U.S. and Cuba Relations

Case 7: U.S. and Cuba Relations

For many decades there have been severe tensions between the United States and Cuba. These tensions trace back all the way to the 1950’s when Fidel Castro overthrew the Batista Government and took control over Cuba. Soon after, Castro and the United States had a series of problems that led to the full trade embargo against Cuba. Almost forty years have passed and there have only been minor changes in the embargo against Cuba. This leads us to the Chapter 7 Case about U.S. and Cuba Relations and where our relations will stand in the future.

In the year of 1959 Fidel Castro overthrew the Batista government in Cuba and began ruling over the nation. This is when the relationship between the U.S and Cuba became sour. Castro began talks of revolutions in other Latin America countries. This did not sit well with the United States and the two countries began a series of actions and counteractions against each other. The Unites States banned the purchase of Cuban sugar and Cuba seized U.S. oil refineries. Cuba then began talks and trades with the Soviet Union, our enemy during the Cold War Era, and this is when the United States implemented the full trade embargo on Cuba.

The case goes on to discuss the three decades of problems the two countries have had. It shows the general disagreement other countries have against the embargo and the division between the citizens of the United States. This case goes on to describe only benefits from allowing normal trade with Cuba and why the embargo is a relic from the cold war. It ended with a quote from Vice President Cheney, that I believe to be true, saying, “As soon as Castro is gone from the scene, there is no reason in the world why we can’t have a really first-class normalized set of relations with Cuba.”

Question 1: Should the U.S. seek to tighten the economic grip on Cuba? If so, why?

I firmly believe that the U.S should tighten the economic grip on Cuba until they