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Is Cuba more or less exempt from the drug epidemics plaguing the rest of the Americas?
This is just a thought of mine, as many other Carribbean countries are often used as 3rd countries to transport drugs northwards.
But with little interaction between Cuba and the U.S., there is probably little point in drugs going through it to the degree that it does for others.
In short, would it be a safe assumption to make, that Cuba probably lacks the drug epidemic problems that most other countries in the Americas experience? Agree or disagree?
There's a lot of interaction between Cuba and US. More than 80 percent of foodstuffs are imported from the US and travels of Cuban-Americans.
Cuba was used as a bridge to export large quantities of coke into the US, until the US threatened Castro with invasion (jast as in the case of Panama).
Castro blamed General Ochoa for his wrongdoings and he was shot (he was a hero of Angola and internationalistic wars).
After that, end of the story.
Some tourists buy uncut coke and local weed, but on a very restricted level.
There's a lot of interaction between Cuba and US. More than 80 percent of foodstuffs are imported from the US and travels of Cuban-Americans.
Cuba was used as a bridge to export large quantities of coke into the US, until the US threatened Castro with invasion (jast as in the case of Panama).
Castro blamed General Ochoa for his wrongdoings and he was shot (he was a hero of Angola and internationalistic wars).
After that, end of the story.
Some tourists buy uncut coke and local weed, but on a very restricted level.
It sounds 'past tense'. So, currently, not much drugs goes through Cuba, but previously, quite a bit did? Just clarifying...
There's probably drug trafficking through Cuba. Of course, the government owned media will not make a blip about this. I don't think Cubans on the island even know what happened to Ochoa and there are rumors that the Cuban government was (and probably still is) in on the action. Heck, Fidel Castro himself dealt in the illegal gun trade for a while and this has been documented.
Here's part of the trial (with English subtitles):
By the way, what the guy is saying is that Fidel Castro knew and approved of the drug trafficking that got General Ochoa in trouble. That's what means when he says that Martinez told him that "everything that he does, his chief discusses that at the highest level [of government]."
Drugs still go through Cuba, they are not exempt and the crime in Cuba has been on the rise. Cuba isn't the safe little island to visit anymore, you have to walk around with just as much vigilance that you would with any of the other latin american countries.
Well, not true. A very safe country. There's a lot of petty crime among Cubans in bad neighbourhoods, but they don't mess with foreigners. No comparison with Latin America.
No, drugs don't go through Cuba, since Ochoa, MC and Noriega, and that was back in 1989 or so, the Castros know they can't mess with the stuff.
There are people that grow weed in the Guantanamo province, and some fisherman find cocaine packs floating that end in the black market, mainly for tourists, but very minoritary. If tourists try very hard, they'll find the stuff but they can find themselves kicked out in no time.
Last edited by cojoncillo; 06-27-2012 at 10:29 AM..
It sounds 'past tense'. So, currently, not much drugs goes through Cuba, but previously, quite a bit did? Just clarifying...
No drugs have gone through Cuba during the last 25 years. Yes, before a lot. Cuba collaborates 100 percent with DEA and INTERPOL.
Cuba is not engaged anymore in drugs, "internationalistic wars" or any other euphemistic names that designate violent actions in foreign countries.
Drugs still go through Cuba, they are not exempt and the crime in Cuba has been on the rise. Cuba isn't the safe little island to visit anymore, you have to walk around with just as much vigilance that you would with any of the other latin american countries.
My wife and I celebrated our honeymoon in Cuba in May. It is definitely a lot safer than Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. In fact, that was one of the biggest reasons we chose it. Havana has it's share of crime like any other large city, but Veradero was as safe as Green Bay, WI.
Cuba has huge crime problems, problem is that it isn't reported.
When I lived there, one of my partner's friends knew someone who was a policeman. The policeman shared photos of some of the recent crimes he was dealing with. I saw some of the most gruesome pics that I can't even begin to describe here.
The bizarre thing is, in Cuba seeing the pics, it was like water of a duck's back. If I had seen them in the comfort of my home in a safe western country, I would be severely traumatized. I don't know how to describe it, it's like when you are in such a society you adapt to the level of horrific-ness.
Crime does happen in Cuba. The locals will know all about it, much more than the police.
Additionally, the police there are as corrupt as anywhere else in the Caribbean. I knew of a gang who went robbing people and split the proceeds with the police. So the police didn't do anything, obviously
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