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© Thomson Reuters 2022.Cuba asks for U.S. technical assistance in oil fire clean-up
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© Thomson Reuters 2022.
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Desert Tortoise
Become a daily reader of Al-Jazeera and Reuters. It was well covered. CBS News in the US covered it too.
William Bjornson
Hmm, the U.S. may have to officially admit despite having an embassy there, after 60+ years, that there is, in fact, a 'Cuba' and it has Cuban People who need the U.S.' help. Cuba has been singularly successful in resisting CIA efforts at 'regime change' and much of that is due to remaining memories of the absolute corruption and inhumanity that U.S. organized crime, U.S. Corporations most notably sugar producers, the U.S. government, and their own psychopaths brought to the people of Cuba prior to Dr. Fidel Castro's successful and highly popular campaign to remove these elements from power over the Cuban People. The dictator who controlled the Cuban government (see: Fulgencio Batista) and was put in place by help from the U.S. government escaped to Portugal and his followers and criminal henchmen largely migrated to southern Florida (see: Marco Rubio). Much pressure from Big Agra, among others (see: rightwing 'Commie' haters), keeps Cuba on the list of America's 'enemies' because the price of sugar and the income of Corporate American sugar producers would be greatly affected if cheap Cuban sugar, their main export, were to once again be importable into the U.S., also tobacco and coffee, and Cuba would compete strongly with American Corporate tourist destinations in the Caribbean for the tourist trade. Albeit some thaw in relations has occurred between the U.S. and Cuba, the relationship is strained and the U.S. still keeps its bootheel on the Cuban economy. If one cared to understand the Cuban system, its world famous healthcare might be a place to start:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthcare_in_Cuba
PTownsend
Long, long passed time to end these sanctions, the US has let a minority of its population, in this case mainly far right supporters of the deposed US backed far right dictator Batista, along with other right wing Republicans, harm Cuba. The Castros have been no saints, but the Cuban people should not have to be punished any longer. Open trade with Cuba!
UChosePoorly
Agree, PTownsend. I don't have anything against Cuba. Pretty sure most Americans don't.
sethwright
Send help immediately. This is an opportunity to build better relations.
Laguna
Now is the time to right Cuban-American relations: the right president and a non-political issue to jointly work on. Nixon went to China. Maybe Biden will visit Havana in his second term.
WA4TKG
Yup, this happened weeks ago and they REFUSED any assistance.
Now they’re begging for it. My old employer KBR of Houston will likely be who helps them out…”A Day Late”
WA4TKG
PoorChoice; think again. Ask a Cuban residing in the US what they think of Cuba.
I’m sure you’ll get a different answer.
u_s__reamer
Hey Joe, do what's right! For all the years of suffering inflicted by America's "big stick" the USA owes the people of little Cuba big time!
Mocheake
I agree wholeheartedly. Time to end the sanctions too. Russia and China are the main Communist countries but we don't sanction them in the same way. The Cuban people are the only one hurt by sanctions.
Yrral
Cuban in Miami do not run all of America,they run nothing outside Florida
theFu
This has been well covered in the US as a tragedy.
Where are China, Russia and Venezuela to help? The Cuban govt made their choice and has stuck with it for 57 yrs.
There is little need to have any relations with Cuba for the US.
If the Cuban govt really cared about their people, they'd allow elections with more than 1 person on the ballot. They wouldn't crush free speech, lock up political prisoners for 30+ yrs, and allow protests against bad govt policy.
https://freedomhouse.org/country/cuba/freedom-world/2021
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/latin-american-politics-and-society/article/abs/authoritarian-regimes-and-their-permitted-oppositions-election-day-outcomes-in-cuba/3F9E5B1A4EB059A316A9AB2BB0628216
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-60764403 - Jailed 30 yrs.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-61793239 - Jailed 25 yrs.
As for US helping Cuba with an oil depot crisis, the US should help, for a price. That price should be valid, open, elections with multiple parties and drafting a democratic constitution. Hopefully, they can do better than the US Constitution and keep more social programs since most Cubans are very poor. Environment stuff will pollute the entire Gulf, so the US, Mexico, and other Caribbean islands should help. Would be good if Russia, China, and Venezuela helped too, but they won't.
The Cuban people who I know are amazing, full of life, love their culture and still maintain ties to their families on the island. The long-time Cubans in America overwhelmingly want more pressure on the Cuban govt, but they also want fewer sanctions. I don't see how more pressure, but fewer sanctions is possible, without violence, which isn't on the table.
Silvafan
This seems like a good opportunity to open a channel for better relations and dialogue with Cuba. Biden can continue the steps laid out by former President Obama that were purposely sabotaged by the failed president #45 to somehow erase former President Obama's accomplishments. Ironically, #45 cemented President Obama's legacy!
Instead of trying to get revenge on Obama, #45 could have gone either further with building relations with Cuba, taken full responsibility and made presidential history with something positive for his presidential museum. Instead, he will be known for letting COVID-19 spread, 2 impeachments, insurrection, obstruction, tax fraud, and theft of classified material.
Because of Cuba's isolation, they have been forced to be more self-sufficient with less resources to work with. Despite their challenges, there is a lot to be desired in their healthcare industry.
theFu
What would be the "win" for the US in this? Good will from a communist govt? Hardly worth it.