The World Must Continue to Support Cuba’s Call for The U.S. Blockade Against The Cuban Nation to End

The U.S. blockade against Cuba is not just an economic measure - it’s a violation of human rights and international law

The U.S. Blockade on Cuba: A Humanitarian Catastrophe Fueled by Geopolitical Arrogance

By Dr. Kevin J Turnquest-Alcena 

“Deo adjuvante, non timendum”

"With God as my helper, I have nothing to fear."

This Latin phrase beautifully encapsulates the unwavering spirit of the Cuban people in the face of the relentless U.S. blockade.  For over six decades, Cuba has endured an economic siege meant to cripple its progress and suppress its people.  Yet, the Cuban people, bolstered by faith and resilience, remain defiant.  The blockade is more than an economic imposition—it is an affront to human dignity.  But with God’s help, as the phrase assures, no challenge is insurmountable.

Another Latin phrase, "In necessariis unitas, in dubiis libertas, in omnibus caritas", meaning “In necessary things, unity; in doubtful things, liberty; in all things, charity,” reminds us that when faced with global crises, unity and empathy are essential.  The blockade against Cuba stands in stark contrast to this principle, as it continues to isolate the country instead of offering solidarity and support.

A Policy of Economic Strangulation

The blockade has turned Cuba into an isolated battlefield where economic deprivation is used as a tool to crush the human spirit.  From March 2023 to February 2024, Cuba suffered over 5.05 billion USD in losses, while the cumulative losses over six decades exceed USD 164 billion.  Losing 14 million dollars per day.  These figures reflect not just monetary deficits but lost opportunities for economic growth, healthcare, and education. 

As the Latin phrase goes, "Aegroto dum anima est, spes est", or “While there’s life, there’s hope.”  Despite these overwhelming numbers, Cuba’s hope lies in the resilience of its people and their unwavering determination to resist.  However, the blockade stifles their potential, prevents access to vital resources, and plunges the nation into deeper economic and social crises.

The Healthcare Crisis: The Human Cost of Sanctions

Perhaps nowhere is the cruelty of the U.S. blockade more evident than in Cuba’s healthcare system.  Once a global leader in providing high-quality, free healthcare for all its citizens, the Cuban health sector has been crippled, not by internal inefficiencies, but by U.S. sanctions that have blocked essential medical supplies and technologies.

 

“Vincit qui patitur,” meaning “He who endures, conquers,” illustrates the enduring struggle of Cuba’s healthcare workers and patients.  They fight on despite the severe limitations imposed on them.  The COVID-19 pandemic exposed this harsh reality even further.  The U.S. blocked Cuba’s access to ventilators, preventing the island from importing life-saving equipment at the height of the pandemic.

This policy has moved beyond economic sanctions to the point of moral bankruptcy.  By denying Cuba critical medical resources, the U.S. blockade transforms Cuba’s once-proud healthcare system into a casualty of geopolitical arrogance, leaving the most vulnerable citizens—children, the elderly, and the sick—without the care they need.

Food Insecurity and Education: Starving a Nation’s Future

In education and agriculture, Cuba is similarly stifled.  The Cuban government reports that due to the embargo, shortages have impacted over 437,000 school uniforms for the 2023-2024 academic year.  Basic educational tools such as textbooks, computers, and school supplies are increasingly scarce.  Agriculture is no better off.  Deprived of fertilizers, pesticides, and modern machinery, Cuban farmers have seen crop yields drop by 40%, which has led to food insecurity, especially among the nation’s most vulnerable.

Here we find relevance in the Latin phrase, "Veritas vos liberabit", or “The truth will set you free.”  The blockade is not merely an economic restriction—it is a violation of human rights.  The truth is that Cuba’s children, farmers, and educators are unjustly caught in the crosshairs of geopolitical gamesmanship.  It is not only the Cuban government that suffers; it is the Cuban people, whose rights to education, food security, and health are being systematically denied.

A Violation of Human Rights and International Law

The U.S. blockade is not just an economic measure—it’s a violation of human rights and international law.  Numerous international bodies, including the United Nations, have condemned the U.S. for its unilateral coercive measures, which disproportionately affect Cuban civilians.

“Fiat iustitia, ruat caelum”—“Let justice be done, though the heavens fall”—should resonate globally in the face of such egregious actions.  The Cuban people are not alone in their call for justice; the international community has, time and again, voted overwhelmingly in favor of ending the blockade.  However, the United States continues to ignore this global outcry, leaving Cuba isolated and under siege.

