The Pros And Cons Of The Cuban Embargo

721 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Relationship between Cuba and the United States

The cuban embargo is a hot topic and has been a hot topic for the past question asked by many and there are two sides to this question. There is a lot of controversy as there are many fair points as to why we should and to why we should not lift the embargo but the negative disadvantages far outweigh the positive ones. If we Lift the embargo it would benefit the Cuban people a lot less than the government because most of the Cuban economy is owned by the government and all foreign trade is made through their agencies. Also, Companies pay wages in hard currency, including dollars and euros, but the government pays workers in Cuban pesos and then they keep about 90 percent of the wages. Secondly, Decades of trade between Cuba and other countries like Europe, Canada, and Latin America have not produced the political and economic benefits to the people that embargo opponents say a lifting of the embargo would produce. What it has actually done is help the Communist government. …show more content…

Another reason not to lift the embargo is because Cuba has not released all the political prisoners Obama said the regime had promised to free during recent Cuban-American discussions and estimates say that there are more than 6,000 political detainees in Cuba which is among the world's highest and it has about 65,000 prison inmates

Show More
Related

  • The Pros And Cons Of The Cuban Adjustment Act

    1394 Words  | 3 Pages

    The 1966 Cuban Adjustment Act grants Cubans a unique place in U.S. Immigration Law and Policy by declaring that all those who arrive in the United States are accepted as political refugees, and are eligible to become legal permanent residents after one year (Marc R.). It was created to offer protection to Cubans escaping oppression from their Communist government. As might be expected, this law is always the debate of Cubans who think about coming to America seeking freedom and a better life. For many Cubans to reach American territory is all a dream, mostly because of the chances of attaining a better economic situation for themselves and their families. A lot of them also pursue to reunite with their families in the United States after many years of separation. Some others are opponents of the Castro regime. Because they don’t have freedom of speech and can see their lives threatened if they speak out against the government, seek for more political freedom and a democratic form of government, in a land of capitalism where there are fewer restrictions and more opportunities.

    Read More

  • Cuba

    564 Words  | 2 Pages

    economic growth comes from agriculture and exports to and from Europe. Since America has had an embargo on Cuba since 1962 neither countries trade with each other because of many disagreements about governing techniques and Fidel's unwillingness to comply with U.S. instructions. Cuba’s long history and culture has contributed to many economic and social growth through out the world, but Cuba is still struggling to try to stable their economy.

    Read More

  • Unilateral Decision: The Naval Blockade on Cuba

    1134 Words  | 3 Pages

    The naval blockade of Cuba was retaliation from John F Kennedy finding out about the Soviet Union creating secret nuclear missiles on Cuba. The time is October 22, 1962; the State of Union is not at peace. The United States and Soviet Union are in what is known as The Cold War, which lasted from 1945-91. The war leads to international crisis with alliances, naval battles and the Soviet Union, our biggest threat.

    Read More

  • Should the Cuban Embargo be Lifted?

    1931 Words  | 4 Pages

    Is the Cuban Embargo a cruel reminder of the Cold war, or is it an important factor of American Democracy fighting the spread of Communism? The Cuban Embargo was a declaration issued by American President John Fitzgerald Kennedy. The embargo was issued because of the threat that the Communist government of Cuba, led by Fidel Castro in 1959, had on American security, assets and democracy at the height of the Cold War. Some 1.8 billion worth of industrial assets were lost with Cuban communist nationalization. (Mr. D’Angelo personal interview) In support, constant influence of the Soviet Union during the early 1960s, particularly the time between 1961 and 1962, led to the creation of the embargo. In addition, the Soviet Union had planned to build a missile base on the island, which drove the Cold War to its height and made nuclear destruction a real possibility. Consequently, The Embargo called for total economic sanctions for Cuba and the institution of a blockade around the island, as shown by the seven-day stand off that followed the embargo with the USSR. Unfortunately, this blockade completely restricted any trade to foreign countries and even restricted travel to and from the island. The shattering of The USSR, or Soviet Union, should have called for the end of the embargo, but instead the federal government, in 1992, further restricted the embargo with the 1992 Cuba Democracy Act and the 1996 Helms-Burton Act. The Cuban Democracy Act was a bill presented by U.S. Congressman Robert Torricelli and passed in 1992, which prohibited foreign-based subsidiaries of U.S. companies from trading with Cuba, travel to Cuba by U.S citizens, and family remittances to Cuba (Lee). Most importantly, the Helms-Burton Act extended the territoria...

    Read More

  • Should the United States Lift the Embargo on Cuba?

    1425 Words  | 3 Pages

    American international relations with Cuba have almost always been tense. The cold war solidified the growing negative relations, and the embargo embodied it. But now that the cold war is over, as is the Cuban missile crisis, we’re left to wonder if the embargo is really necessary. Should the United States lift the embargo of Cuba? All of the evidence, be it economic, diplomatic, or social, points to yes. We should lift the embargo.

