They already have, it’s called South Florida. I’m sure my Cuban American wife has many views on the subject, but until communism falls nothing will change. Unfortunately, foreign tourists only see one side of life there. They don’t see the food shortages and the oppressive government action. This is true of all countries under a dictatorship.
Correct, he mentions castro is gone but fails to see that the only reason relations are this way is due to the communist party that catro left behind and continues to control cuba, without them gone, there will be no meaningful change or no genuine approach towards the US.
I'm from Cuba, I live in the USA since 2015. It's amazing seeing how well informed you're about Cuba's situation. I was watching your video, and your arguments are 100% accurate. It is good to know that some people, American people, are aware of the current issue with Cuba. 👌👌👌
@@orlandoprieto978 si etes cubano, te llamas orlando prieto y eres de la habana y tu padre fué profesor en orestes acosta. Pues fué mi profesor en 1978, saludos de mi parte.
I live in the suburbs of Miami. Last week, we had some work done at my house and one of the guys had only been in the U.S. for two months after fleeing Cuba. I've never seen such a happy guy in my life. He said he loved everything (especially the ability to buy whatever food you want, whenever you want it, and also freedom of speech, which I found interesting) about the U.S. so far. One day, however, he'd like to visit Costa Rica since he's fascinated by the place. I showed him some pictures from when I was down there a few years ago. He liked the pictures, but more importantly pointed out how incredible the phones here are in terms of apps and capabilities. No geopolitical point to the story beyond the appreciation Cubans would seemingly have for the chance to have a democratic government and be able to develop their OWN indigenous economy. There's a definitely desire by young people to have the same lifestyle as their counterparts 90 miles away. Either way, there's one guy here who's going to be a great American once he becomes a permanent resident/citizen.
@@VisibilityFoggy why should they become Americans, why can't they stay Cubans and get helped to build up their own economy and live in their own country.
@@mendjelire8392 They would if they could. Where are they going to get the arms to oust the current government? The electronic communications capable to organize? The U.S. isn't providing anything. It's a totalitarian state - they've been deprived of the means to oppose the government since 1959 under threat of prison and torture.
@@bluesteel8376 absolutely. A regime change is urgent given the state of the economy and the extreme poverty that those people do not deserve. I pray that they take their time and don't make the mistake of choosing "shock therapy".
saying the US had Cuba as a colony from the Spanish American War until Castro is not exactly accurate. Following the war, U.S. forces occupied Cuba until 1902, when the United States allowed a new Cuban government to take full control of the state’s affairs. As a condition of independence, the United States forced Cuba to grant a continuing U.S. right to intervene on the island in accordance with the Platt Amendment. The amendment was repealed in 1934 when the United States and Cuba signed a Treaty of Relations.
Saying Cuba was a US colony is not even REMOTELY accurate. The actual war authorization from Congress specified that Cuba could NOT be kept as a territory and required Cuba to be made independent after a short transition period during which time a local democratic government would be established. As much as everyone labels this time period America's "imperialist phase", the WHOLE POINT of the war was to secure Cuban independence - and famous anti-imperialists like Mark Twain were the biggest supporters of going to war, for anti-imperialist reasons (Spain was seen as an imperialist power that had overstayed its welcome in the Western Hemisphere).
I am Cuban and I live in Cuba. I can assure you that today our situation, due to a failed political system, is one of Total Ruin, we literally look like a people at war but without it. We have the potential to move forward, as has been demonstrated by all our emigration, which today is the same number of people left living on the island. It is a call for help, today more than ever we need the impulse and support of the USA. Blessings 🌹❤
No, the cars are not Mostly, Soviet cars. The majority of cars in Cuba (from the 50’s) are Americans. And they still work because when you HAVE TO make them work because your live depends on it, you HAVE TO MAKE them work; it’s a survivalist skill, not an EXTRA brain of us Cubans; we wish it wasn’t like that but WE HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE
Im Cuban and I wish Cuba would remain independent. Cuba before fidel was super prosperous. Not just the U.S wants Cuba but Spain wants it back also. Historically certain politicians in Mexico and Colombia also wanted it. So basically everyone wants to own Cuba
Problem is we being independent ruined everything, we let machado, batista then fidel screw us over, i rather become a state and be under the constitution with all the guarantees
@@brolim. manchado wasn’t that bad of a president compared to batista and fidel. Except the fact that he was corrupt (like most men during his time) outside of Cuba. Before that Cuba was still an amazing country and prosperous even under manchado and batista. Fidel came in promising he would make it a democracy and a capillary nation even in his tapes during the revolution. He lied and now Cuba is messed up.
