Putin wins. Again. (A critique of the new misguided Cuba policy.)
Think about it. If you were to concoct a plan to make super-duper sure that Cuba returns to the Russian sphere, what better way than to solidify U.S. as the enemy?
What President Trump and his cronies – including the Florida fools – are doing with Cuba is painful and sad to watch. He is giving Cuba back to Russia. Nada mas.
Quick summary: The Trump administration is enforcing an internationally questionable – and never before enforced – part of the infamous Helms*-Burton Act. (For the young ones: Jesse Helms was a South Carolina Senator who was an admitted racist.) Title 3 of the Act basically gives American citizens the right to sue the users of property confiscated by Castro and his cronies in the early days of the Revolution.
Clarification: The Act does not apply to residential property or governments; only corporate business interest. Clarification too: Given international law, only corporate assets in the U.S. can be seized. This means that Russia cannot be sued for their use of land previously owned by American corporations in Cuba where they built their failed nuclear plants. This means China cannot be sued for building infrastructure in Cuba in property previously owned by American Corporation. Additionally, companies that have no assets in the U.S. cannot be sued. However, our friends’ developments in Cuba (i.e.: Spain, France, and Canada) can certainly be sued… Talk about a nice plan to screw your friends, create chaos, and help Russia! Wow. Brilliant.
And then there are the other two specific ways that Trump is ‘putting the squeeze’ on Cuba: Limit remittances and scale back who can travel to Cuba.
Today there is no limit to the remittances relatives can send Cuba family in the Island. Folk have been able to support their ‘familia’ back home during the past few years by providing for everything from kitchen sinks to money for essentials… Moving forward, no more – or at least, much less.
Today, many Americans travel to Cuba, most with the sincere intention of helping the Cuban people (though inevitably having to shore up the government there in some ways.) Visiting Cuba is like going to a plantation to hang out with the slaves. You can do only what the masters let you do. But still, the slaves welcome your visit and thank you for it… Moving forward, no more – or at least, much less.
Talk about a nice plan to hurt the Cuban people and create anger at the U.S. – just like Russia would want it! Wow. Brilliant.
Any expectation that these draconian measures are going to make the Cuban people rise up and revolt against the Revolution is pure fantasy. Purely idiotic. Pure insanity… It is what was done for 50+ years. And it did not work. Now we are going to revert back to that?
This will help no one – except of course, the Russians. The Cuban government is left with no choice but to welcome them back in full force. The Trump administration’s strong arm tactics leave the Cuban government no alternative but to welcome Russia back into Cuba with open arms… Just like Putin ordered. Than you Trump.
It is so sad to see the Cuban exile community in Miami – particularly our elders – being played as pawns in this ‘game’. It is so sad to see them – many in their 70s and 80s – applaud this Trojan Horse of a policy. It is so sad to see them gullibly swallow the false narrative that Obama’s policy let to Cuba strengthening Venezuela… It is all so sad.
… All we can do at this point is count on the bureaucratic incompetence of this Administration and play them with their own rules… And continue making plans and meandering to the bureaucracy to continue going to Cuba. Don’t let the fools in this Administration scare you into reconsidering. The Cuban people need us to go.
And, lest we forget: This nightmare can end in 18 months. This nightmare can end in November of 2020. This nightmare can end by voting these fools out of office. #RESIST