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It's a Third World dictatorship. That is beyond denial. The same two Caudillos running a country for half a century?
While I agree it's a "neat place" to visit, there is no way in hell you would trade Canada for living there.
Sure, the old cars are cool, but they are there because few people have ever been allowed to purchase new ones.
Cuba is a police state. I suspect you did not see any because you did not want to see any.
Is it not ironical? America has been lamblasted for years (with some justification) for supporting various thugs running Latin American dictatorships. Yet when Canada does it in Cuba, everybody goes into denial and starts waxing poetically about the old cars, cool buildings, rum, cigars, music, etc.
As if those things justify the squelching of liberty and the human spirit.
But they got old cars, eh?
But when Canada's Prime Minister, Brian Maroney a Conservative was spearheading a boycott of South Africa over apartheid Ronald Reagon said NO.
There is also no place in the United States I would trade living in Canada with either. I did say Cuba shold be compared to other countries in the region such as Jamaica, Domincan Repulic, Hati etc. Was Cuba as well off before Castro as Canada, I think not. The Canadian government is not sending money nor weapons to Cuba nor to opposition fighers such as both the Soviet Union and the US did during the 70s and 80s.
I drank zero rum but did drink their native soft drink which was half the price of the Coca Cola TM that my wife drank there. There were plenty of Soviet era Ladas but lots of Europeon, Japanese, Korean and Chinese vehicels there, go and find out for yourself. Some of the people I noted in New Orleans did not seem to have anywhere near the human spirit that I noted in Havana. More freedom and a better economy could be used in most of the world not just Cuba but from my understanding the Cubans are better looked after than by most other dictators and Raol (spelling may be wrong) appears to be giving the Cubans a lot more freedom than his brother did, most likely because not being able to rely on Soviet money they have had to turn to tourism which means lots of people coming from western countries. In fact we ran into more Americans than Canadians on the one organized tour we went to.
I am neither stupid nor blind to police. Actually as a photographer I am well aware of people and my surroundings. Yours is a claim made on propoganda from the anti Castro and anti left as far as I can see. I actually did look for the police presence as it was very obvious to those who visited a decade or more. Richard Nixon opened up China for US trade partly to westernize them, Reagan refused to close trade to South Africa saying that trade was the way to break down their dispicable system however for Cuba only an ongoing embargo works because of their violation of Human Rights? That is a double standard unless you think that Cuban was worse than China, appartheid South Africa, Iran under the Shah, Chile under Pinochet, Argentina under the generals etc combined.
As a tourist planning on going back at least once to a different part of the island I would perfer that Americans still were not allowed there by their own government (any lack of freedom there) but for the Cuban people it would be so benefical for the opening of their country to you. And as I said earlier there is a growing middle class of enterprenours. Learn about Cuba from people who go there rather than talking points. I certainly learnt from those who have been there frequently and from reading up about it.
You remind me of my first trip to London, in 1980. I was in some store and saw Cuban cigars. I expressed some surprise to the shopkeeper, saying "I thought there was an embargo on Cuba".
Of course, he replied "No, mate, that is only the US". Indeed, at subsequent visits I often saw posters in the windows of travel agencies exhorting "Visit Cuba!".
Nearly forty years ago, I lived in japan for a year - air force husband. Lots of japanese businesses next to the base, selling pearl jewelry, porcelain, dolls, prints, etc, to americans. In one of those stores, I witnessed the following exchange - american asks japanese clerk, "where was this made", clerk says "china", american says "oh you mean taiwan", clerk says, with unmistakable incredulity, "no, no, china."
We americans often think we inhabit the only reality on the planet. We don't.
This probably a strategic thing--in case Russia tries to stir up the pot, they'll now have a more difficult time building a base close to the US for refueling long range bombers.
it seems to amaze after 50 years of Castro's revolution failure and how it has made the millions of Cubans extreme poor with no human rights, how some here defend Castro and the communist revolution at the comfort in their homes in the U.S.A
The leftists on here are insane in the membrane. Think they are bad? Try watching the Puerto Rican separatists defend the Castro regime - now that is truly comical. Ruben Berrios think Cuba and Venezuela are utopia-like paradises.
I still fail to understand how - after the events of the past century - anyone can possibly defend communism.
The leftists on here are insane in the membrane. Think they are bad? Try watching the Puerto Rican separatists defend the Castro regime - now that is truly comical. Ruben Berrios think Cuba and Venezuela are utopia-like paradises.
I still fail to understand how - after the events of the past century - anyone can possibly defend communism.
The problem is that you can't defend the actions of your own country...so you ignore them and denigrate Cuba's actions.
No one is saying that Cuba has behaved well. No one is defending Cuba. But at least they've managed to only repress their people. Your country has intentionally helped to repress and murder people in other countries.
The leftists on here are insane in the membrane. Think they are bad? Try watching the Puerto Rican separatists defend the Castro regime - now that is truly comical. Ruben Berrios think Cuba and Venezuela are utopia-like paradises.
I still fail to understand how - after the events of the past century - anyone can possibly defend communism.
From the Trip Advisor web page
Most people seem to think that Cubans are poorer than they are (and have little idea who is poor and who is not in Cuba).
2. Cuba is a socialist country that does not conform to the international conception of a democracy (even though - contrary to popular belief - it does have its own version of elections)
These two things combined lead many tourists to act the way they do. Mostly out of misconceptions as to the Cuban reality. Few to none out of any desire to do harm. Many because they think they are doing good because they have personally seen the smile on the maid's or child's face.