@@Stoicsaiyan while machado developed and modernized cuba, he turned authoritarian and tried to amend the constitution to stay in power, he had to resign and flee the country, batista broke the democratic process as well and that led to fidel, they all had faults, of course the castros being the worst thing in cuban history, and for that i rather annex to the United States
Hi, I am also cuban Bro and I don't know why you said that Cuba is independent now days, when we all know that Cuba belong for decades to URRSS and now days they just do what Putin and his friends wants, so in my opinion this is just a term that the Communists regime make us believe that we are free and independent, I am not saying we should become part of USA, but what we have now its not independence, there is. No freedom, it is nothing there, no even food. But stop saying we are dependents when you are not able to decide your own future, on a dictatorial regimen there is no independence
Cuba has enormous potential for Tourism.. sun, nice temps and miles of prestine beaches. If Cuba "awakens" it would disrupt tourism movements in the the whole caribbean.
Tourism is not always a zero sum game. Look at the idiotic cruise ships. If they added Cuba to the route it would attract more people and benefit the other destinations like the stupid meme, "rising sea floats all boats," though they may not rise equally. You should have mentioned that Cuba's rum production could be bad for competitors.
@@Superidgy we won't. We have more hotels, but the quality of the service is horrible. I work in hotels wen I was younger, there's is barely any food variety (or quantity) for the costumer, and the workers are are obsessed with making sure that the tourist consumes the least amount of food... Because that is the food that they will take home, and is actually the only incentive to work there since salary is merely a "token". And that was like 10 years ago, the stories that my father makes about the state of the Hotel he works are just horrible.
From North Dakota here, sugar beets also tear up the land pretty bad. They suck up a lot of nutrients and the parts left over aren't much or of a high enough quality to decay back into the land. So honestly although the loss of a cash crop would really hurt, losing them probably would be a good thing long term.
No doubt, the US could use some crop diversification of other than what we need for food and corn/soybeans. I don't remember all the sugar laws shit, but we basically aren't allowed to grow sugar cane commercially here.
@@chillxxx241 yeh good ol USA: destabilize another weaker economy , take it over and let someone else do the dirty work and regulations and cash in . USA perfected slavery by enslaving other countries : for ex Marshall plan . For ex Hawaï
I disagree with what you are saying that Cuba was a colony of the United States. According to the history I was taught, the U.S. did help Cuba in gaining its independence from its colonizing country, Spain, but then Cuba was allowed to rule itself. I’m a Cuban American brought as a child to the U.S. in the early seventies. My maternal great-great-grandfather fought as a Mambi on the Cuban side and survived the war. He was then, as a veteran of the war of independence, granted farmland that has to this day remained in the hands of the family. As far as capital dependence, although the United States did have U.S. companies conducting business in Cuba, the Cubans owned plenty of businesses and farmland themselves. After the war of independence many Spaniards from the north of Spain migrated to Cuba and worked very hard and managed to open small businesses that would become lucrative enough for some of them to return to Spain as rich men. They were called Indianos in Spain, my paternal grandfather was one of them. He chose to stay in Cuba and bought a dairy farm where I was born. In those days immigrants not only came from Spain but from other countries, as I understand Cuba had a strong economy, but a drawback was its sometimes volatile politics. The centrales or sugar producing mills were owned by Americans and Cubans as well. By the way I don’t see a problem with the U.S. sugar we have been consuming, it suits me just fine, to me sugar is sugar. However, recently, sugar demand has gone down because of all the negative health effects associated with it. Fruit juice manufacturers have been decreasing sugar content, adding to the lower demand for sugar, if Cuba were to export the gains from it would not be like what they once were. Lastly, those of us outside and in the island who really wish the best for Cuba don’t think about having casinos back in Cuba, but definitely about getting it to produce, whether items or services.
This is my favorite backdrop you have ever filmed at. Wow, that meandering stream in that open pasture is the most beautiful landscape I have ever seen.
@@Doggieman1111 I’ve been many times. It’s naturally beautiful but too many people, roads and structures for my liking. I’ll take remote national forests over a National park any day.