    Read More

  • Lift the Cuban Embargo

    2503 Words  | 6 Pages

    Griswold, Daniel T. “No: The embargo harms Cubans and gives Castro an excuse for the policy failures of his regime.” 4 September 2003

    Read More

  • Cuba in the Cold War

    1818 Words  | 4 Pages

    On April 17, 1961 one of the greatest foreign policy mistakes of the Cold War was made, the attempted invasion of the Bay of Pigs, Cuba. The failed invasion happened under the administration of John F. Kennedy and caused the deaths and imprisonment of over 1500 Cuban exiles fighting to over throw the rule of Fidel Castro. The aftermath caused much larger impacts towards United States foreign policy. The invasion made the United States look imperialistic to the rest of the world and allowed the Soviet Union to portray America as an aggressive and hostile country to its neighbors, which in turn allowed the Soviet Union to aid Cuba even more for future affairs. The Bay of Pigs also caused President Kennedy to distrust many of his advisers from the CIA for misinforming him. The CIA led him to believe the invasion would be over quickly and successfully after Kennedy had only been in office for three months. This distrust of his advisers certainly affected how Kennedy acted in future crises involving both Cuba and the USSR. This of course leads the question did the Kennedy Administration act appropriately for the Bay of Pigs invasion and how did the outcome affect United States foreign policy with Cuba and USSR?

    Read More

  • The Violation of Human Rights in Cuba

    2771 Words  | 6 Pages

    The Violation of Human Rights in Cuba One of the largest Human Rights violations occurring in the world today is on the small island of Cuba. The government there is repressing the civil and political rights of all its citizens, mainly the right to free speech and free press. Article 53 of the Cuban Constitution provides: “Freedom of speech and press are recognized for citizens consistent with the purposes of socialist society. The material conditions for their exercise are present by the fact that the press, radio, television, movies, and other mass media are state-owned or socially owned, and can in no event be privately owned, which ensures their use exclusively in the service of the working people and in the interest of society. The law regulates the exercise of these freedoms.”

    Read More

  • The Cuban Revolution

    974 Words  | 2 Pages

    ... the majority of which sought refuge in the United States. With the fall of the Soviet Union, Cuba now stands at a crossroads. The battle cry has changed from “ Socialism or death to Resist, struggle and win” (Castro’s Cuba II). Hopefully, Castro and/or Cuba will not be forced into a market-based economy and all the materialistic commodities that go along with capitalism. In my opinion, Castro should hold out for as long as possible griping to the former battle cry “Socialism or death”. Only time will tell what the fate of Castro’s Cuba will be. Trade might once again flourish the economy, tourism might open up new economic opportunities and foreign investments from Italy, France and Spain could possibly dig Cuba out the current economic hole it’s in. Until then however, the battle against capitalism must not lose any of its vigor.

    Read More

  • A Brief History Of U.S.-Cuba Relations

    2889 Words  | 6 Pages

    American settlers in East and West Florida declare independence and rebel against Spain for control of land.

    Read More

  • Embargo on Cuba

    1000 Words  | 2 Pages

    The U.S. imposed an Embargo on Cuba on Oct. 19, 1960. Has the time come for the United States to lift the 5-decade embargo? The Embargo on Cuba was a part of America’s Cold War strategy against the Soviet Union, imposed on the basis that Cuba was a threat to the U.S. National Security because of their alliance with the Soviet Union. Although Cuba would like the U.S to terminate the embargo against their country, the U.S. wants Cuba to make their situation a better living environment and to promote human rights for its citizens.

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of The Cuban Missile Crisis

    722 Words  | 2 Pages

    During this crisis, it was clear that the United States had a lot more principles than practices. Cuba is recovering from the Bay of Pigs invasion. They held off the American forces and were able to avoid the invasion. They weren’t sure if the United States would attack again. Cuba’s dictator Castro wanted to convert Cuba into communism.

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of The Cuban Missile Crisis

    793 Words  | 2 Pages

    The U.S. had just elected President Kennedy two years prior to this very threatening occasion, and every nation thought he was a weak leader who just craved attention. During this time, the Soviets and the U.S. were right in the middle of the Cold War (1947-1991): the period of time when both nations were trying to spread their type of government and become superior, making us enemies. Just a year before the Cuban Missile Crisis, the U.S. had made a failed attempt at invading Cuba at the Bay of Pigs to overthrow their communist dictator, Fidel Castro. Once Russia caught wind of this failed invasion, they quickly jumped at their chance at becoming allies with Castro, and started building nuclear bombs in Cuba. Kennedy had recently placed bombs in Turkey, Russia’s neighbor probably leading the soviets to place some of theirs in Cuba, because of how close it was to America; one nuclear bomb could reach Washington D.C. in 30 minutes.

    Read More

  • Describe the Causes and Discuss the Effects of the Cuban Revolution.

    973 Words  | 2 Pages

    However the US played a much larger role in Cuba’s past and present than the building of casinos and the introduction of the first taints of corruption. In the past, even before Batista, Americans were resented by Cubans because the Americans made a lot of Cuba’s decisions. Under Batista, 80% of Cuban imports came from the US, and the US controlled at least 50% of sugar, utilities, phones and railroads. If Cuba was a business in the stock markets, then the US would have been close to owning 50% of its shares. When combined with a long history of US-backe...

    Read More

  • Consequences of the Cuban Missile Crisis

    1549 Words  | 4 Pages

    The "Thirteen Days" of the Cuban Missile Crisis were, at that point, the closest the superpowers came to war. How severe this would have been is impossible to know. That this is the case was due in a large part to serendipity and the patience and understanding of the leaders. The lessons of this stand-off were not lost on either side. There were several key after-effects of this confrontation:

    Read More

More about The Pros And Cons Of The Cuban Embargo

Open Document