Patient in Same Condition: US - Cuba Blockade

Growing Newspapers' Ed-Ops, legislators, religious leaders, artists and filmmakers coming to the Island, loosening for Cuban born to travel and send money, direct  post and phone calls... but the US blockade against Cuba stays as a patient in stable condition: without main signs of change.  

 

Cuba's overseas commercial steps continue targeted and those who dare to challenge the US laws can be even prosecuted.

Only in 2008, the US blockade against Cuba cost to the Caribbean country about 3 000 million dollars, and calculations for almost five decades surpasses the amount of the 96 000 millions.

 

A key indicator is that during Obama's Administration the third part of OFAC's punishment collects are related to Cuban sanctions. (U.S. Treasury-Office of Foreign Assets Control http://www.treas.gov/ofac) 

 

Some people believe that no change in the blockade may represent a main signal  of the real US Gov. policies towards Cuba till present. Although others say that Obama's agenda is plenty of other priorities, such as the war in Irak and Afghanistan, the US Health Care System or the financial crisis.    

 

Nevertheless, many groups of power inside the United States have been putting pressure over the Administration for changing policies regarding the so called "embargo". It has been widely criticized by the United Nations General Assembly and the international community.   

 

If we go to the facts, here are some examples of recent actions which have harmed the Cuban people in some ways:  

 

1. OFAC fined French MGE UPS last July, for selling electronic regulators to Cuba.  

2. OFAC fined Phillips USA in June (more than 100 000 dollars) for sales of medical equipment for Cuba.  An employee travelled without license for commercial purposes.    

3. A company from Texas was fined for selling oil works equipment to a European company that is working in Cuba.  

4.  A Spain based charter company, Hola Airlines, was forced to stop operations in Cuba (a plane rental by Cubana de Aviación for domestic flights) because it was using Boeing technologies. The  fleet's maintenance schedules were in danger if not leaving Cuba.

  Anyway, there are some actions in progress. A report by a Republican minority staff of the U.S. Foreign Relations Senate Committee examined the failure of US Cuba policy and suggested a plan for dismantling the blockade. Although this report repeats many of the same questionable assumptions about Cuba and some myths about US intentions that have sustained that failed policy for 47 years, it's something to take into account.

 

For many people in the United States Cuba is less than a remote issue in mind, but in Cuba, while the U.S. governments stay trying to punish the Island causing hunger, displeasure and economic problems, due to political reasons,  the blockade will continue as a long and painful nightmare.