Just a correction Peter, Cuba actually was never a colony of the US for more than like a year, congress decided to immediately give it independence after the war's end. Yes, it was an independence where the US constantly meddled in its affairs but it had sovereignty.
As a Cuban I agree with this, but 1 the Cuban upper class that left after the revolution wants their land back which could cause problems with Cuban integration 2 Cuba as of now is not reformist and doubles down on Marxism Leninism. Most Cubans in reality want to be more like the USA and want name brands and shit but they are brainwashed from a young age and the government is still pretty tough.
Having spent some time in Cuba, I found the people to be wonderful to work with. And I look forward to the day when they indeed are part of the wider world in a meaningful way.
@@jmortier71 Yes because Taiwanese are "fake" happy compared to the real true happiness that the Hong Kongers now enjoy along with the rest of "real" happy average mainland Chinese people not connected to the CCP.
As a member of a Soviet national team, I have competed with Cubans about 40 years ago. We got to talk (all Soviet Bloc countries spoke Russian well enough). We, the Russians left astonished... The Cubans were true Marxist believers! They were the only group of people we have encountered inside or outside Russia that truly believed in the garbage and nonsense that Cubans were spouting. As we discussed it back in our hotel, every one of us was asking: "Don't they see the difference between the propaganda and the reality? Where was that cognitive dissonance that ALL of us knew as the citizens of a Communist countries?". Brainwashing was strong then. Now, who knows?
You’re probably 100% right but in their defense living in the Cuban climate and shitty conditions are probably better than living in Russia in good conditions.
Brainwashing is still strong, I see it in the United States throughout our government run schools and media. The media on paper is "private" but in reality it's in the same spirit as soviet era Pravda. I think the more people tune out to both of these the more reality sets in and they see more of the truth. Still, ritualistic brainwashing through government mandated "education" from the age of 5 to 18 is a very powerful force.
A lot of rain has fallen since. Most Cubans don’t believe in Marxism anymore and the whole system is sustained by the people that recieve bennefits from the govt. pretty much like in final days of the soviet union
I wrote a paper sophomore year of college on the normalization of relations with Cuba. Hit the majority of the your talking points. Got a B. One month later, Obama announced his deal. I asked for a bump up to a 90 on the paper cause I was right with everything I had said. Got told no. Never took a class with that professor again
Trump started a process of normalization with Cuba and the US diplomats were microwaved by the Russians, resulting in Havana syndrome. Russia has always seen Cuba as a vector for strategic depth against the US, and Putin would go to great lengths to sabotage US efforts at establishing better relations with them.
Thanks for talking about Cuba, but could you dedicate a video to the situation of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in economic terms and its future relationship with the United States?
The US relationships with the people and states around the Gulf of Mexico goes back to colonial times. The states there could regard the Monroe Doctrine as protective, but it has usually been a reservation of power to the US as opposed to European colonizing states. As the power of the US has increased, it has, periodically, become hegemonic or outright imperialistic. Some of these people regard the US positively as a source of economic opportunity, while others regard it as a selfish exploiter. It has been both. Books and treatises have been written about it, but PZ, possibly in cooperation, should consider making a video.
Thanks! I enjoy so much listening to you, I know you're more of a globalist type person not a libertarian or conservative but I really enjoy listening to you thank you for all you do and this is just a way of showing my appreciation. God bless.. You're very very intelligent!
I was born in Cuba. Came to the US in 1958, before Castro rolled in to Havana on Jan. 1, 1959. I still have a brother there. Cuba’s biggest problem is the aging Cubans in Miami. They miraculously ALL seem to have owned factories or plantations or hotels that Castro “stole” from them. When the fact is that most were taxi drivers, factory workers, shop owners, etc. For most, their life in the US as refugees far exceeds the standard of living they ever had in Cuba. This Miami Mythology about their lives in Cuba and what was taken from them becomes an obstacle to any meaningful conversation about Cuba’s future and its relationship with the US. They need to get over it and support a future for the next generations of Cubans, who have no beef with America and only want a good job, fair wages, food on the table, and most of all, freedom to live their lives. Lifting the absurdity that is the Embargo is the fastest way to liberate Cuba. The government there doesn’t want it lifted because without it, they will lose all control. Fortunately, those Miami Cuban refugees are aging fast. And their own kids here would welcome a Cuba that you could go visit like the Irish visit Ireland or the Italians visit Italy.