Biblical history also reminds us of the cycle of suffering and liberation.  Like the Israelites who were freed from Egyptian oppression, Cuba’s time of liberation will come.  Just as God delivered His people from bondage, we must believe that the Cuban people, too, will see an end to their suffering.

 

Lessons from History: Global Empathy and Responsibility

History teaches us that no policy of oppression goes unpunished.  As Mahatma Gandhi wisely said, “The future depends on what we do in the present.”  Just as leaders like Nelson Mandela, Voltaire, and Desmond Tutu fought against systems of oppression and inequality, so too must we stand up against this blockade.

The Bible reminds us in Galatians 6:7, “For whatever one sows, that will he also reap.”  The United States must recognize that sowing seeds of deprivation and suffering will only lead to more hostility, division, and unrest.  If we wish to sow peace, prosperity, and goodwill, we must begin with lifting this unjust embargo.

A Way Forward: A Call for Unity

The solution lies in the principle that the world is one family—"Una familia sumus"—“We are one family.”  The Bible teaches that we are all part of one body, and when one part suffers, we all suffer.  Cuba’s struggle is not just theirs alone, but a shared burden for humanity to address.  To lift the blockade is not merely a political decision; it is a moral imperative.

In 1 Corinthians 12:26, we are reminded that “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.”  The world must act in unity, recognizing that the pain of the Cuban people is a call for collective empathy and action.  With over USD 14 million lost in health investments due to the blockade, thousands of Cubans are deprived of life-saving care.  Ending the embargo will not just restore Cuba’s dignity but will reaffirm the global commitment to human rights, justice, and equality.

1. Immediate Removal of Cuba from the State Sponsors of Terrorism List

This designation is arbitrary, politically motivated, and has no basis in reality.  As Secretary of State Antony Blinken himself acknowledged in 2024, Cuba does not sponsor terrorism.  Removing Cuba from this list would not only correct a grave injustice but also facilitate financial transactions and investments necessary for the country's recovery.

2. Lifting the Blockade

The blockade’s repeal is the most direct and necessary step toward justice.  The blockade violates international law, as recognized by numerous U.N. resolutions, and constitutes a form of collective punishment against the Cuban people.  The Biden administration has the executive authority to make substantial changes, as seen in previous administrations, but Congress must ultimately act to end this outdated policy.

3. Humanitarian Cooperation

The pandemic has shown the interconnectedness of global health.  By lifting the blockade, the U.S. could engage with Cuba’s robust biotechnology and medical sectors to foster collaboration that benefits both nations.  Cuba’s COVID-19 vaccines and medical personnel have received international acclaim, and cooperation in this area would bolster global health efforts and restore goodwill between the nations.

4. Re-establishing Trade Relations

Once the blockade is lifted, Cuba could re-enter the global market on fair terms, allowing it to import vital goods at competitive prices and export its world-class medical and agricultural products.  This would stimulate both Cuban and U.S. economies, particularly in sectors like biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and tourism.

5. Encouraging Tourism and Cultural Exchange

The normalization of travel and tourism is a significant step toward reconciliation.  Cuba has much to offer, from cultural richness to natural beauty, and a restored flow of U.S. visitors would provide much-needed economic relief.  Furthermore, the lifting of travel restrictions would enable Americans and Cubans to engage in the people-to-people diplomacy that fosters mutual understanding and goodwill.

A Moral Imperative: The Role of Global Civil Society

The global community, particularly civil society organizations, religious groups, and human rights advocates, has a crucial role to play in ending the blockade. The voices calling for justice must grow louder and more unified, especially in nations allied with the U.S. These organizations must continue to pressure governments, share stories of the blockade’s human cost, and push for diplomatic resolutions that reflect humanitarian values.

As citizens of the world, we cannot remain silent in the face of such widespread suffering.  The Cuban people deserve the opportunity to build their future without external hindrance.  To echo the words of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.”  Global citizens must remain engaged, advocating tirelessly for the end of this unjust blockade.

Faith and Resilience: A Testament to Endurance

As the Latin phrase "Per aspera ad astra"—*"Through hardships to the stars"—*suggests, the Cuban people have faced incredible adversity, yet continue to reach for the stars.  Despite the blockade’s severe economic, social, and humanitarian impacts, Cuba has developed world-class education, healthcare, and cultural systems.  This resilience, deeply rooted in faith and a strong sense of community, has allowed the Cuban people to endure challenges that would have crushed less determined nations.

