Today, there are two Cubas existing side by side. As the political winds may push for normalization of this country’s relations with Cuba, supporters of free trade describe Cuba as a nation in transition. They contend that Cuba, no longer an exporter of terrorism, is a nation with both a growing entrepreneurial spirit and a large unsatisfied base of consumers craving to elevate their situation from a society of impoverished workers to what we Americans regard as a middle class. Their expectation is that Cubans will no longer be forced to make do with household appliances, cars and other consumer goods and materials that predate the Cuban revolution. From this, these supporters conclude that there are great economic opportunities as Cuba’s population transitions to a 21st century life style.

Opponents describe Cuba as a nation that continues to subject its population to authoritarianism. The current regime continues to subject the average Cuban to a lifestyle at little better than subsistence levels. The nation has a terrible record on human rights. Cuba’s use of two separate currencies, one for tourism and an internal currency for its workers, precludes any economic benefit from American investments. From this, these supporters conclude that there is a gloomy prospect of investment success, pointing to the results achieved by Spanish and Canadian investors in Cuban businesses. The only success is the exportation of Cuban national resources, including Cuban tobacco and spirits worldwide.

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