News from an embargoed island
Regardless of whether you support or not support the US trade embargo on the Castro regime, newly-released figures confirm what many of us have known for some time - it's not much of an embargo.
According to statistics published today by the regime in Havana, those evil, capitalist Americans have now become Cuba's fifth largest trading partner, behind Venezuela, China, Canada and Spain.
During 2007, the Cuban government bought goods worth USD582 million from US businesses, mainly agricultural and other primary producers - an increase of about USD100 million over the previous 12 months.
So much for the US trade embargo imposed in 1962 by then president John F Kennedy ...
By the way, the figures also confirm that the Castro brothers continue to depend on foreigners for the supply of even the most basic of goods - Cuba imported goods worth USD10 billion during 2007 but managed to export only USD3.7 billion of Cuban made goods.
According to statistics published today by the regime in Havana, those evil, capitalist Americans have now become Cuba's fifth largest trading partner, behind Venezuela, China, Canada and Spain.
During 2007, the Cuban government bought goods worth USD582 million from US businesses, mainly agricultural and other primary producers - an increase of about USD100 million over the previous 12 months.
So much for the US trade embargo imposed in 1962 by then president John F Kennedy ...
By the way, the figures also confirm that the Castro brothers continue to depend on foreigners for the supply of even the most basic of goods - Cuba imported goods worth USD10 billion during 2007 but managed to export only USD3.7 billion of Cuban made goods.
posted by Luis M Garcia at 10:32 am
4 Comments:
Under the laws of Washington's blockade, Cuba is not permitted to sell any goods and services to its nearest and most natural market, the United States.
If Cuba could sell its agricultural commodities, coffee, tobacco, sugar, and so much more, it could certainly earn far, far more foreign exchange in the U.S. market with three hundred million people.
Venezuela, China, Canada and Spain. Such lovely, kind, humanitarian people, who obviously have only Cuba's best interests at heart. Accomplices and vile opportunists, you say? Well, it all depends on one's perspective, doesn't it? You know, like pedophiles, who can always find a way to rationalize, I mean explain, their, uh, practices.
Luis, are those figures in US or international "billions"? In the USA a billion is one thousand millions (ten figures, e.g. $1,000,000,000 ) while the international or non-US billion is one million millions ( thirteen figures, e.g. $ 1,000,000,000,000) I ask because you are based in Australia, but I'm not sure if you Aussies use the US figures or not, or a hybrid system as in Cuba and Puerto Rico. Thanks Luis.
Dear Anonymous,
Not sure whether they are "big" billions or not. In Australia, one billion represents a thousand million.
Regards - and thank you for visiting.
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