In the words of the late South African leader Nelson Mandela, "It is said that no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails."  While the Cuban people are not in physical jails, the blockade has created an economic prison, limiting their access to the world and its opportunities.  Yet, like Mandela, the Cuban people remain hopeful, faithful, and resolute.

 A Future Without Fear

"Deo adjuvante, non timendum"—"With God as my helper, I have nothing to fear."  This powerful statement embodies the spirit of the Cuban people, who despite the hardships imposed upon them, continue to stand firm in their faith and hope for a better tomorrow.

The end of the U.S. blockade would not just be a political victory; it would be a triumph of human dignity, justice, and the resilience of the human spirit.  The Cuban people have shown that, even under the harshest of circumstances, they can innovate, persevere, and thrive.  But they should no longer have to struggle under the weight of such an unjust policy.

The world must continue to support Cuba’s call for the blockade’s end, not only as a matter of economic necessity but as a moral imperative.  Justice demands that the United States acknowledge its mistake and move toward a future of peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, and shared prosperity.

The words of the Cuban poet José Martí ring especially true: "La libertad no es negociable"—"Freedom is not negotiable."  The Cuban people deserve the freedom to live without fear, without restrictions, and without the yoke of an economic blockade that has caused so much unnecessary suffering.  May we all join in the call for justice, remembering that with faith, perseverance, and the support of the global community, no challenge is insurmountable.

The International Call for Solidarity

The international community's overwhelming support for ending the blockade reflects a shared belief in justice and human rights.  Year after year, the United Nations General Assembly has passed near-unanimous resolutions calling for the lifting of the blockade, with only a few nations standing in opposition.  These resolutions represent a collective voice, affirming that the blockade is not only an American-Cuban issue but a global one that affects international law, trade, and humanitarianism.

Organizations like the Non-Aligned Movement, the Group of 77, and many civil society groups across the globe have continued to express their solidarity with Cuba.  Countries in Latin America, Africa, Europe, and Asia have called for the blockade’s end, recognizing the harm it has caused not only to Cuba but also to their own citizens and companies that have faced penalties for engaging with Cuban entities.

Even within the United States, growing numbers of politicians, activists, religious leaders, and businesspeople are advocating for a change in policy.  Recent polls indicate that a significant portion of the American public, including Cuban-Americans, favor normalizing relations with Cuba and lifting the restrictions that have long outlived their Cold War rationale.  The time is ripe for the U.S. government to listen to its people, as well as the global community, and move toward constructive dialogue and cooperation with Cuba.

Economic Justice: A Key to Sustainable Development

Lifting the blockade would open doors to economic opportunities that have been denied to Cuba for decades.  The country’s potential for growth, innovation, and integration into the global economy is vast.  Cuba’s biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors, already recognized for their achievements despite the blockade, could expand further with access to international markets and partnerships.  The island’s strategic location in the Caribbean also positions it as a potential hub for tourism, shipping, and trade.

With the blockade lifted, Cuba could attract foreign investment, which would contribute to rebuilding its infrastructure, modernizing its industries, and creating jobs for its people.  It would enable the country to import essential goods at competitive prices and export its products, from medicines to agricultural goods, to the world.  The Cuban economy would flourish, benefiting not only its people but also regional and global markets.

Moreover, U.S. businesses, particularly in sectors like agriculture, technology, and tourism, stand to gain from open trade with Cuba.  American farmers could sell their goods to the Cuban market without the restrictions that have cost them millions in potential revenue.  U.S. companies could invest in Cuban industries, fostering mutual economic growth and innovation.

A Path Forward: Diplomacy Over Division

The path forward lies in diplomacy, not division.  While political differences between the U.S. and Cuba remain, they should not prevent constructive engagement.  Countries with far greater ideological differences have found ways to coexist and collaborate on issues of mutual interest, and Cuba and the U.S. are no exception.

Diplomacy requires respect for sovereignty and an understanding that imposing punitive measures harms both nations.  The U.S. can work with Cuba to address shared challenges, from climate change to public health, while respecting Cuba’s right to chart its own course.  Cuba, for its part, has repeatedly expressed a willingness to engage in dialogue and cooperation on equal footing, and this openness should be met with reciprocal goodwill from the U.S. government.

The road to lifting the blockade will not be easy, but it is a necessary step toward a more just, peaceful, and prosperous future for both nations.  As global citizens, we must continue to advocate for policies that promote dialogue, reconciliation, and mutual benefit, rather than division and hostility.