I doubt a Cuban would say that " Cuba’s biggest problem is the aging Cubans in Miami " the younger generations of Cuban Americans respect the Cuban struggle for freedom and vote accordingly
Communist Sympathizer. Not just money and properties stolen but terror , imprisonments, torture etc all for the glory of “the revolution “. There are a lot of revolutionaries and fidelistas both here and over there!!
You forgot to mention that a great deal of sugar in the US comes from high fructose corn syrup, which developed as an industry after the Cuba embargo and is ubiquitous in American food products. As a Midwesterner, I believe many Midwestern corn farmers might be opposed to a deal with Cuba as well. These individuals are very well connected politically. This fact does not fundamentally change the calculus of a deal that you describe, but I believe makes it politically more complicated.
That switch from Cuban cane sugar to HFCS also coincides with America's descent into its current obesity epidemic. Pretty easy to see the correlation. When you factor in the powerful US Senators from those midwestern states that benefit from the embargo, it starts to look less like a battle of political ideology & freedoms and more like basic predatory capitalism.
1. I don’t think you have a home, just a storage area for your stuff (a la George Carlin) while you are on your Walk-about. 2. Back in the 1980’s when I was involved with the Mariel Boatlift there were several political commentators who stated that we dropped the ball with Cuba because we should have made Cuba a Territory and then a State. It could have been a state by the start of WW1. Our issue was the government at the turn of last century was run by WASP’s…z. Bryzensky
Fine cigars, warm temperatures, rum, gambling, sandy beaches, beautiful women, and all the sugar you could want; Even without manufacturing, Cuba would do well integrated with the USA.
And by the way, I am an american citizen born in Cuba with over 57 yrs living in the USA, lived under the Castro dictatorship and experienced the food shortages way back before 1966 when my parents took me out of that imprisoned island, as JFK described it.
I’m Cuban myself born and raised over there until my 15 years of age, now I’m 34 years old and living for the past 14 years of my life here in the United States . Now as both Cuban American I don’t want Cuba to be part of the United States I think every sovereign nation should fix their own problems, but the Cuban like myself who are coming here , yes we should adopt the Culture and laws of the land. I have no problem on Cubans celebrating the way they used to do in Cuba , but always respecting and following the law of the land.
Cuba was never taken as a U.S. colony, but instead was ceded to the U.S. Protectorate under the terms of “Platt Agreement” following the “Treaty of Paris”. The Philippines was the only country ceded to the U.S. as a colony while Puerto Rico & Guam became U.S. Territories even though these two initially were treated as colonies as well. However, Cuba was never treated as a colony because of the “The Teller Amendment” occurring before we even declared war on Spain. The amendment explicitly stated we (U.S.) would not Annex Cuba and recognize their independence once Spain is defeated. Cuba was never a U.S. colony, nor was it initially treated like a colony. The difference between a U.S. colony, territories, commonwealth, freely associated and protectorates is significant as countries may cycle through these states prior to full independence.
And the US Corporation took the best lands and basically stole any resources you will think about !! This is why they got kicked out of Cuba by Castro !!
i met a cuban the other day. And when I suggested the NFL begin to start a farm league there, he went off about his parents and grandparents being stripped of their wealth and the cubans not able to build cars past the 1950s. I realized that there is just a satisfaction with the permanent economic stranglehold on cuban by the west that gives some cuban's great satisfaction/closure. So no, the florida cubans will never allow it.
Peter, you gotta throw the Miami Cuban-Americans in that mix. They are mostly opposed to anything other than forcing the government out, and they are pretty influential in Washington.
And "the mafia never forgets", but it sure seems like everyone else has forgotten that Cuba was a criminal empire totally in the pocket of the US mafia, which ran it like a subsidy, literally delivered suitcases of cash directly to the president, and owned all the sin businesses, from whose crumbs that fell off the mafia table, a good number of the well-off Cubans who fled were dependent.
America only kept Cuba as a colony for a few years and they got independence in 1902. You made it sound like they went from US colonization to Castro. Not so
He is being cheeky and fast and lose with a complicated but in the end subordinate relationship between the various governments in Cuba from 1900 to 1958.
did you keep reading after 1902? It wasn't technically a colony anymore but Cuba couldn't do anything major without US approval. I will help you out a bit. "The 1901 Constitution of Cuba took effect in Cuba on 20 May 1902, and governments operated under it until it was replaced by the 1940 Constitution of Cuba. It was adopted by delegates to a Constitutional Convention in February 1901, but the United States, then exercising military authority over Cuba following the end of Cuba's war for independence from Spain, withheld its approval until the Convention amended the Constitution in June to incorporate language from a U.S. statute, the Platt Amendment, that placed limitations on Cuban sovereignty and provided a legal basis for future U.S. military interventions in Cuba."
