In 1959, the Cuban people were filled with hope when it seemed that for the first time they would have a chance at freedom and be able to determine their own destiny. Unfortunately, the “Cuban Revolution” would have been more accurately termed the “Castro Revolution.” Instead of seizing an opportunity to provide the people of Cuba with freedom, he installed himself as a dictator while using the title of president of Cuba. The US has maintained that until Cuba is a country where Cubans can choose their own destiny, it will not lift the embargo placed upon the country. The government has suppressed peace movements such as the ladies in white. The Cuban government persecutes people for not aligning with it’s own views and disregards human rights. For this reason, the US should keep the embargo in place until the Cuban government reforms its policies and offers more freedom to its citizens. This essay looks at the history that led to the current situation, and argues that given how things are still being run in Cuba, it is in the best interest of human rights to keep this embargo in place.
In 1959 Fidel Castro led a rag-tad band of rebels and overthrew the Batista regime. They then executed 500 of Batista’s supports (Suddath, 1). Initially the US was in support of the Regime, though wary about these executions. The arms embargo they imposed against the Batista regime helped Fidel Castro and his guerilla army overthrows the government. Three months after he came to power, he was invited to come to the United States where he met with then Vice President Nixon. This was the last time that the US and Cuba had diplomatic relations (Suddath, 1).
The 1962 Embargo that President Kennedy issued on February 7, 1962 was in response to specific actions taken by the Cuban government led by Fidel Castro. Castro’s government took private land, nationalized US companies that had holdings in Cuba and raised taxes on American products so much that in two years United States exports to Cuba were reduced 50% in the two years since Castro came to power (Corbett, 56-63).
Proof of the sordid conditions under the Castro regime came in 1980, during some of the most difficult economic times in Cuba, the Cuban government relaxed their travel policy for citizens wanting to leave and over 100,000 Cubans left for good (Corbett, 60). Yet this has since been restricted.
The human rights abuse of the Castro regime has been well documented. It is well beyond the scope of this essay to explore each case individually. But the following example gives a good idea of what groups seeking justice face within Cuba. One of the most significant cases of civil rights abuse in Cuba has been the persecution of La Damas De Blanco, which in English translates to The Ladies in White. The Ladies in White are an oppositional group of women who represent relatives of people that the Cuban government has jailed. They dress in white in order to symbolize peace. Their protest is simple, since in a country like Cuba any overt protest of the government would be put down with force. ON Sunday mornings the women where white dress and then walk silently through town in this color. In 2005 the European Parliament awarded these women the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought for their efforts to promote peace (European Parliament News, 1). While this is a peaceful protest group, the government has continually harassed them, with some members jailed for their actions (Tamayo, 1). When members of the Ladies in White wanted to become involved in a campaign to distribute toys to children police responded this way: “Police also have warned several Ladies in White members Friday to stay away from the event Saturday or face arrest” (Tamayo, 1). When interviewed by the European Press one Lady in White, Berta Soler said, “Freedom is when you can move and express yourself. It is religious freedom and also freedom of association and meeting. We do not have it in Cuba and all human beings must be free, without obstacles from a totalitarian regime. There are many men and women in prison. And we are seeking for moral and spiritual support from freedom lovers” (European Parliament News, 1).
It is not just Cubans who suffer from the totalitarian regime that runs their government. There is an American Citizen who has been jailed in Cuba for helping a Jewish community. Alan Philip Gross was arrested in 2009 in Cuba while he was working as a U.S. government contractor for USAID. His crime was apparently that he brought phones and computers to the country without a permit that netted him a 15-year sentence. While there has been a lot of political support from congress, and a letter written by Gross was published in the Washington Post, he has yet to be freed. According to the Washington Post, “His continued imprisonment comes as the administration has eased restrictions on American travel to Cuba and held direct negotiations over a range of issues, including immigration, postal services and cooperation on possible oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico and the Straits of Florida” (DeYoung, 1). So as the US is loosening its policy towards Cuba, Cuba has not shown any steps in taking reciprocal steps. Gross it seems is a victim of a large political game and was unaware that his actions could lead to his imprisonment, “The suit contended that Gross, who does not speak Spanish, was not informed of the possible danger of the mission and was left poorly prepared” (DeYoung, 1).
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a US representative from Florida supports continuing the embargo with Cuba. She believes that it is the only way to send a strong message that the US supports freedom and does not support dictatorships. She said in a speech, “In addition to imposing economic pressure on the Castro regime and holding it accountable for actions against U.S. interests, the embargo is a moral stance against the brutal dictatorship.” (Cuba-Embargo, 1).
Many people are under the incorrect impression that the reason the US has an embargo against Cuba is because the country communist. They argue that this is not fair since China is also community and the US continues to trade with them. But as has been outlined in this essay. The reasons for the Embargo against Cuba are more complicated than this. They have to do with the fact that Castro had an opportunity to build a free society, but instead he kept all power to himself and restricted the economic freedom of the citizens of Cuba. The US has shown its sympathy for Cuban citizens by providing aid during natural disasters. It has also shown sympathy by providing aid for refugees from Cuba who land in Florida. The United States government has nothing against the Cuban people. Indeed, it has their interests in mind. One of those interests is their freedom. By lifting the Embargo against Cuba this will only provide more resources and financial power to a regime, which is fundamentally opposed, to human rights. While the Embargo has lasted now for almost half a century, it provides an ongoing incentive for Cubans to strive towards a freer society.
Economically, everyone on both sides of the aisle would benefit if the Embargo against Cuba were lifted. But there are stakes in this case, which are greater than financial stakes. From the persecution of peaceful protestors, to the imprisonment of a US citizen, the Cuban government has shown continued impunity when it comes to human rights and justice. Supporting lifting the Embargo without first demanding reformation would be sitting on the wrong side of justice. With Raul Castro now acting for his ailing brother Fidel, and with both brothers in their 80s, there is hope that after the Castros leave power in Cuba the government might open up to the point of making the necessary changes that the United States demands of them. The US is not dictating how Cubans run their country, only demanding that Cubans have a say in that decision. As long as the US stands for freedom and Cuba denies this to it’s people, the Embargo should remain in place.
Works Cited
"Cuba Embargo - ProCon.org." ProConorg Headlines. Web. 14 Nov. 2014. <http://cuba-embargo.procon.org/>.
"Cuban Attacks on Ladies in White Must Stop Immediately." Human Rights First. Web. 14 Nov. 2014. <http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/press-release/cuban-attacks-ladies-white-must-stop-immediately>.
"Cuban Police Seize Toys That Dissidents Planned to Donate to Children." Miamiherald. Web. 14 Nov. 2014. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/article1958944.html
Corbett, Ben This Is Cuba: An Outlaw Culture Survives. Westview Press. 2002. Print.
Suddath, Claire. "U.S.-Cuba Relations." Time. Time Inc., 15 Apr. 2009. Web. 14 Nov. 2014. <http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1891359,00.html>.