Conclusion: Building Bridges, Not Barriers

In closing, the U.S. blockade against Cuba is not just a relic of a bygone era; it is an ongoing injustice that must be rectified.  The economic, social, and humanitarian toll it has taken on the Cuban people is immense, and the moral case for ending the blockade is irrefutable.  Cuba deserves the opportunity to thrive, to engage freely with the world, and to shape its own future without external interference.

"Per aspera ad astra"—through hardships to the stars—remains an apt description of Cuba’s journey.  Despite the blockade’s many challenges, the Cuban people have shown remarkable resilience, creativity, and solidarity.  They have persevered, not out of fear, but out of hope for a better future.

It is time for the United States to honor that hope by ending the blockade, allowing Cuba to flourish as a free and sovereign nation.  It is time for the international community to continue raising its voice in solidarity with Cuba, demanding an end to this unjust policy.  And it is time for all of us, as global citizens, to remember that with faith, perseverance, and a commitment to justice, we can overcome any obstacle.

The world will be watching, and history will judge the actions taken in this critical moment.  Let us all work toward a future where walls of division are torn down, and bridges of cooperation are built, ensuring that the Cuban people, like all people, can live in peace, dignity, and prosperity.

References:

• Cuba’s Report Under United Nations General Assembly Resolution 78/7 Entitled “Necessity of Ending the Economic, Commercial and Financial Blockade Imposed by the United States of America Against Cuba,” July 2024.

• United Nations Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur, "The Negative Impact of Unilateral Coercive Measures on the Enjoyment of Human Rights in Cuba," A/HRC/54/23.

• "United States: Unilateral Designation of States as Sponsors of Terrorism Negatively Impacts Human Rights," United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, 2024.

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Caricom has Failed in having the Cuban Embargo Lifted

The ultimate goal of the embargo against Cuba was to cripple the Cuban economy and force President Fidel Castro’s hand in changing his style of governing, all efforts have failed in this respect

"THE CUBAN EMBARGO SHOULD BE STOPPED!"

By: Dr. Kevin Turnquest-Alcena

After 50 years as an organization, the Caricom has been ineffective at having the Cuban embargo lifted. It’s a travesty that America is still trying to weaponize Cuba in this modern day and time.

To my inquiring readers, what is an embargo one may ask? Well, according to Wikipedia it is, “the partial or complete prohibition of commerce and trade with a particular country or state or group of countries.”

Four countries the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) have implemented U.S. sanctions against are: Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria. The continuous and age old assault on Cuba is tantamount to immoral conduct.

They are willing to work with countries such as: Vietnam, whom they were at war with and China because of some benefit to them, then why not Cuba? We have to collectively find a way for America to understand that Cuba needs to be a part of and coexist with the global community. It is time America realizes Cuba’s political system, as well as the structure of how Cuba achieves its revolution is not going to disappear.

Robert Zubrin stated that, “The U.S. trade embargo on Cuba is almost completely ineffective, as many other countries, including the European Union, do not honor it.” The Biden Administration must consider the realities of the Cuban people. Yes, the there are some deep geo-politics in regards to individuals who do not like what is going on in Cuba, but it does not negate the fact that this issue needs to be readdressed.

Former President Barak Obama understood the need for open dialogue about the embargo as was stated in his address to the Cuban people during his visit to Havana. He said that, “...on December 17th 2014, President Castro and I announced that the United States and Cuba would begin a process to normalize relations between our countries. Since then, we have established diplomatic relations and opened embassies. We've begun initiatives to cooperate on health and agriculture, education and law enforcement. We've reached agreements to restore direct flights and mail service. We've expanded commercial ties, and increased the capacity of Americans to travel and do business in Cuba.”

In February 1962, President John F. Kennedy proclaimed an embargo on trade between the United States and Cuba, in response to certain actions taken by the Cuban Government, and directed the Departments of Commerce and the Treasury to implement the embargo. The Cuban embargo solely exists because they stand in solidarity, choosing to operate their political system the way they want.

This continued condemnation by America is unjust and inhumane, especially for a country that promotes freedom of speech. This embargo has majorly impacted the Cuban economy and has resulted in a $144 billion loss in the trading economy. While the ultimate goal of the embargo was to cripple the economy and force President Fidel Castro’s hand in changing his style of governing, all efforts have failed in this respect.

