US tightens Cuba trade sanctions

US tightens Cuba trade sanctions

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The US government has announced that it will aggressively pursue those who violate the decades-old US trade embargo with Cuba.

A new task force has been set up to police the sanctions and those breaking them will face large fines.

The chief federal prosecutor in Florida said anyone who travelled illegally or traded with Cuba would be punished.

But critics say the move is an attempt to strengthen the Republican Party's vote ahead of congressional elections.

Miami-based US Attorney Alexander Acosta said the measures would allow the US to better enforce its sanctions against Cuba.

"The purpose of the sanctions is to isolate the Castro regime economically and deprive the Castro regime of the US dollars it so desperately seeks," said Mr Acosta.

The US really just doesn't care about what the international thinks...

Doh... I read something about trade restricitions gradually growing and the end of the embargo being on the bottom of an economic report instead of on the front lines... So much for that idea.

This could actually be beneficial for Cuba though. Losing the very limited trade with the US probably won't hurt Cuba as much as the international community will help Cuba.

I think this action isn't really too important. What would be more damaging to Cuba would be a strengthening of the Helms-Torricelli act, which gives US jurisdiction to stop foreign trade to Cuba. As it is, Cuba does not trade much with the US, so not much is lost. Of course, it only reinforces the fact that I can't visit Cuba.

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Of course, it only reinforces the fact that I can't visit Cuba.

Yeah, same here. I always knew there would be a risk of a fine, but now 10 years in jail, that ain't worth it.

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I think this action isn't really too important. What would be more damaging to Cuba would be a strengthening of the Helms-Torricelli act

Couldn't find any information by searching "Helms-Torricelli act".

Sure you don't mean Helms-Burton act?

My bad, I mixed together the Torricelli act and the Helms Burton act, both of which exist and are relevant. Sorry.

No problem.

I vaguely remembered reading about Torricelli, Cuba and the act, so I figured it was some sort of typo. It happens to everyone

The United States is making a horrible mistake by not lifting the trade embargo with Cuba. All the embargo does is give Castro an excuse for all of his nation’s problems, and is the leading force in the retention of the current communist state on the island. As soon as the United States lifts the embargo, capitalism will flourish and Havana will most likely have a stock market in 15 years. There is no way Cuba can resist such a large capitalist country just 90 miles away. Cuba clearly poses no threat to the well being of the United States, and the best way of ending the communist state would be to flood the island with Wal-Marts, McDonalds, and American tourists.

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and the best way of ending the communist state would be to flood the island with Wal-Marts, McDonalds, and American tourists.

So you want Cuba to end up like countries as Haiti or Mexico?

http://warc.jalb.de/warcajsp/news_image/599_org.jpg

Computer says no.

Do you mind shrinking that photo?

I was just gonna ask the same, put it in link will you?

The sanction is idiocy anyways and Cuba seems to survive fine without trade with USA. Everyone else lifted sanctions, but USA can't.

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As soon as the United States lifts the embargo, capitalism will flourish and Havana will most likely have a stock market in 15 years. There is no way Cuba can resist such a large capitalist country just 90 miles away.

I used to think that would happen too. First problem would be, just because the US would have free trade does not mean Cuba would respond in kind.

Secondly, most Cubans have been raised to distrust and oppose capitalism. The US=Capitalism (whether that is 100% correct or not is another story). Castro has done a great job using patriotism to promote Communism and demote Capitalism.

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So you want Cuba to end up like countries as Haiti or Mexico?

I don't understand how posting a picture really enforces your point... Here's a picture of a homeless man in Cuba:



and here's a picture of a homeless man in the United States:



Have I made a point of any kind by posting those to pictures? Poverty exists everywhere; posting a ridiculously large picture of it does nothing to separate your point from mine.

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just because the US would have free trade does not mean Cuba would respond in kind.

