There's actually a slight falsehood. The initial claim that the embargo is a result of Cuba's human right violations is incorrect. While I will not refute Cuba's overarching federal government and the oppression employed by it, the fact is that the embargo is only a result of the history between the two nations. We know that the United States foreign policy isn't often based upon principle. If it truly was, then this would become a large matter of inconsistency as we don't pursue the rest of the human rights violators in our intentional community.
I mean the embargo was put in place under the Batista regime and not only that but other nations like North Korea have embargoes and sanctions imposed on them by the US.
The only missing part: This ad was paid by Castro Propaganda Network. First of all, Castro took power in 1959, so there is no way the embargo started in 1958. There was an arms embargo against Batista that year though. Second: The embargo doesn't hurt regular Cubans (and I was one them till the late 90's) because we don't get benefited by you buying Cuba libres and cigars. Third: Cuba has one of the worst credit ratings in the world and it has nothing to do with USA, but with the fact that the regime never pays its debts. So not trading with the regime actually protects taxpayers in the USA from having to rescue failed American business ventures in Cuba. If you are really interested about "reasoning" and facts, just check what happens with Canadian investors in Cuba: "How a Canadian businessman lost everything in Cuba" www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/international-business/latin-american-business/canadian-businessman-accused-of-spying-lost-everything-in-cuba/article23569652/
well.. Airlines were already cutting or eliminating flights to Cuba due to low or no demand, as reported back on Mar 13 2017. And... I agree the embargo should still be lifted and relations to become normalized, as we have done with China.
Yeah, so good idea...do the same too in Korea north...get the boy in coma, return them on stretchers. Yes, from China, cheap and fresh lungs, livers, hearts and kidneys took from 14 years old picked up on the street!
I will try to be as respectful as I can. If we lift the sanctions, the only thing showing we do not like those human rights violation is occasional condemnation by public figures. That's like punishing your son for beating his younger brother by telling him what he's doing is wrong and hoping his conscience will punish him for you.
The Embargo one of the most Ironic things ever, Fighting Communism by having the State Directly Interfere with an Economy. Tho something to note, even tho Cuba is still a Communist Dictatorship and dose have a history of Human Rights Violations, currently Cuba is no where near as bad as say North Korea, there is a very good reason for this. Despite the Embargo, Cuba's Economy is primarily being driven by Tourism, in fact the highest paying jobs in Cuba are in Service and Entertainment. Anyhow, due to this means there are many international eyes are looking at Cuba, and if the Cuban Government constantly sends people to Gulags then it would be more easy for Non-Cubans to see what's going on, and it will not only affect relations to other nations but also affect international public perception of Cuba and will negatively affect Tourism and both the Cuban People and the Government lose out on what was keeping their economy afloat. Maybe the best way to combat a Communist Dictatorship is not imposing a borderline Communist Policy from America, but to shine a light on the nation and have more people in the international community looking at them. Cuba is an example on why Government Transparency is the Best
But Cuba can't be free. They are running their government in defiance of the U.S government. Which if we allow it for Cuba other countries like Panama or Colombia might get the same idea.
CaptainRidley We need to control Saudi Oil, a quarter to a third of all of China's carbon emissions are from corporations making products for export(20% go strait to the U.S). Russia, Europe needs their gas, besides that I don't know what we trade with them besides food commodities. Two of those countries are serving their purpose and quite well. The third, well that's up to Trump.
CaptainRidley Cuba defied the U.S so it's had a 60+ year long embargo. Like we spend several billion policing all the cargo ships across the globe to make sure they don't stop somewhere and pick up steel with Cuban Nickel in it. That is part of their punishment.
I am Cuban. You are missinforming your audience about the embargo. In the 60s, Cuba confiscated thousands of properties that belong to Cubans and Americans as well, without any remuneration. After extense sessions, the international court ignored the petitions of the owners to take matters and require Cuba to at least pay for the properties, so America had two options: 1) invade Cuba and 2) call an embargo. Before the nationalition, Cuba and America played well together even when Cuba declared as a Socialist nation. Calling off the the embargo means thousands of people will never get their properties back and justice will never be made, that is the real struggle.