The embargo limits the people of Cuba from accessing the internet to support their small businesses, take online U.S. courses, and use financial services like PayPal, yet Cuba has continued to exist and survive without the support of the American government.

America claims that the embargo is for the betterment of the Cuban people, yet it does more harm to the people than good. Its licensing requirements prevent food, medicine, medical equipment and humanitarian aid assistance from reaching Cubans.

Nonetheless, these restrictions have only encouraged the Cuban people to be innovative in their approach to taking care of the citizens of their country. Cuba managed to develop its own COVID-19 vaccine. Their development included the research, production, and rollout of the vaccine, which resulted in a 90% vaccination rate.

Cuba has educated Africa and The Caribbean in medicine and engineering, just to name a few. They now have over 2,000 institutes as result of the 1959 revolution. Cuba has developed one of the best healthcare systems in the world. This was achieved by instituting 23 medical schools and educating those students for free. This has resulted in one of the highest doctor to patient ratios in the world, 8 for every 1,000 citizen. Gender equality is also held in high regard with women having just has much opportunities for education as men.

Cuba ranks second in the world in terms of most female representation in the country’s main governing body with a Congress that is 53 percent female. Education is the under lying cause of such achievements with Cuba having a 96% literacy rate.

So, the real question is, has the embargo really attained its goal of suppressing the Cuban country? Has it really achieved its aim of stopping trade with other countries? The resounding answer is No!

Daniel 2:21 says, “And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:” Hence, this then begs the question as to what is America’s present goal for reinforcing the embargo.

What purpose does it really serve for continuing their separation from Cuba? Would it not be more beneficial and useful if they worked with Cuba, rather than against them?

The reality is after 64 years of oppressing Cuba through the embargo, it has still not altered their political systems and way of life. As Allison Pujol writer for The Michigan Daily said, “Cuba’s heads of states recognized fairly quickly that the United States was not essential to the island’s economic future.

And thus, like the embargo, Cuba’s one-party system has remained intact with little to no visible change.” I end with the words of the man at the center of it all: “Capitalism has no moral and ethical values: everything is for sale... it is impossible to educate people in such an environment: people become selfish, and sometimes turn into bandits” (Fidel Castro).

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Cuba celebrates a victory in its struggle against the U.S. blockade with overwhelming support in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) against the U.S. economic embargo

The extraterritorial impact of the blockade harms the sovereignty of the countries of the United Nations, sanctions their businessmen and impedes access to their ports for third party ships that dock in Cuba

By Maby Martinez Rodriguez

Cuba celebrates Thursday a new victory in its struggle against the U.S. blockade, by achieving overwhelming support in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for a resolution approved by 185 votes in favor, two against and two abstentions.

The report presented for the thirtieth time states that only between August 2021 and February 2022 that unilateral policy caused Cuba losses in the order of 3,806.5 million dollars.  The figure is 49% higher than that reported between January and July 2021 and a record in just seven months.

At current prices, the accumulated damages during six decades of the blockade amount to 150,410.8 million dollars, with a great weight on sectors such as health and education, in addition to the damage to the national economy and the quality of life of Cuban families.

In the first 14 months of the Biden Administration alone, the losses caused by the blockade amounted to 6,364 million dollars, which is equivalent to an impact of more than 454 million dollars a month and more than 15 million dollars a day, according to the document.

The extraterritorial impact of the blockade harms the sovereignty of the countries of the United Nations, sanctions their businessmen and impedes access to their ports for third party ships that dock in Cuba.  It also prevents the importation into Cuba of articles produced in any country when they have 10% or more of U.S. components, the foreign minister denounced.

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Revolutionary racism in Cuba

by Naomi Glassman, COHA Research Associate





Cuba’s economy has struggled during the fifteen years since the fall of the Soviet Union, bringing economic disparity of an increasingly racial nature. Cuba’s population is split primarily between whites, mestizos and Afro‑Cubans (blacks and mulattos), with the percentage of Afro-Cubans varying between 62 percent[i] and 33 percent[ii] depending on the source. Like most former colonies, Cuba’s history of racism originated with the arrival of colonial Spanish settlers and their subordinated African slaves. Cuba was the last Latin American country to abolish slavery, by means of a royal decree issued by the Spanish King in 1886.