Cuba remained an economic colony, where American business could do whatever they wanted, until Castro. If you want to see what the change over looked like, watch Godfather II. (It was you, Fredo!)
I think it's fair to shorten the era of the Platt Amendment, which undermined every Cuban government and led to the US intervening in and occupying the country for years, as well as the US supported first Batista coup, to "they were our colony".
The country has been in a state of more or less fucking itself for a good 2+ decades and a lot of the actual machinery and equipment to extract the oil has been sold or fallen into disrepair
The Cuban population who fled in the 60's are very bitter about the property, and land that was taken away from them. I do wonder if Cuba has the capacity to make the necessary changes.
Their land was taken from them by mafia from the US in the 40s and 50s. There were establishments where Cuban citizens couldn't enter because they were the "wrong" color.
Plus how would they deal with giving the Jewish/Italian/Cuban mafia their criminal run country back? When Cuba was taken over by communists it was taken basically from a cabal of gangsters that controlled every aspect of government and all the commerce that really mattered, casinos, money laundering for the US operations, drugs, prostitution. The gangsters are lining up with their hand out and the mafia never forgets. Plus if anyone thinks that Cubans are going to labor for 10% of what others are getting for more than a nanosecond, they you do not realize that the number one form of suicide in Cuba is from jumping off of their egos.
if I understand it correctly, most of the property would technically be in the hands of the government? save for that which has been transferred to local oligrachs? if that's the case, you only have central and eastern Europe to look to for inspiration. Virtually all countries of the easter bloc had to deal with privatization in some way after the fall of the USSR, and there were numerous schemes to return proeprty to the former owners before they were driven to exile or fled the regime on their own. But yes, not sure if Cuba has the capacity for the same transition, as besically all the former eastern bloc countries had solid democratic foundations before the various communist takeovers.
It might take sometime, however if we could bring in capital, to manufacturing it could very well change things for the better overtime, they have to figure it out on there own.
Cuba, is under the Helms Burton Law since 1996, on which the goverment of Cuba has to go through a democratization process before the US goverment can certify that there was a real transition towards freedom, multiparty elections, etc.
It is a good point,i just want respectfully ask that when you talk about cubans really apoint the comunist party wish is the only 2% of cuban tha have a saying in all matters related to economics and politics the 98% of cubans have no voice or vote and do not support the dictatorship they actually hate the goverment. Another thing before castro cuba was open to every one including american farmers whom owned sugar cane fields, so it could go back to normal in a democracy where american farmers will be welcome to plant sugar cane or whatever they like many american companies where taken by the castros without compensation there for the embargo among other reasons including democracy,the cubans are only here because comunism that's all.
There are a surprising number of flights to Havana from the US, probably 7-8 a day from Miami, 2 from Tampa, and even 1 from Houston. The requirements for US citizens to travel is still limited to things such as educational and journalistic purposes, so I wonder why so many departures.
Just a guess, but Florida is the destination for a huge number of Canadian “snowbirds“. They flock there in the thousands during the winter. Perhaps they, having the freedom to travel to Cuba whenever they wish, are filling those planes. Hi from Canada
Most flights are Cubans with absolutely no dignity at all who go and lower their heads over there. Here in the USA they are loud and obnoxious. Once they are over there, they don’t dare say a word
Floridian here. Don't forget about the exiles in Florida. They still remember their families losing everything and being driven out of Cuba. Remember, the Cuban exiles as well as many Americans lost huge investments in Cuba after the revolution. Thats the reason there has been so much bad blood between the US and Cuba. Many people lost family fortunes in that whole debacle (part of the reason that they famously confiscated Castro's airplane when he came to the US). I think there is going to have to be some kind of massive guarantee that another Castro/Chavez or whatever latin flavor of communism of the week is doesn't come along and destroy everything again. All that being said, I think Peter is right in the fact that Cuba is not going to find an international sponsor willing to sponsor Cuba half a world away, which means, if they want to be anything other than a Caribbean backwater, they're going to have to let bygones be bygones. I could see advantages to re-opening trade with Cuba. yes, Agricultural products here in Florida like Sugar Cane in the Everglades and tobacco would be affected (most tobacco grown for cigars comes from Honduras and Nicaragua now-a-days anyway). But it would be made up for with Tourism and cheap manufacturing. It would be interesting to see Havana open up to the west again.
