TWO EMBARGOES: THEIRS AND OURS

Ricardo E. Calvo MD PhD, July 2001

The immediate future of Cuba poses two issues of constant concern in political and economic circles among Cubans in exile and of the U.S.: the economic embargo and the remittances of dollars to Cuba. The Cuban community in the U. S. spends great amount of energy in debating the continuation of the commercial embargo imposed and controlled by the U.S. The merits or lack of them given to this measure are not the crucial points since the Cubans in the US did not originate it or have direct control of it – this embargo is in the hands of the Government of the U.S. The U.S. according to its political and economic interest modifies this measure, as every sovereign state is entitled to. In the last few months some members of the legislative branch of the US Government have either supported or condemned its continuation in public. However, in some cases they are obliged to carefully balance their position with the sentiment of their constituency and the interests of the businesses that are the providers of the financial resources for their reelection campaigns. These potential conflicting situations in conjunction with the possible reversal in their continuation as members of the U.S. Congress leaves no doubt that these dilemmas undermine potentially the persistence and firmness of their position with the passage of time.

It is important also to be aware that the executive branch of the US Government does suspend on periodic bases different clauses of the Helmes-Burton Law to appease different financial interests in Europe, Canada and Mexico and avoid political repercussions from the left in those respective countries.

The Cuban government is fully aware of this situation and may feel that time is on their side. The economic embargo is already quite porous and will deteriorate before it becomes more effective towards the potential role that could play in bringing constructive changes to the island in the future. Again and at the cost of sounding repetitious, the issue of the embargo is in the hands of the politicians and economic interests of the U.S. well beyond the effective reach of Cubans.

Let us concentrate our efforts and thoughts in a much more practical type of embargo that is under our direct control: the curtailment of remittances of dollars to Cuba. These remittances bring to mind consequences some being obvious and others subtle and many times not observed in short term basis. There is no question that cash remittances provide the Marxist government of Cuba with material resources to perpetuate itself in power, to contain potential devastating uprisings similar to the one in August of 94 in Havana and to finance the return of exporting its subversive political influence overseas. They also provide the Communist Party endless opportunities to perform profitable transactions by buying goods at discount in international markets and then pricing them up for internal consumption. These profits can find many paths ranging from becoming personal benefits to members of the elite ruling class to payment of pressing external debts.

They also contribute to accentuate the distortion of prices of all commodities inside the island leaving those not benefited by receiving dollars to suffer further shortage of indispensable items for subsistence. Some items already have been withdrawn as part of the rationing food books and are available only in the dollar's shops (shopping). Those receiving dollars are exposed to the dangers of developing a state of psychological and material dependency not different from the experienced by welfare recipients outside Cuba, thus reinforcing an already existing socialist thinking.

Another inescapable consequence of this flow of dollars towards Cuba is the appearance of "commercial enterprises" devoted to encourage and prepare "tourist packages" to Cuba, devoted to help left-behind relatives within the Island to approach illegally the shores of the U.S. and to be involved in the drug traffic and “money laundering” from and through Cuba. These "enterprises" are in effect nothing more than a “fifth column" of the Cuban Marxists -- collaborators for the continuation of the communist regime who could become later potentially members of mafia organizations similar to the ones which made their appearance in Russia following the end of the USSR. No matter under what reasons or how hard we attempt to justify the continuos remittances of hard currency emanating from the Cuban community, the action of the participants portrays not only an almost schizophrenic thinking but it is utilized very effectively by many interests anxious to terminate the commercial blockade against Cuba.

At the end of this article each one of us should ask the question: Who is responsible, from an economic point of view, for the perpetuation of the Marxist regimen in Cuba? I believe is each one of us: some because they send the remittances and others because we have remained silent.

Top ^