In his 1891 essay “Nuestra América,” Cuban author and independence fighter José Martí stated that there is no racism in Cuba because there are no races.[iii] He argued that Cuban unity and identity depended on all Cubans identifying as Cubans, instead of racially. White Cubans have often cited Martí’s position subsuming race to national unity as an argument that racism is not an issue in Cuba because “we are all Cubans.” But the legacy of slavery lingered, and was exacerbated by Cuba’s semi-colonial status under U.S. hegemony. Interactions with wealthy, white, prejudiced visitors from the U.S. contributed to social and economic divisions along racial lines. Afro-Cubans endured segregated facilities, discrimination under the guise of eugenics, and blatant racism at the hands of groups as extreme as the Ku Klux Klan Kubano.[iv]





After the triumph of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro acknowledged the prevalence of racism and launched a set of reforms intended to eliminate racial disparity in public spaces, education and employment. However, he failed to adequately address its cultural and societal roots. After a few years, he declared his policies a success and made any further discussion of race or racial inequality a counterrevolutionary crime, insisting that talk of race would divide the nation. During Castro’s reign, the silence on issues of racism made further debate or improvements impossible, countering the initial benefits of his reforms. Even though the Castro government achieved more for blacks in fifty years than previous administrations had in the last 400 years,[v] his policies only addressed issues of unequal access without changing structural biases underlying society. With a new wave of economic changes affecting the country, race and racism are once again becoming important issues in Cuba.





Race and the Revolution





When Castro first came to power in Cuba, the Afro‑Cuban population was disproportionately poor and marginalized, lacking sufficient medical care, social services and educational opportunities. Castro believed that such overt racism was in direct conflict with his commitment to social justice and equality and passed policies to desegregate beaches, parks, work sites and social clubs. He outlawed all forms of legal and overt discrimination, including discrimination in employment and education. Castro also worked to increase the number of Afro-Cuban political representatives, with the percentage of Black members on the Council of State expanding from 12.9% in 1976 to 25.8% by 2003. However, overall, Afro-Cuban representation decreased as the institutions become more powerful.[vi]





Castro’s redistributive social and economic reforms had a positive and measurable impact on the quality of life for Afro‑Cubans. The government’s great achievements in extending education and medical benefits to all Cubans have narrowed racial disparities in life expectancy and matriculation rates. Alejandro de la Fuente, Professor of History at the University of Pittsburgh, used statistics from the 1981 census to illustrate the progress made during twenty years of Revolutionary rule. He found that by 1981 there was a gap of only one year in life expectancy rates between whites and non‑whites, which proved that Cuba had achieved relatively equal access to such indicators as “nutrition, health care, maternal care and education.”[vii] Moreover, educational reforms contributed to improved literacy and education levels across the island. By 1981, the percentage of blacks (11.2 percent) and mulattos (9.6 percent) who had graduated from high school were higher than those for whites (9 percent) leading to equivalent proportions of blacks, mulattos and whites in professional jobs.[viii] With education came improved opportunities for social mobility, as a mass exodus of wealthy white professionals to the United States after the Revolution, created many more professional opportunities for the previously marginalized Afro-Cuban.[ix] Similar social justice initiatives such as “wage increases, social security improvements, the provision of public services gratis or at nominal cost, and the gradual spread of rationing” further benefited the economically marginalized .[x] Government jobs were often distributed in a non-confrontational affirmative action style, giving “hiring preference to those who had the greatest family need and lowest income,” which again had a disproportional benefit for Afro‑Cubans.[xi] In areas with complete government control, such as education, employment and health care, social justice policies led to increased equality and improved services and opportunities for Afro-Cubans.





Three years into his rule, Fidel Castro declared that the Revolution had eliminated racism, making any further discussion of racial inequalities a taboo subject. Official discourse directly tied racism to capitalism, and thus the development of an egalitarian society officially ended racism. The government connected racial discrimination to the colonial and ‘semicolonial’ legacies[xii] and “to the capitalist elite, who had emigrated to Miami, officially making it a nonissue in Cuba.”[xiii] Castro’s government sought to develop a national Cuban identity and discussions of race and inequality were seen as creating divisions where none existed. For fifty years of Castro rule in Cuba, race and racism were taboo subjects, making debate, discourse, and study impossible.[xiv] Later developments have proven that racism was not actually eliminated, just improved and pushed underground.