Any deal with Cuba should result in a full democratic transition of the country. Anything less isn't worth the US's time. Why would the US normalize relations just for the corrupt leaders to remain in power? The US is more than happy to keep the embargo going until the end of time. Ending it should require the needed concession to make it worthwhile.
I left Cuba in 2017. It’s the first time I’ve heard an American actually understand something about Cuba and its current geopolitical situation. Today, there are neighborhoods in Havana that have gone over 80 hours without electricity.
Went to Cuba last year for vacation and was astonished by what I saw. There were a lot of open, public conversations about government reform (more capitalism and less communism). One of the biggest surprises was seeing Cuban citizens who had cellphones with access to Facebook and Instragram! It's no wonder young Cubans are fleeing the country in droves -- because they've seen how the rest of the world lives and they want that kind of life for themselves, too
I’m a Cuban American, graduated from law school in Cuba in 1995 and earned a JD in the EUA in 2012. Thank you for addressing Cuba. It is appreciated to have your knowledge and thoughts about Cuba. Having said that - it is important to remark that Cuba is not a trusted country to invest absolutely anything until the regime in place allows its people to live with dignity and democracy. It will be a blessing to count with the support of the USA but under a capitalistic system of government - where everyone can enjoy fundamental liberties and rights. Right now, the Cuban people are suffering hunger and desperation- they lack absolutely everything - many don’t have even water to drink, there is no electricity, and no food. It is inhuman how they are surviving under the hands of a criminal government that sacrifices de people to stay in power.
I'm a CubanAmerican living in Tampa, Fl. Let's not forget that Cuba was the 4th largest producer and exporter on Niquel. The beaches and keys are outstanding for developing tourism. The cigars are the best in the world. The ground is very fertile. I would like to see that Cuba integrates with the USA becoming another tropical state of the union. May be i'm dreaming.
That’s what the Americans want, they sabotaged the country’s growth so newer generations soften up about an integration with the US, Cuba has always fought for its liberty, and the US has always been more interested in stealing Cuba and turning into their second Hawaii so their old people have a place to retire
Because of Groton, Hampton Roads, Kings Bay, etc., I suspect that the PRC's PLA(N) may soon want to operate submarines, a submarine tender, and maybe a surface warfare group with a tactical aircraft carrier (for tactical force protection for the group), in the western Atlantic, and a base located in Cuba may be very useful in that.
Toured Cuba solo on my bicycle for a month in '04. Was a very interesting and somewhat surreal experience...eg. bumping into what I assumed was a Quebecois biker/gangster on the lam (in Holguin, riding a bright orange blinged-out Goldwing trike). Then there was the army veteran with the huge ugly scar across his midriff and war stories from fighting with the communist side in the Angola civil war. Is a great place to tour on a bike though, if one doesn't mind that there's almost nothing but the very basics to buy. Extremely light traffic!
All of a sudden, Peter forgot about aging demographics and low fertility rate. Once Cuba opens up, it is more likely for it to get empty than to industrialize
@@THUNDERMONK64 These are aged now too. Few are left. Cauba has more land mass than the rest of the Caribbean combined so many healthy solutions exist.
3:38 That would help ease pricing for Food Processing Corporations in the bid to eliminate High Fructose Corn Syrup from out diets but would they take the leap?
Corn is grown at a loss in the US. The government makes up the difference via subsidies. So, corn is way more abundant in the market than it should be leading to a need to find a way to use up the surplus. That surplus lead to us making corn into ethanol for cars, HFC for food, plastic and a thousand other goods. So, to get rid of HFC you need to cut corn subsidies and that's political suicide so it's never going away.
Went to Cuba last year, awesome people. Their current environment makes them hustlers, a lot of them would crush it if they lived in the states. My tour guide in Havana was also much more critical of his government than I expected, had a great chat about the ration system of the country and the book 1984.
if it came to be that Cuba and the US were economic trading partners, first thing Cuba would have to do is ensure the safety of foreigners. Mexico would be much farther along than they are now if they just obliterated the cartels and anyone sympathetic to them. Ensure drunken couples can stumble from the bar to the new Havana Marriott Hotel & Convention Center without getting mugged or stabbed and you would see tourism explode from the US.
