty years. In that time, millions of lives were affected by the lack of social, economic, and political ties between the U.S. and Cuba. In this paper, I will analyze the last fifty years of U.S. - Cuban relations by looking at the involved actors, their means, and their values and interests through the lenses of two paradigms, realism and constructivism.

In the article, “Why Do We Still Have an Embargo of Cuba?” Patrick Haney explores the history of the embargo and the different factors which have maintained and tightened its restrictions over the past fifty years. The embargo consists of a ban on trade and commercial activity, a ban on travel, a policy on how Cuban exiles can enter the U.S., and media broadcasting to the island. These once-executive orders now codified into law by the Helms-Burton Act, have become a politically charged topic which wins and loses elections, spawned influential interest groups, and powerful political action committees.

According to Scola (2014) “It is estimated that only 5 percent of the Cuban population has access to the open Internet”. All Internet connections in Cuba are available exclusively through Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Cuba S.A. (ETECSA). Because wireless Internet service is not available to the general population, landline Internet is the sole means of connecting people in Cuba to the Internet. The combination of inadequate infrastructure and the government’s deliberate policy which controls access to the internet have produced an extremely slow service that is not widely available throughout the population. With better diplomatic relations with the United States the Cuban government can benefit greatly from telecommunications mostly internet advancements which can positively affect the economy in many ways. First, it can reduce the cost of production. Second, it can increase revenues. Third, it can increase employment through both direct and indirect effects and lastly it provides channels of communication to avert humanitarian disasters and assist in reconstruction efforts. The United States help the Cuban economy to develop the telecommunications by providing the country with many of the technological infrastructures needed to become

Cuba and the Affects of the Embargo The island nation of Cuba, located just ninety miles off the coast of Florida, is home to 11 million people and has one of the few remaining communist regimes in the world. Cuba’s leader, Fidel Castro, came to power in 1959 and immediately instituted a communist program of sweeping economic and social changes. Castro allied his government with the Soviet Union and seized and nationalized billions of dollars of American property. U.S. relations with Cuba have been strained ever since. A trade embargo against Cuba that was imposed in 1960 is still in place today. Despite severe economic suffering and increasing isolation from the world community, Castro remains committed to communism. (Close Up

To better understand and appreciate the embargo in Cuba, one must examine the history behind an unnecessary act. According per the Editorial Board of The New York Times, the concept of the embargo to the United States Congress is to keep the outdated policy upon the Island of Cuba and its people. Gomez and Szabo from USA Today confirms, “President Obama and Cuban President, Raul Castro, have moved to normalize relations with Cuba without any further consideration of removing the Embargo from the Island any time soon” (Gomez and Szabo). It is time for the embargo to come to an end because this outdated policy has separated

Raul Castro has gradually implanted major economic reforms and lifted travel restrictions, which will help the country strengthen its international position. Because of Raul making huge changes for Cuba, the island has let in allowing Cubans to buy or sell property, expand consumer goods such as, DVD players, microwaves, cell phones and internet service. These small but large changes for Cuba, that Raul changed, is making a huge impact on the isolated island. Now, because of Raul’s changes, the U.S. talks with Cuban officials every 6 months to see how everything is playing out (Frank).

Adjustments have been since then so that independent businesses in Cuba may trade with the United States, resulting in, “the United States [becoming] Cuba’s fifth largest trading partner since 2007,” (Lee and Renwick 5). Even though Obama came into office in 2008, and a year later reversed more of the restrictions set forth in the Helms-Burton Act, the actual lift of the embargo and Helms-Burton seems to not be as close as the media makes it seem. Since Raul Castro has come into office, also in 2008, he has claimed he would work towards normalizing relations with the United States, and further stated that he would leave office in 2018. Castro leaving office marks the end of the period the Castros have been in power, and leaves question to how the state of Cuba could potentially thrive. In my opinion, after reading many articles that bought forward the many problems Cuba is to overcome, I feel that Cuba has a long way to go in terms of achieving economic prosperity. However, I also deeply believe that the leaders of both Cuba and the United States are paving the roads needed to reach that level of prosperity. Journalists who have visited Cuba have come back claiming, “private businesses have blossomed due to the relaxation of limits of remittances from Cuban Americans to the island,” (O’Neil 2). This statement, and others like it, leaves me to feel

