Cuban Readmission to OAS
Communist Cuba’s economy was very dependent on foreign powers from communist Europe especially from the economic help of the Soviet Union, who invested, loaned, and bought Cuban goods. But after 1989, with the collapse of Russia and communism, Cuba’s economical problems came to the surface, and Cuba’s economy suffered greatly from the loans, and debts Cuba had to pay, and the lack of industrial diversity, technology and trade, Cuba was going suffer future economical problems. Being banned from the Organization of American States, for being a communist state, I believe a healing process between Cuba and The United States of America can start if Cuba is once again readmitted the OAS. Both Cuba and The United States will benefit economically and socially.
Cuba is one of the few remaining dictatorship communist countries in the world and just like most of the communist countries Cuban communism will one day fall, but in order to make that change The United States has to change its policies towards Cuba. And a way to start is by readmitting Cuba into the Organization of American States. Also that the U.S. trade embargo has proved to be ineffective and inhumane, and since it was imposed 41 years ago Castro is still in power and has applied lesser pressure than American policy makers thought on toppling Fidel Castro form power. If possible I personally that Castro would be in power for another 41 years if he could and if the United States continues the same policies they have applied. Instead the U.S. should allow Cuba to be readmitted in to the OAS, lighten the grip on the trade embargo, and allow the free association with other Caribbean and Latin American countries, that will flood Cuba with free market, entrepreneurship, capitalism and democratic ideas and principles, and Cuban will want and demand change.
I believe the greatest interest of readmitting Cuba to the OAS for The United States, would be that Cuba and the U.S. can start to have a more friendly and social relationship, ever since 1959 when Castro’s communist regime came to power in Cuba and allied itself with the Soviet Union, the U.S. has placed embargo restrictions on Cuba and on any other country who has intent in doing business with Cuba. That has left Cuba with very few financial options, economical suffering by isolating Cuba with the world market. Cuba blames their economical woes on The United States. As a result both the U.S. and Cuba have had a 42 years of a strained relationship filled with mistrust and suspicion. If Cuba is once again readmitted to the OAS a gradual friendlier association with the U.S can occur by once again opening up a relationship with Cuba. Another very crucial benefit with the readmitting of Cuba to the OAS, could be a sign of change in Cuba, with a whole new generation of Cubans that do not remember the Batista era or the Bay of Pigs Invasion, by opening a free market this new generation will be flooded with ideas and values of political liberalizations, democracy, free enterprises, and this new generation will less likely bear the hardships and sacrifices demanded by the vigorous Castro regime and force the resignation of Fidel Castro, and the down fall of Cuba’s communism. Another American interest in readmitting Cuba to the OAS is with the possibility to regained American business and territory that was confiscated when Castro came to power.
The United States needs to take specific actions if they want a more friendly relationship with Cuba. First and foremost is to readmit Cuba into the Organization of American States, to once again open up an association with the U.S, Latin America and the world. Later by loosening up the tight grip that the U.S. has on the Cuban trade embargo. With the opening up of Cuba and by the actions of the U.S I believe that change will come to Cuba, for Cuba and Fidel Castro will no longer be able to sustain itself if they remain isolated and Castro will remain in power and a communist state if isolation remains. But with the actions taken up by The United States, Cubans will see that entrepreneurship and democracy are the answers to their problems and possible salvation. Then I believe the transform of Cuba will come from within, people will want to revolutionize and then change will happen. But this change will not occur if the United States does not change its policies and views on Cuba, the U.S. has to take specific actions and readdress their stance of Cuba, if the United States wants to accomplish their ideas and interest of a free Cuba we must first open up a friendlier relationship, which can start with the readmission of Cuba to the Organization of American States.
