Embargo Against Cuba

On February 8 1962, The United States of America placed an embargo against Cuba. The
embargo has negatively impacted the import and export business, employment, and freedom and
rights for both countries. Cuba has suffered due the embargo placed against them by the United
States.

The embargo, known among Cubans as "el bloqueo" or "the blockade," consists of
economic sanctions against Cuba and restrictions on Cuban travel and commerce for all people
and companies under US jurisdiction. Since the embargo was put into place, export and import
has declined significantly between U.S and Cuba. Cuba is one of the top sugar producing
countries in the world, and up until the embargo the United States was purchasing 87% of Cuba's
exports and had control over its sugar industry. Cuba imported many items from the United
States as well. Many cars seen around Havana are American made vehicles from the 1950s.
Since the embargo Cuba has been importing foreign cars from Russia and Germany, countries
which are 5002 miles or more from the coast of Cuba. The embargo had a negative effect on
importing and exporting because the United States is just 90 miles off the coast of Florida which
made for fast and less expensive shipment between the two countries.

The Embargo had a devastating effect on employment in Cuba. Many Cuban citizens lost
jobs as hotels and casinos were shut down. A March 2010 study by Texas A&M University
indicates that easing restrictions on agricultural exports and lifting the travel ban could result in
up to $365 million in additional sales of U.S. goods and create 6,000 new jobs in the United
States. Lifting the Embargo would also create many jobs for Cubans in the travel and hospitality
industry as well as the sugar producing industry. The higher the sugar demand, the higher the
need for employees to work on sugar cane farms. If U.S citizens could travel to Cuba more/larger
airports would need to be built in Cuba, creating jobs for many people in the engineering field. If
complete elimination of the embargo were to happen economic benefits would increase,
primarily because U.S. hotels and other hospitality providers could operate in Cuba. Total U.S.
income would increase to $545 million in the first year and 3,797 new jobs would be
created. Total income would rise to over $1.9 billion and 12,180 new jobs would be created by
the fifth year for both countries.

The embargo has taken away from the freedom of the Cuban citizens. Cubans who dare
to criticize the government are subject to criminal prosecution. They do not benefit from due
process guarantees, such as the right to fair and public hearings by a competent and impartial
tribunal. Many citizens are detained every year for challenging the government. The Cuban
Commission for Human Rights (CCHR) has documented 813 political arrests by the Castro
regime during the month of March 2014. The right to travel has been taken away from both
countries. Cuban citizens rarely get the chance to travel to other countries, mainly being that
passports are too expensive to afford and are only valid for two years. American citizens can
only travel to Cuba under certain circumstances, such as: If they are travelling for the benefit of
Cuba (educational) and if they are of Cuban descent. The Cuban government has restricted the
movement of citizens within Cuba by enforcing a 1997 law known as Decree 217. Designed to
limit migration to Havana, the decree requires Cubans to obtain government permission before
moving to the country's capital. The government has control over all media outlets in Cuba and
restricts access to outside information, which limits the right to freedom of expression. Only a
tiny fraction of Cubans have the chance to read independently published articles and blogs
because of the high cost of and limited access to the internet. There is hardly access to daily
newspapers and local news is rarely shown. More American news is broadcasted than local
news. Every citizen should have the right to know what is going on their neighbourhood, city,
province or country.
If the embargo on Cuba is lifted it would give Cubans access to so many things that they
are currently without. The embargo harms the citizens of Cuba; it has had no effect on the
government like intended. Cubans are denied access to many items that they need like affordable
food and medicine. Medicine commercialized under U.S patents (for treatments of HIV/AIDS)
are not readily available to assist with treatment. According to studies by the American
Association for World Health "it is our expert medical opinion that the US embargo has caused a
significant rise in suffering (and even deaths) in Cuba." Although post-secondary education is no
cost to Cuban citizens, finding a job after graduation can be hard if the economy is not strong.
Lifting the embargo would slowly help to build the Cuban economy, give citizens the
opportunity they deserve to succeed and to give those in need access to medicine and proper
medical equipment.


Bibliography

De la Cruz, Alberto, Over 800 political arrests in Cuba during March raises tally to almost
3,000 for the year, Babalu Blog, April 02, 2014, http://babalublog.com2014/04/02/over-800-
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06, 2014).
Hutchison, Michael, "The U.S. Trade Embargo on Cuba: Lesson Plan, Public Broadcasting
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Long, Patrick, and, Ed Sanders, Economic Benefits to the United States from Lifting the Ban on
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