n October 19th 1960, the United States of America implemented an embargo on American exports to Cuba. This undertaking was in response to the Cuban state nationalizing American owned property without any compensation. The embargo, which included just about all imports, is one example of US-Cuban relations that have been poor ever since the overthrow of the Batista regime (Haufbauer et al). In recent years, trade sanctions have finally began to open up and in 2000 the United States passed the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act which allows for food and agricultural products to be exported to Cuba (Engage Cuba Coalition). However, despite this act opening up the market for food and agricultural products the Trade Sanctions Reform

On February 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed an embargo on Cuba due to their Communist threat. Recently, the 50th anniversary of this same embargo, marked the continuing relationship upheld by The United States and Cuba. The United States created the embargo, in hopes that it would pressure the Cubans into adopting their Democratic policies. This embargo has not only failed, but has detracted from it’s goal of spreading democracy in Cuba. Additionally, it has hurt the American economy, costing the United States roughly $5 billion annually in lost exports. Many have recognized that it is through free trade not isolation, that democracy can be promoted within Cuba. The exposure cultural freedoms found in free trade would lead to economic

"We will end an outdated approach that... has failed to advance our interests, and instead we will begin to normalize relations between our two countries. Through these changes, we intend to create more opportunities for the American and Cuban people, and begin a new chapter among the nations of the Americas" (President Obama, Official Released Statement). On December 17th, 2014 the American embargo on Cuba, which set restrictions on relations with Cuba, was relaxed after over fifty years. The embargo on Cuba set restrictions on relations in areas such as travel and trade. The initial intention of the embargo was to persuade the Cuban government to attain a new form of government; as the United States disagrees with Cuba's communist position

When buying computers was legalized in 2008, the private ownership of computers in Cuba soared (there was 630,000 computers available on the island in 2008, a 23% increase over 2007). Internet in Cuba is extensive. The Cuban internet is among the most tightly controlled in the world. A special permit is required to use the internet and all e-mails are intricately monitored. Cuba has been listed as an “internet enemy” by Reporters Without Borders since the list was created in 2006. There are two kinds of online connections are offered in Cuban Internet cafes: a ‘national’ one that is restricted to a simple email service operated by the government, and a ‘international’ one that gives access to the entire internet. The population is restricted to the first one, which cost $1.20 an hour. To use a computer, Cubans have to give their name and address-and if they write dissent keywords, a popup appears stating that the document has been blocked ‘for state security reasons’, and the word processor or browser is automatically closed. In 2011 the government started to allow Cuba to open a small market. Then which they could sells phones and repair electronics. At one market there was only two phones for sale. The LG cost $200, and the Blu cost $100. Both were bargain-basement models, below the quality of given free with service contracts in the

On the 10th February 2016 it was reported that Cuba had made a very historic announcement stating that there will be launching of broadband Internet service in two pilot projects, which means that Cuba’s Internet Isolation will begin to lift (Tummino 2016). This will have a positive effect on Cuba’s economy, educational systems and telecommunications. Cuba has been receiving attention and pressure from the United States to expand their Internet access since 2014 (Tummino 2016). It is assumed that the Cuban government implemented these restrictions to maintain social control over information (Aguirre 2012). This is why the Cuban Internet acted as a corporate Intranet where sites like Facebook or Twitter couldn’t be accessed. After this historic

The embargo has constrained the crossing of the borders for Cuban citizens, the exiles of Cuba and the businesses, its subsidiary to not be able to do their business in Cuba without facing penalties. This embargo has forbid the Cuban citizens’ contact to consumer goods that the United States presented. Cuba’s expansion of its infrastructure has also been limited therefore the country continues to be a poor country.