I disagree; Cuba is in desperate need of the money that the United States would contribute to the countries economy. Whether you like the politics of the United States or hate them, history has shown it very hard not to do business with them. Even Ahmadinejad (who displays in his speeches his hate for the United States quite clearly) would never refuse to sell his oil to the United States. At the same time Fidel is preaching about how much he hates the United States, he's still accepting boatloads of chicken thighs from the port of Miami to help feed his people. (Trade to ensure the well-being of the Cuban people is allowed under the embargo).

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most Cubans have been raised to distrust and oppose capitalism.

Most Americans have been raised to hate communism and yet you voted that a communist government is possible in the United States in the Opinion Poll by bostonmarxist. So yes, you are correct in the statement that most Cubans have been raised to hate America but I believe I am right in the assumption that most Cubans would not resist the lure of selling cheaply made trinkets at a 1000% markup to fat, American tourists.

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Castro has done a great job using patriotism to promote Communism and demote Capitalism.

Reagan has done a great job in using patriotism to promote capitalism and demote communism. Would they avoid Cuba because they call themselves communists? They sure don't care when it comes to buying things from China or Vietnam.

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here's a picture of a homeless man in the Cuba

Haha, Ok buddy, homeless people in Cuba… There is poverty, but nothing like homelessness or shortage of food.

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I disagree; Cuba is in desperate need of the money that the United States would contribute to the countries economy. Whether you like the politics of the United States or hate them, history has shown it very hard not to do business with them. Even Ahmadinejad (who displays in his speeches his hate for the United States quite clearly) would never refuse to sell his oil to the United States. At the same time Fidel is preaching about how much he hates the United States, he's still accepting boatloads of chicken thighs from the port of Miami to help feed his people. (Trade to ensure the well-being of the Cuban people is allowed under the embargo).

Wrong, anything that is stamped from America is not allowed to ever touch Cuban soil, which is why certain objects like pacemakers and X-ray machines which contain one small American part is denied to enter Cuba. Sending American Chicken thighs would be a big no-no in Miami.

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Reagan has done a great job in using patriotism to promote capitalism and demote communism. Would they avoid Cuba because they call themselves communists? They sure don't care when it comes to buying things from China or Vietnam.

That’s because China and Vietnam, poses no threat to the USA right now. But if you see what Cuba is doing to “America’s Backyard” It makes sense to try and strangle this revolution before it leaves its mark.

For God's sake, will someone fix that huge picture...?

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There is poverty, but nothing like homelessness or shortage of food.

What, do you think that I made up that picture of a homeless man in Cuba? Am I lying to make a point?

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Wrong, anything that is stamped from America is not allowed to ever touch Cuban soil, which is why certain objects like pacemakers and X-ray machines which contain one small American part is denied to enter Cuba. Sending American Chicken thighs would be a big no-no in Miami.

Wrong

USA Today wrote:

ranchers last year shipped Cuba 78,000 metric tons of chicken. That's 3,500 truckloads of refrigerated containers.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/world/200 ... nomy_x.htm

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That’s because China and Vietnam, poses no threat to the USA right now.

Neither does Cuba... In the 60's maybe, but not anymore.

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But if you see what Cuba is doing to “America’s Backyard” It makes sense to try and strangle this revolution before it leaves its mark.

Are you seriously implying that if Americans saw Cuba they would want to go communist? The United States is the sea which salts all rivers, and some poverty stricken island wouldn't have the slightest impact in our political system.

The problem you both have here is that you assume Cuba isn't willing to trade with the US. Two nations can have trade connections without one controlling the other - Venezuela, for example, has successfully kicked out most of the large American businesses, but they're willing to trade as long as it will help their economy. Cuba is willing to do the same: they have opened trade with several US states (Maine and Alabama leaping to mind) and Fidel has repeatedly offered to send doctors and teachers to impoverished southern states if the US would allow it. We never do, despite the wishes of southern congressmen to let the Cubans in.

So basically, it would be to the benefit of both countries to trade. And Cuba knows that they can easily open ties without letting in the specter of capitalism.

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Am I lying to make a point?

