Cuban Embargo Research Paper

Amy Valdes

Mrs. Lopez

English 1 Honors

November 12, 2015

The U.S. Trade Embargo Against Cuba

A new foreign relations controversial topic was brought up earlier this year when President Barack Obama announced “Americans and Cubans alike are ready to move forward. I believe it 's time for Congress to do the same.” He is convinced that it is finally time to tie the diplomatic relations with Cuba in order to strengthen the relationship between both countries. This has recently brought up debates and arguments between a large number of politicians and people all over the world. The modification in the countries ' relations, originally marked by a prisoner exchange and Havana 's release of an imprisoned U.S. contractor, caused some experts to

To begin with, simply because the embargo is not affecting the Cuban government, does not mean it is not negatively affecting the Cuban people. It most definitely is. The majority of the Cuban people live with a surprising shortage of basic hygienic resources. If the embargo is lifted, Cubans would be blessed with more opportunities that will benefit them in the long run, as well as possible free enterprise in Cuba (Petrosyan). Cubans do not have as many opportunities to improve their lifestyle as Americans do. Around most cities, there is an estimated fifteen percent of people living in extreme poverty in Cuba, but the statistics are at least 10 years old. Although, compared to the rest of Latin America, Cuba is doing much better as a result of the economic opening that has permitted a number of Cubans to earn more and has also allowed many others to start their own small businesses (“Poverty in Cuba, Welfare in a Broke Country”). The embargo has resulted in calamitous consequences for Cuba, whose economic infrastructure substantially depends on dealing with the United States. According to Cuban government estimates, the embargo will result in a loss of roughly $1.126 trillion in the next semi-century (Renwick). Bruno Rodriguez, Cuban Foreign Minister, railed against the embargo, saying “The human damages caused by the economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba are incalculable. Seventy-six percent of Cubans have lived under its

Secondly, the embargo has stopped people to people communication which as a result has created isolation for Cubans. Better intercommunication with Americans will allow Cubans to have more entry to the outside world. This will pressure the Cuban government to change its domestic and foreign policies (Petrosyan). The embargo is a hypocritical policy. We have expanded economic ties with states that are much more pushy toward the United States, and/or more aggressive to their own citizens than Cuba is. Therefore, we cannot continue to isolate Cuba (“Cuban