The WSJ notes Protests Grow Against the Communist Regime
Cuban citizens have taken to the streets across the country for the first time in more than six decades to protest against deteriorating living conditions and the lack of basic goods and services, including medical attention amid increasing numbers of coronavirus infections.
The protests, with thousands of people calling for an end to the 62-year-old communist regime, began Sunday in the western city of San Antonio de los Baños, later spreading to more than 40 cities and towns including the capital Havana. President Miguel Díaz-Canel responded by calling on supporters to take back the streets from the protesters and deploying security forces across the country.
The latest wave of hardship for the Cuban people comes after the economy contracted more than 11% last year amid the pandemic, which led tourism to dry up and brought about a drop in remittances from Cubans living abroad—both vital sources of income for families.
Cubans stand for hours in line to buy basic goods such as chicken or bread, or even to take a bus. The island is increasingly hit by hours-long electricity outages, and, in recent days, coronavirus infections have surged, according to authorities, putting a strain on the country’s health system.
History of US Sanction Failure
I have repeatedly made that statement “Sanctions don’t work”. Cuba is the perfect example.
The US has had Continual Sanctions Against Cuba since 1958.
- It is the most enduring trade embargo in modern history. The United States first imposed an embargo on the sale of arms to Cuba on March 14, 1958, during the Fulgencio Batista regime.
- On October 19, 1960 (almost two years after the Cuban Revolution had led to the deposition of the Batista regime) the U.S. placed an embargo on exports to Cuba except for food and medicine after Cuba nationalized American-owned Cuban oil refineries without compensation.
- On February 7, 1962 the embargo was extended to include almost all exports.
- In 1999 President Bill Clinton expanded the trade embargo by also disallowing foreign subsidiaries of U.S. companies to trade with Cuba.
- Since the year 2000, the embargo no longer prohibits the trade of food and humanitarian supplies.
- On January 12, 2017, President Barack Obama announced the immediate cessation of the wet feet, dry feet policy, eight days before his term ended.
- On November 8, 2017, US President Donald Trump’s Administration had enacted new rules which would re-enforce the business and travel restrictions which were loosened by the Obama Administration and would go into effect on November 9.
- As of 2018, the embargo is enforced mainly through six statutes: the 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.
63 Consecutive Years of Sanction Failure!
The US, via sanction policy has been attempting to take down the Cuban government continually since 1958.
That is a proven history of 63 consecutive years of sanction failure!
Historic Opportunity and Notable Successes
https://twitter.com/kleinev0s/status/1414669449140051977
Credit Where Credit is Due
If the Cuban government does fall, credit Covid-19, Not Biden, Not Trump, Not Obama, Not Bush, Not Reagan, Not Kennedy, etc.
More accurately, should the government collapse, credit the people of Cuba with Covid-19 as the final “too much to take” straw.
Biden is Finally Doing What Trump and Obama Promised, Yet Few Cheer
On July 10, I wrote Biden is Finally Doing What Trump and Obama Promised, Yet Few Cheer
The US has continually been in Afghanistan for 20 years. We could stay another 60 and we would fail at nation building.
I agree. And its crazy that every single experience teaches the same lesson.
— Michael Pettis (@michaelxpettis) July 11, 2021
The US failed in Vietnam, in Iraq, in Syria, in Libya, and in Afghanistan.
Governments, especially foreign governments, don’t build nations, people do. How many times do we need to prove this?
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Mish
You mean it will look a lot like how US has democracy where there is essentially just one right-wing party but you can vote for one faction or the other?
The Worlds Greatest Bastion of Capitalism… thwarted by a bunch of raggedy commies.