Quite possibly, seeing as housing was Cuba's first goal after the revolution and stopped being an issue worthy of debate decades ago. Rent is free for almost all Cubans, and the 15% who do pay rent pay no more than 10% of their salary by law.

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Cubans would not resist the lure of selling cheaply made trinkets at a 1000% markup to fat, American tourists.

See, again you assume that trade is incompatible with socialism. Cuba has been ripping off fat European tourists for years, with no noticeable damage to its socialist system. Why couldn't it do the same with fat Americans?

Senator McCarthy wrote:

Here's a picture of a homeless man in Cuba:

Can you provide a source (because I'm a bitch like that).

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Poverty exists everywhere; posting a ridiculously large picture of it does nothing to separate your point from mine.

If you look at a definition of poverty, it is being at an economic standard way below the average standard of society. That really does not exist in Cuba. There are no extreme rich or poor in Cuba. By that definition, poverty does not exist in Cuba.

I disagree; Cuba is in desperate need of the money that the United States would contribute to the countries economy.

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Whether you like the politics of the United States or hate them, history has shown it very hard not to do business with them.

True, Raul has said that Cuba would be willing to do trade with the US if certain conditions are met. As of right now though, both countries are to proud to give in.

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Most Americans have been raised to hate communism and yet you voted that a communist government is possible in the United States in the Opinion Poll by bostonmarxist.

Potemkin said it best in another thread (which I really don't want to dig up this late at night), the Cold War is not even 2 decades old. The vast majority of people in the US still lived when the arch rival of the US was still kickin. As they say, time heals all wounds. Communism will gradually become more acceptable.

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So yes, you are correct in the statement that most Cubans have been raised to hate America but I believe I am right in the assumption that most Cubans would not resist the lure of selling cheaply made trinkets at a 1000% markup to fat, American tourists.

True, but if the Cuban government provides a good economy (several major improvements have been made, a few of them are that the economy has surpassed its Cold War level, the energy revolution, and oil from Chavez). If their economy keeps doing well, there lure will be less.

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Reagan has done a great job in using patriotism to promote capitalism and demote communism. Would they avoid Cuba because they call themselves communists? They sure don't care when it comes to buying things from China or Vietnam.

China and Vietnam lost the track of Communism a while ago. China saw a relations with the USA to go against the USSR. Vietnam was always practical too. They has a nationalist revolution, for self determination. Communism helped that goal. After the war, Communism did not help the economy, so they tried more capitalism. Cuba has tended to be more ideological, partly (if not largely) because of Castro just being alive and being an icon.

Vietnam began to follow capitalism in 1981, when they realized the war had utterly annihilated their economy and gutted their infrastructure. Vietnam could be another Cuba today had the Americans not worked to turn it into a resourceless pit.

Konev wrote:

Of course, it only reinforces the fact that I can't visit Cuba.

Can't you yanks go via Nicaragua or something?

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Haha, Ok buddy, homeless people in Cuba… There is poverty, but nothing like homelessness

I've seen several homeless people in Cuba.
It's not like they are lying around in formations like in the U.S., but they still exist.


For instance, once I saw a guy without, I think, one arm, and lacking both legs lying in a corner
in the streets with a blanket and a bottle in his hand.
He looked dead, and I am still not sure he was alive.
If I recall correctly he was lying in his own urine too.
It's one of the worst things I've ever seen,
and I've been to third world countries before.


Bottom line, homelessness exist in Cuba.

On another note, I think someone (Red Rebel) talked about
economic activity, and yes a lot of things are happening,
and you can see it down on the ground too,
in the streets, pretty much everywhere.
There has apparently been major improvements,
and things are still improving.

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If you look at a definition of poverty, it is being at an economic standard way below the average standard of society. That really does not exist in Cuba. There are no extreme rich or poor in Cuba. By that definition, poverty does not exist in Cuba.

I think you will disagree on that once you see the marginalized people in Cuba.
There might not be anyone "extremely rich" in Cuba
but there are certainly relatively rich
people and extremely poor people.

Inequality is "alive and well" in Cuba.