I believe that the risk involved in readmitting Cuba into the OAS is a very minor to none. Cuba is left alone and broke, no longer with the alliance of the Soviet Union or communist Europe. Cuba is no longer a treat to the safety of the United States as it once was during the Cold War, and has lost the power to influence or support communism in Latin America as it once did in the 80’s to sustain the guerilla uprisings in El Salvador, and Nicaragua. Cuba is no longer a treat but a mere shadow of its menace and now Cuba and Fidel Castro’s regime is badly out of tune with the rest of the hemisphere, and if Castro and Cuba want to continue to exist Cuba will have to willingly open up to the rest of the world with out being a treat. And if Cuba wants to be reinstated into the OAS, Cuba will have to prove their interest of once again being able to associate themselves with the rest of the hemisphere. The risk of readmitting Cuba to the OAS is very low but the benefits are great. Castro’s 41-year regime cannot go on forever or survive a hundred years of solitude. If Cuba is reinstated in the OAS and the trade embargo is lifted Cuban will change, the social relation between the United States will improve ending the years of mistrust and suspicion that started since 1959 when Castro came to power and President Dwight Eisenhower enacted its first trade embargo. Ending this sour correlation into a friendlier relationship. In economical terms there many who see Cuba as a potential “Caribbean Taiwan” with easy trade cheap labor and with American investment that can help Cuba grow to a powerful potential. Benefits in political terms could be that with the change that can possibly occur Cuban’s will see the benefits of free trade, entrepreneurship, and democratic ideas that will demand a change in Cuba’s communist political policies. Besides Fidel Castro grows older as the days go by and he will one day pass away, and with the change happening the future leaders will see that democracy and capitalism are more effective then communism.
However these views are perceived very different from the standpoint of American politicians. The American view is that the only way that Cuba will be readmitted to the OAS and the trade embargo from being banished is if Fidel Castro comes down from power and Cuba seizes to remain communist as well as a greater respect and protection of human civil rights. No other country has joined the United States in the trade embargo against Cuba; in fact, the Helms-Burton Act angered nations that do business with Cuba. For example, Canada, Spain, France, and Italy are among Cuba’s top trading partners. Many U.S. lawmakers believe that Castro poses such a threat, thereby giving the United States permission to implement trade sanctions against Cuba. Supporters of the embargo argue that isolating Cuba from the global economy is the most effective way to weaken Castro’s political support, and bring about his resignation or his overthrow, and if the U.S. invest and helps out Cuba we would only be helping Fidel Castro and his communist regime. And that the readmission of Cuba into the OAS is in conflict with the new OAS emphasis on the need to establish the democratic credentials of its members
Every Latin American and Caribbean States do not hold the same perspective that the United States has on the readmission of Cuba to the OAS. Most Latin American countries criticize the U.S policies toward Cuba as out dated and as if they are being treated as if still in the Cold War Era. Also the official position of the OAS reflects that nearly every Caribbean, Latin American country shares the view that political and economic change in Cuba is desirable, and that the best way to encourage change is to readmit Cuba into the OAS and into the hemispheric community. Countries such as Canada, and Mexico big supporters of the reinstating of Cuba to the OAS, as well many foreign investors are taking opportunity of the lack of American intervention and competion of the U.S. and see great opportunities in the Cuban trade market, because of the end of Soviet aid and decades of the U.S. trade embargo. For example, Canadian businesses are benefiting from the lack of competition from the United States. Canadian pharmaceutical companies are marketing Cuban products, Canadian mining companies are developing uninhabited areas in Cuba, and hotel chains are operating state-owned resorts on Cuban beaches. American investors take note of all this and conclude that they are missing out on valuable business opportunities. These nations and the World Trade Organization challenge that the United States has no right to dictate which other countries Cuba can and cannot trade with. Opponents of the U.S. trade embargo point out that crippling the Cuban economy is only bringing great suffering to the Cuban people, not weakening Fidel Castro. They believe that the United States is acting inhumanely by denying people basic essentials like food and medical supplies.
Cuba is one of the few remaining dictatorship communist countries in the world and just like most of the communist countries Cuban communism will one day fall, but in order to make that change The United States has to change its policies towards Cuba. And a way to start is by readmitting Cuba into the Organization of American States. Also that the U.S. trade embargo has proved to be ineffective and inhumane, and since it was imposed 41 years ago Castro is still in power and has applied lesser pressure than American policy makers thought on toppling Fidel Castro form power. If possible I personally that Castro would be in power for another 41 years if he could and if the United States continues the same policies they have applied. Instead the U.S. should allow Cuba to be readmitted in to the OAS, lighten the grip on the trade embargo, and allow the free association with other Caribbean and Latin American countries, that will flood Cuba with free market, entrepreneurship, capitalism and democratic ideas and principles, and Cuban will want and demand change.