For the past five decades, the US has imposed economic sanctions on Cuba with the North American nation gradually tightening the sanctions over the years. Broadly, the sanctions affect imports, exports international financial transactions and shipping. Whilst majority of the sanctions were imposed in 1960 after the rise to power of Fidel Castro following the disposition of the Batista regime, the first US embargo on Cuba was imposed on the sale of arms in 1958. In 1960, the US government imposed an embargo on exports to Cuba except food and medicine. In 1962, the US expanded the embargo to include all Cuban imports. Over the years, subsequent US regimes have expanded the embargo to include restrictions on US citizens from conducting business …show more content…
In addition to US citizens being restricted to visit Cuba for tourist activities, the embargo holds that they are not allowed to receive goods or services for free from any Cuban national. Whilst the use of trade sanctions is common instruments of foreign policy; the US remains the only country in the world to craft the sanctions to its laws. The US embargo to Cuba is primarily enforced through six statutes namely; Trading with the Enemy Act of 1917, the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, the Cuban Assets Control Regulations of 1963, the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992, the Helms-Burton Act of 1996, and the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000.
Effects of Cuban Embargo on US
The imposition of the Cuban embargo was based on the threat posed by the Cuban government as a communist sublet of the former Soviet Union during the cold era (LeoGrande, 2015). However, following the end of the cold war and the collapse of the Soviet Union, the goals of US sanctions to Cuba have transformed to calls for increased democracy and human rights in the Caribbean Island nation. However, the sanctions have failed to have any significant effects on increased democratization of Cuba. Consequently, the Cuban embargo has largely been identified as a failure. Similarly,