Economic Reforms and Racial Inequality





The Special Period, the difficult decade following the fall of the Soviet Union, caused economic hardships for all Cubans. The government stopped numerous social services and the country struggled with widespread shortages. During this period, the structural legacy of racism meant that Afro‑Cubans faced a greater brunt of the economic challenges. Many of the economic reforms passed to bring the Cuban economy out of its deep recession served only to exacerbate these racial inequalities. When faced with a economic stagnation, the Revolution’s commitment to social justice lost ground to the need for economic recovery, especially given the official belief that racism was no longer an issue, the racist implications of economic reforms were not an issue for the Castro government.





Without Soviet sugar subsidies, Cuba’s economic development shifted to the growing tourist trade. While the tourist industry is currently the most profitable sector because of the availability of USD, it is also the industry with the greatest racial disparity in employment opportunities: Afro‑Cubans hold only five percent of jobs in the tourist sector.[xv] The tourist resorts hire primarily whites, drawing on the structural legacy of racism and the pervasive cultural belief that white is superior. Jobs in the tourist sector require less education and skills, meaning that Afro‑Cuban advances in education in the early years of the Revolution no longer translate to economic success.





Remittances -- transfers of money into Cuba from Cubans living and working abroad -- are a new source of unregulated USD in the Cuban economy. Remittances primarily benefit white Cubans, because the majority of Cubans who emigrated after the Revolution were white or lighter‑skinned mestizo. Statistically speaking, “83.5 percent of Cuban immigrants living in the US identify themselves as whites. Assuming that dollar remittances are evenly distributed among white and non‑white exiles and that they stay, roughly, within the same racial group of the sender, then about 680 out of the 800 million dollars that enter the island every year would end up in white hands.”[xvi] Cuba has limited data on the quantity and distribution of remittances, but a 2000 survey in Havana found that “although income levels were fairly even across racial groups before remittances, white households outspent black households in dollar stores and in the purchase of major household appliances.”[xvii] Both in the sending and consumption of goods, remittances provide greater economic benefit to white Cuban households.





The Castro government began legalizing personal enterprises for profit during the Special Period. Since then, more and more Cubans have opened their own restaurants or repair shops. However, in 2000, the Havana Survey found that 77 percent of the self‑employed were white, and that these white entrepreneurs were more economically successful in comparison to their Afro‑Cuban counterparts.[xviii] Once again, blacks face disadvantages because they lack the capital in USD from tourism and remittances: it often takes an initial investment, such as a bicycle for deliveries, or real estate that could be used as a storefront or neighborhood restaurant to start up a new business. Afro‑Cubans are also disadvantaged when it comes to the development of paladares, or small restaurants run out of the home. The quality of housing was not addressed in the original anti‑discriminatory reforms, and Afro‑Cubans are still concentrated in overcrowded and dilapidated housing areas, limiting their opportunities for owning and opening paladares.





Re‑opening Debate





Faced with growing racial inequality from the economic difficulties of the Special Period in a speech on September 8, 2000, Fidel Castro officially reestablished the issue of race as a subject for debate and improvement:





“I am not claiming that our country is a perfect model of equality and justice. We believed at the beginning that when we established the fullest equality before the law and complete intolerance for any demonstration of sexual discrimination in the case of women, or racial discrimination in the case of ethnic minorities, these phenomena would vanish from our society. It was some time before we discovered that marginality and racial discrimination with it are not something that one gets rid of with a law or even with ten laws, and we have not managed to eliminate them completely in 40 years.”[xix]





Castro recognized that he was premature when he declared racism eliminated and admitted that, despite progress, there were gaps in the original reforms. In the documentary RAZA, Cuban citizens remark that there are equal rights before the law, but equal rights do not mean social equality: society is still racist because of widespread ignorance.[xx] While notable achievements were made in education and employment, areas such as cultural representation, police discrimination and housing lagged behind. Cuba still suffers from the legacy of centuries of discrimination followed by decades of silence.





The growing Cuban rap and hip‑hop movements have been instrumental in bringing issues of racism and discrimination back into the public eye. They are often explicit in descriptions of racism as lived experiences, challenging the official silence and the popular belief that it no longer exists in Cuba. In 1964, Afro‑Cuban poet Nicolás Guillén wrote the poem “Tengo” (I have) to celebrate the end of racial discrimination, saying: “I have, let’s see / that being Black/ no one can stop me / at the door of a dance hall or bar … I have, let’s see / that I have learned to read / to count … I have, that now I have / a place to work / and earn.”[xxi] In 2009, with economic difficulties and the reemerging issue of racism, the Cuban hip‑hop group Hermanos de Causa rewrote the poem “to denounce the persistence of racial discrimination and the growing marginalization of blacks.”[xxii] In their rap, also titled “Tengo” the lyrics now say: “I have a race dark and discriminated against / I have a workday that’s exhausting and pays nothing / I have so many things I can’t even touch / I have so many places where I can’t even go.”[xxiii] The shift in music lyrics is paradigmatic of the shifting debate on racism in Cuba.