Getting back to points 1 and 2: The thing is that Cuba is not the poorest country on earth and Cubans, while definitely poor by North American and Western European standards, are not the poorest in the world. This is not just in comparison with poor African countries, but also compared to many - if not most - of its immediately comparable neighbors. But Cuba is not located between Canada and USA or in the Alps squeezed in between Switzerland and Austria. It is located in one of the world's traditionally poorest regions. Apart from colonies that are heavily subsidized by USA, France, UK, Holland or Spain, what countries in that region are traditionally blessed with a flourishing economy? And when was Cuba? The poorest 5-10% of the population in Haiti, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua are much poorer than the poorest 5-10% Cubans.
Without getting into too much detail none of these countries provide its citizens with the following:
1. A basic rationing system that provides every single citizen with enough food to survive on (but admittedly not enough to feast or get fat on).
2. Heavily subsidized basic living expenses such as cheap to almost free: Housing, electricity, water.
3. Free health care and free education.
This is all provided in Cuba.
If severe poverty is measured on factors like hunger, lack of housing and basic health care, Cuba cannot be considered a poor country. Way of life - costs of living
Many gift-givers use the low Cuban wages as the prime argument for bringing gifts. The average wage for a Cuban is indeed 12-25 dollars monthly, and yes, that does sound ridiculous. So the next thought is "who can live off that?" and the answer that many come up with is "nobody can", because it’s tempting and obvious to compare that money with the daily lives of the tourist and nobody in Canada or Europe can live off 20 dollars for just a week, let alone a few days. But Cuba is not Canada or Europe. The difference is that thehouse of the visitor to Cuba is not free, and it is not possible to go to the local market in Canada or England and pick up basic food (libreta) supplies for a week for a few dollars - and water and electricity costs a fortune, not to mention cost of kindergarten and putting a kid through college. A Cuban can pay all his monthly bills with 2-4 dollars.
Apart from the extremely low living costs many Cubans have other “enterprises” outside their regular job, and thus make additional money, sometimes earning more than they do from their government wage. The economy in Cuba is much different than that which the average tourist is used to. In a sense, many of the first-worlders are as strapped in their own economy as what some Cubans are in theirs (in these crisis times even more). There are probably many tourists who – after all expenses are paid – do not have much more to spend on chocolate, parties and rum than what Cubans have. And some that have less. end of quote
After the last half decade how can anyone defend capatilism when you look at all the poor countries that are failures Too many hear bashing those who are not attacking Cuba are comparing Cuba with the US to see if the Castros have failed. The real test would be comparing them to the non communist neighbours other than the US or Canada. It is neither paradise or the worse place in the world. But for you and others buying an item made in Cuba is terrible because that supports a communist country with little freedom but so many people go to Wal-Mart and buy items made in China instead. Where is the logic there?
One of the Cubans we did talk to told us of a family member who is a doctor but works part time as a plumbing supplier and makes more from his business than he does as a doctor. Did you know they they can and do operator businesses for themselves, not nearing enough but more than yesteday but not as many as tomorrow. Cuba appears to be moving to a mixed economy.
The leftists on here are insane in the membrane. Think they are bad? Try watching the Puerto Rican separatists defend the Castro regime - now that is truly comical. Ruben Berrios think Cuba and Venezuela are utopia-like paradises.
I still fail to understand how - after the events of the past century - anyone can possibly defend communism.
The definition of insanity, is said to be, doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. After 50 years of trying a failed policy that was supposed to move Cuba away from Communism, it is time to change the policy. Apart from being insane, that's sensible.
Past Administrations were overly influenced by the hate of Cuban emigrants who fled, with their money, from Communism. Those are a scant minority compared to the numbers who are now the next generation who want to visit the land of their parents.
I wonder how anyone can defend our economy that promises security for the very wealthy speculators with corporate and banks protected by government bailouts while offering a rapacious market for the rest of us. How do you defend the socialism that defines military contracting and privately owned prisons with the foreign policies that continue war and the drug persecution that guarantees the prisons are always full? We have an economy where those that have always get more and the rest of us pay for it. How do you defend this?
After the last half decade how can anyone defend capatilism when you look at all the poor countries that are failures Too many hear bashing those who are not attacking Cuba are comparing Cuba with the US to see if the Castros have failed. The real test would be comparing them to the non communist neighbours other than the US or Canada. It is neither paradise or the worse place in the world. But for you and others buying an item made in Cuba is terrible because that supports a communist country with little freedom but so many people go to Wal-Mart and buy items made in China instead. Where is the logic there?
One of the Cubans we did talk to told us of a family member who is a doctor but works part time as a plumbing supplier and makes more from his business than he does as a doctor. Did you know they they can and do operator businesses for themselves, not nearing enough but more than yesteday but not as many as tomorrow. Cuba appears to be moving to a mixed economy.
so you want to compare to only countries with high political instability? I mean Cuba is very large compared to other Caribbean countries. Only Puerto Rico has had any kind of political stability, and Cuba dwarfs it. I wouldn't say its fair comparing Cuba to DR, Haiti, either
Overall this is a good idea, and the past policy has failed. As with China we can use a similar framework to promote more social freedoms, a higher quality of life, and a beneficial relationship. China isn't perfect, but its better than it was.
I'm pretty sure Cuba can benefit as well
Lets just hope they don't open the flood gates to tourism. ..or things will get crazy. Cuba needs time to build some hotels!
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Too many hear bashing those who are not attacking Cuba are comparing Cuba with the US to see if the Castros have failed. The real test would be comparing them to the non communist neighbours other than the US or Canada. It is neither paradise or the worse place in the world. But for you and others buying an item made in Cuba is terrible because that supports a communist country with little freedom but so many people go to Wal-Mart and buy items made in China instead. Where is the logic there?
