The Cuban Embargo

The Cold War is all but over in today’s world. The only major relic still remaining of the Cold War is the Cuban Embargo.  The discussion whether or not to lift the embargo is raging in Washington DC as sanctions have just been loosened but still exist. I do not agree with what the Cuban government stands for but the embargo is simply the US holding an old grudge that does not have its place in today’s global economy.

              A New York Times article published in October 2014 (link at bottom) discusses some of the basic ideas of the embargo. It first tells how all relations (economic and diplomatic) were cut off is 1961 soon after Fidel Castro (pictured) came to power. This was in response to Cuba’s communist government allying with the USSR which made it a threat to the US. Cuba has had all other sanctions lifted by all other countries and many others have begun to aid Cuba’s reforming economy. The article ends by discussing how restoring diplomatic ties with Cuba could also help the US take a step to help fix broken relationships with countries such as Venezuela which adamantly opposes the embargo giving Cuba much money.

              If we are to go more in depth into the issue some key issues must be realized. First of all while Fidel’s brother Raul is in power the government is run very differently. The government is no longer classified as communist but as socialist. If this policy of banning trade with countries with a government like this were applied to all countries the US would have to ban trade with countries like China who has a more oppressive government than Cuba. This is extremely hypocritical and a policy that must be changed.  The other item that needs to be brought to the forefront is that the embargo is only used as an excuse and hurts the people more that the government. Cuba uses the embargo as an excuse to get extra aid from countries such as Brazil who do not monitor where it goes as thoroughly as the US would.  This results in the aid not helping the people as it would if it was US aid. By lifting the embargo the US will be able to go in and help the working class in Cuba. This could also give the average person more power which could in turn speed up the change in the Cuban government the US government has wanted for over 50 years.

              The Cuban embargo is simply a relic of the cold war. By lifting the embargo the US will gain more influence in the region allowing it to speed up the slow change occurring in Cuba. The lifting of the Cuban embargo is an essential step for the US to try to return relations with Cuba to normal.

 Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/12/opinion/sunday/end-the-us-embargo-on-cuba.html?_r=0