If Cuba's grocery store shelf's are empty, it is not because of an embargo with the US. As per the video, Cuba is free to trade with the rest of the world but it produces very little of any value to export in exchange for imports. Most countries have learned that they will never be payed for anything they export to Cuba. Also, I think there is an exception to the US embargo for agricultural products. The only caveat is one cannot extend any credit to Cuba for these purchases (i.e. the purchase must be payed in full before shipment). What many politicians who advocate for the end of the embargo are really doing is trying to make it possible for the US government to finance the food exports so that US farmers have a new market. Of course, the US tax payer ends up with holding the bag when Cuba defaults. Cuba has been propped up by Russia and Venezuela. Now that these two can no longer afford this largess, the Cuban regime is looking for other ways to finance itself. Most of the money from Cuba's foreign travel industry winds up in the hands of the regime.
The question is: What do we get out of it? Why end the embargo when it does nothing for us economically? All we're going to do is let yet another country outsource our workers. No, if we're going to lift the embargo, there has to be something in it for us. I agree that the embargo hasn't worked to crush the communist regime, but the reality is that it does not benefit us to lift it.
But what do we get out of friendly terms with Vietnam? I agree that it's good to be on peaceful terms with nations, but I don't believe in being charitable. IF we're going to do something for another country, we have to get something out of it other than a mutual relationship.
I don't have a strong feeling one way or another about the embargo, but how does it hurt the people there? The government owns everything. If we trade with them, the Castro regime keeps everything. Whether we trade with them or not, the people don't see any of that.
Trump isn't doing everything by himself. He is an aggressive dealmaker always looking for a profitable solution. Chances are greater that he had to adopt this position to win somewhere else in a policy he actually cares about as he really likes international trade deals
5.913 American companies were Expropriated by Castro. Let the Cuban Goverment pay for those, including interets since the beginning of the embargo, then you can start talking about lifting it.
Great video. But I do have one question. If the government is so corrupt, what makes you think that opening up trade is going to help the people? Wouldn't the government just take all of the economic income from trade and tourism for themselves, making them richer and keeping the people just as poor?
Simple: 100% free trade with them (not immigration - so their 'best have to fix where they live instead of bail). If their own people don't revolt at least we can sell some stuff.
I think this issue is more complex than its being presented here, but seeing as we allow people to freely travel to places like China why single out Cuba?
lol @ the people thanking or praising Trump for this stupidity... thank you for what? What good does this do the American people or any people (other than the state department)? Like dude said, this kind of policy and thinking is a relic of an era that's been over for a while, and it's time to grow up.. for the guy that was all about getting Americans/us "the best deals" (whatever that even means.. the American public or American business, you tell me, bc those interests aren't necessarily the same thing at all), he's taken some interesting steps in directions that seem to serve only the best interests of the American government at the expense of the people..
One of them is hilarious but looks like a goblin who fell down an elevator shaft, and one is super hot with cheekbones like polished granite cliffs and inhuman calves, but not terribly funny. All the other writers are both hot and funny.
So the embargo hurts the poor because it keeps food shelves empty. Wait, venezuelas food shelves are also empty and last I checked, no embargo. So, come again?
Which of the Democrats currently running for President would the libertarians find acceptable? Right, I didn't think so. Well, if Trump loses Florida in 2020, the Democratic nominee might well become President in January 2021. So quite frankly, as a practical matter, whether the embargo is a GOOD thing or not isn't up for discussion.
And the USA, with its private health system, countless homeless and corporate power in government is such a model and beacon of democracy. That said, the Cuban system is really undemocratic at the State level and Castro applied a rigid conception of communism (not socialism).
The embargo would work, if we were willing to go full throttle on it. As it stands, food aid does go to Cuba. If the plan was to starve them, we are doing a terrible job.
Well, the precise criteria are up for debate, but I don't think the principle is wrong. Trade does not by some 'hayekian' miracle bring libertarianism to all involved. The US and allies have held up enemy regimes by trading with them, even giving them emergency aid, look at North Korea, or the recent Iran deal. We should aid these people in spreading ideas of freedom, like Radio Europe did, use new tech to spread movies, books, news, etc. from our relatively freer world into their homes.
