The near-60-year blockade is to be blamed for Cuba’s woes
Dear Editor
It is well known by now that there were demonstrations in Cuba over the past weekend. Although media houses are describing them as major, they in no way compare with mass demonstrations in Latin America — Chile, Colombia, Ecuador — Haiti, or even Portland and Ferguson in the USA. Of significance is the fact that the media has not mentioned anything about the protesters who came out in defence of the revolution, including the Cuban president.
There is no doubt that the situation in Cuba is bad. There are shortages of medicine, food, and other basic necessities and people have to wait in long lines to get goods. To compound all this is the novel coronavirus pandemic, which has resulted in a grave shortage of syringes for vaccinations.
By any comparison, Cuba is doing better than most countries in stemming the spread of the virus, despite the shortages. New York City has a population of just over eight million, and has had over 30,000 deaths. In contrast, Cuba, with a population of just over 11 million, has just over 1,500 deaths.
The shortages are being used by proponents of regime change to accuse the Cuban Government of failing its citizens. Even the Joe Biden White House in the US called on Cuba’s authorities to “hear their people and serve their needs at this vital moment, rather than enriching themselves”.
Any criticism of Cuba that does not include a thorough analysis of the internationally condemned US blockade will miss the most important factor as to why Cubans are currently undergoing such hardships. In fact, in 1960 — the blockade has been in effect since 1961 — the deputy assistant secretary of state for inter-american affairs made it clear when he defined the purpose of the blockade as “denying money and supplies to Cuba to decrease monetary and real wages to bring about hunger, desperation, and overthrow of the Government”. Many more sanctions have been added today, including closing Western Union in Cuba and stopping remittances, as well as those affecting tourism and the energy sector.
Naturally, this policy of embargoes and blockades would have had a disastrous impact on any economy to which it was directed. Just recently the Cuban football team, was refused visas by the Biden Administration. Simply lifting the tough measures that Trump imposed would save Cuban lives. If Biden does not, he may find himself dealing with a Cuban migration crisis.
“Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.” — Chinua Achebe
C Bell Carl_bell@hotmail.com