While Cuban human rights activists are getting repressed, violently beaten, and arrested by the hundreds by the brutal Castro dictatorship, one American tourist visited the island’s Potemkin Village and believes he knows all there is to know about Cuba.
It’s time to rethink embargo against Cuba
April 5 — To the Editor:
My recent trip to Cuba for 10 days changed my opinion of what is there and what the United States is doing to make a difficult situation even worse for the citizens of Cuba. The media and politicians have yet to tell us the real story of life in Cuba.
Communism is never good for the citizens. Revolution is difficult for any country. Communism, which followed the 1959 revolution in Cuba, hasn’t worked, and the Castro regime realizes that.
The embargo by the United States is freezing Cuban progress. The U.S. Congress is held hostage by six Florida elected representatives who trade favors for continuation of the embargo. It is ridiculous that Cuba is considered (by the embargo) as one of six terrorist countries.
The Cuba that I saw is clean, without excessive police or military presence, electrified, has effective roadways, (and has an) attractive and friendly population. True, The Revolution and socialism are reinforced by many large billboards, but the people go about their business with a smile and energy. Images of the “colonial rule” by Spain, U.S. industrialists and the U.S. government have been eliminated or sublimated. This is to be expected, if the leaders are to make their goal of an independent and self-sufficient country a reality, they must encourage a fresh start.
The Cuban leaders have a most difficult road ahead. They have a variety of conflictive and inhibiting policies under change and review. But, I learned that this change is under way — and it will take years.
If the United States is truly serious about human rights, then it will relax the embargo and let Cuba be Cuba. After all, England took this approach after our revolution, and it has worked out for most of us. After 200 plus years, the United States is still working to “get it right.” Why not give Cuba a chance? After all, their “evolution from revolution” has had only 60 years.
David Lincoln
Kittery
Like P.T. Barnum said, there’s a sucker, I mean a Cuba expert, born every minute.