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The United States embargo on Cuba (described in Cuba as el bloqueo, Spanish for "the blockade") is an economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed on Cuba by the United States on February 3, 1962. As of 2004, the embargo is still in effect, making it one of the most enduring trade embargoes in modern history. It remains an extremely controversial issue worldwide.

Imposition and extension

While the U.S. government had initially been supportive of the Cuban Revolution, it turned against Fidel Castro when the Cuban government began implementing large-scale nationalization of the economy without compensating American businesses that had been expropriated.

A partial embargo was imposed by President Eisenhower's government on October 19 1960. President Kennedy extended Eisenhower's measures, imposing a full economic embargo that took effect on February 3, 1962 as a response to Cuba's alignment with the Soviet Union during the Cold War. As of 2004, the embargo is still in effect, making it one of the most enduring trade embargoes in modern history.

The embargo was reinforced in October 1992 by the Cuban Democracy Act (the "Torricelli Law") and in 1996 by the Cuban Liberty and Democracy Solidarity Act (the Helms-Burton Act). While the U.S. has sought to normalize trade relations with other Communist states such as the People's Republic of China and Vietnam, there is a large lobby among Cuban Americans, particularly those living in Florida, in favor of the embargo. This makes it politically difficult for either the Republican Party or the Democratic Party to substantially change American policy towards Cuba.

Recent years

In recent years, following the collapse of communism in the Soviet Union, Cuba has developed trading relations the rest of the world, including a substantial amount of official (as well as much unofficial) trade with the U.S.

In response to pressure by American farmers and agribusiness, the embargo has been relaxed in recent years in order to allow the sale of food and agricultural goods to Cuba for humanitarian reasons. This change was mandated by the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act, which was passed by the US Congress in October 2000 and signed by President Bill Clinton. Though Cuba initially declined to engage in such trade, seeing it as a half measure serving U.S. interests, the Castro government began to allow the purchase of food from the U.S. as a result of Hurricane Michelle in November 2001 and has continued since then. As a result, Cuba ranked 180th (out of 180) on the list of importers of U.S. agricultural products in 2000, rising to 138th in 2001, and 45th in 2002. The country was estimated to rank 33rd on in 2003.

Though the leadership of the Cuban-American community is the main proponent of continuing the embargo, the policy has come to have a great effect on Cuban-American families, particularly more recent immigrants who still have family in Cuba, as they must circumvent the embargo in order to send goods to their relatives or even communicate with them.

It is estimated that each year some 80,000 Americans visit Cuba, including over 3,000 business visits. As much as $1 billion per year is remitted to Cuba by Cuban Americans. Much of this activity contravenes the spirit, if not the letter, of the embargo.

Effects

The Cuban government became the recipient of large subsidies from the Soviet Union, peaking at around $6 billion per annum in the 1980s, and struggled after the subsidies were removed following the collapse of communism in Russia.

The Cuban government estimates that the direct economic damage caused to Cuba by the U.S. embargo since its institution exceeds $70 billion, including loss of export earnings, additional import costs, limiting the growth of the Cuban economy, and social damage. The U.S. International Trade Commission the on-going annual loss to U.S. exporters at $1.2 billion.

Criticism

The embargo has been the source of almost unanimous international criticism. Annual votes in the United Nations General Assembly that call on the U.S. to lift its sanctions pass with exceptionally large majorities (173 to 3 in 2002; 179 to 4 in 2004). In the 2004 vote, only the U.S., Israel, the Marshall Islands, and Palau voted aganist the resolution (with Micronesia abstaining).

Illicit Trade

Cuba produces a number of luxury items, especially cigars that are thought to be in high demand among some Americans. In popular culture, such as in novels, television shows, and motion pictures, rich and power men are often shown to have their own personal stock of illicitly obtained Cuban brandy and cigars. Although the embargo itself may be partially responsible for the notion, it is accepted by many Americans that the "best" cigars are Cuban cigars.

See also

• History of Cuba
  • Spanish-American War (1898)
  • Cuban Revolution (1950s)
  • Cuban missile crisis (1962)
• Economy of Cuba

External links

• 2001 Report by the Cato Institute
• The Effects of the U.S. Embargo Against Cuba
• Timeline of the embargo
• Timeline of votes by the U.N. General Assembly
• U.S. embargo against Cuba fades away article on growing Cuban-American trade in food.
• What Castro wants Time letter about the cuban embargo.

• Foreign relations of the U.S.