Conclusion





For Afro‑Cubans, the next step is to continue reopening debate and discussion, including the positive representation of Afro‑Cubans in television programs and classroom curriculum. Cuba must begin with the advances achieved by the Revolution and then work to deepen the Revolution’s commitment to social equality by rectifying the errors now evidenced in growing racial inequality.[xxiv] Television programs and educational materials on the island either completely ignore Afro‑Cuban culture or represent its negative stereotypes. Educational curricula teach the history of white Cuba, while ignoring the cultural roots of Africa, Afro‑Cubans and other marginalized groups. Esteban Morales, a PhD. at the University of Havana, says: “Whitening continues to be present and nourished in our education. We educate without mentioning color … we are teaching each other to be white. … it turns out that while we do not exclude blacks and mestizos from our classrooms, we do exclude them from the content of our curriculums.”[xxv] While the government succeeded early on in passing desegregation legislation, it has failed to effect any changes in the public media and educational representation of Afro‑Cubans, thus perpetuating racial ignorance.





Finally, although Afro‑Cubans are the largest non‑white population on the island, focusing on racism only against Afro‑Cubans ignores the issues faced by Chinese, Jewish and indigenous peoples. Discussions and studies of race and racism on the island have been limited by the official silence, and much more investigation and research is needed to provide an accurate picture of the racial divisions on the island. Afro‑Cubans are economically, politically, socially, criminally, and culturally marginalized, yet many Cubans still refuse to recognize racism on the island. The anti-discrimination advances of the Revolution deserve to be lauded, but they should not leave us blind to the racism that exists and the continuing struggles of Afro-Cubans.





The references for this article can be found here.





The Council on Hemispheric Affairs, founded in 1975, is an independent, non-profit, non-partisan, tax-exempt research and information organization. It has been described on the Senate floor as being "one of the nation's most respected bodies of scholars and policy makers." For more information, visit www.coha.org or email coha@coha.org

 






June 22, 2011




caribbeannewsnow

Bahamas Political Blog

Cuba's declining trade betrays depth of its crisis

By Marc Frank:

HAVANA, Cuba (Reuters) -- Business between Cuba and four of its top five trading partners has declined sharply this year in a reflection of the communist-led Caribbean island's deep economic crisis, trade reports from the countries said.

Reductions in exports to and imports from Cuba ranged from 20 percent to as high as 50 percent, according to the reports from China, Spain, Canada and the United States. In descending order, they are the top traders with Cuba after Venezuela.

Numbers were not available for Venezuela, which is the leading economic and political ally of Cuba's government and supplies the island with oil.

China, Cuba's second trading partner, reported that imports from the island fell 48.2percent to $368 million through August, while Chinese exports to Cuba dropped 12.7 percent to $641.9 million.

Spain, tied with Canada as the island's third biggest trading partner, said its exports to Cuba declined 43 percent to $394 million through July, while imports were down 24 percent to $91 million.

Canada, which did $1.4 billion in trade with Cuba last year, said exports plummeted 52.4 percent to $242 million through August and imports fell 55.7 percent to $283 million.

The United States, which is Cuba's fifth trading partner despite its 47-year-old trade embargo against the island, said sales to Cuba totaled $383.8 million through August, down 23 percent.

Most US exports to Cuba are agricultural products, which are permitted under an exemption to the embargo.

While no information was available from Venezuela, Cuba's close socialist ally, it is likely the value of its exports to the island -- mostly oil -- will fall dramatically from 2008's $5.3 billion due to lower oil prices.

Cuba's economy has been spiraling downward since last year when three damaging hurricanes raked the country, followed by the onset of the global financial crisis.

The combination of rising prices for its imports and declining value of its key exports also depleted cash reserves to the point that the government froze the local accounts of hundreds of foreign businesses and stopped or slowed payments to many foreign creditors.

Cuba's government has forecast a decline of $500 million in export revenues this year and slashed imports by 22.5 percent.

The island's trade deficit soared to $11.4 billion in 2008, up 65 percent, according to the National Statistics Office.

October 21, 2009

caribbeannetnews

Bahamas Caribbean Blog International