The first thing they would have to do is change their government (no easy task) then they would have the luxury of tackling that problem. But that won''t happen anytime soon
You americans cannot even imagine how difficult residing in Cuba is. Many good, smart people in Cuba deserve a better life and actual life opportunities to achieve their full potential.
@@swiftycortex chances the status quo changes is near zero. The Tyranny in Cuba won't fall. And over all it requires the US to be their "enemy" in order to sustain it's internal order. It may looks from time to time they are willing to "change" but is charade, the upper communist class has zero incentive to promote anything that may give yo them having lees power and control. I live inside the island and have experience the repression first hand, can guarantee you, they will not change their current course. US don't really care about Cuba beyond the votes they can get every election cicle. And the Cuban willing to promote change (get rid of the Tyranny) have no actual power to promote their ideas
@@swiftycortex think I wrote a response. Not sure why it doesn't show. Y will try to write down different, and more concise. "The status quo won't change." Neither part as any interest in it.
Just recently, the biggest tourism attraction was a Russian sub that required a support Tug ;) I bet there were more than a few American "Tourists" getting some great shots for "Instagram."
Yeah thats what PR is too, especially after all those hurricanes hit it, Peter is so cute, but he does make some good points when he's actually being objective
“I candidly confess that I have ever looked on Cuba as the most interesting addition which could ever be made to our system of states.” From Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 24 October 1823
@@MLMcNabb It's hard to take Mr. Zeihan seriously when he says something as dumb as sugar from sugar beets is inferior to cane sugar. They are exactly the same thing, sucrose. He's maybe confusing beet sugar with high fructose corn syrup, a sweetener most consider inferior to sucrose.
@@RandomDudeOne he’s talking about the amount of sugar per beer as compared to the amount of sugar per Cain. I’m from a sugar growing region. It takes a lot of work to get sugar out of beets compared to Cain.
Both the Rum and the cigars have been on a downslide since a lot of year ago, for both Nicaragua beat cuba in Rum (flor de cana) y cigars (bunch of artisans cigars)
Enjoyed your video! I'm American of Dominican origin and often wonder, what was the food import situation in Cuba prior to the Revolution? Cuba could have or should have been agriculturally self-sufficient. Another question is, what will be the impact of Cuba opening up on the neighboring economies of the Dominican Republic especially as well as the Caribbean Basin?
Before Castro it was already a tropical Vegas. My grandparents who were lower middle class in the 50's in S. Florida spoke warmly about flying to Havana for a 3 day weekends. Living like royalty in swanky hotels, great food, shows, dancing and gambling. All at a cost even they could afford.
A US-Cuba trade deal would be great! As Peter said, the Cubans are pretty well-educated and they're hard-working too. They're also very culturally-compatible with the US and other Western countries. Being a NZer, I don't know a great deal about the Cubans in Florida (other than that there are a lot of them) but I think they seem to fit in to the local scene there very well. So yeah - I would think that meeting with the Cubans and drafting up at least an "introductory" trade deal shouldn't be hugely difficult some time in the next few years. It would be MUCH easier after the Russian (and hopefully Chinese) government collapses.
The challenge is the Cuba government was wanting to ban Cubans in Miami from doing business in Cuba. Under the law that Cubans cannot own factories. The Cuban government wants the US federal government to sell food and equipment to Cuba, not privately owned businesses.
Insightful comments about US/Cuba thank you Peter. However, the needed changes on both sides could take *decades* to accomplish, despite the clear and compelling arguments for moving in this direction.
Cuba could also clean up if they turn to Medical Tourism. Cuba has a good medical system, and the US has a very expensive one. If Cuba manages to get into the medical tourism industry, it could score a Great windfall.
Not going to happen. US sanctions are some of the major reasons Cuba is poor. They are definitely not getting medical tourism if normal tourism is not allowed.
When I lived in Alaska, a bunch of the guys would vacation down in Mexico and get their dental done while they were down there and the savings paid for the vacation
Algunas aclaraciones: el acercamiento de Cuba a los Estados Unidos fue muy anterior al siglo XIX, comenzando con la colonización de buena parte del territorio de lo que es hoy USA, muchos de esos exploradores partieron desde Cuba, la Florida y Louisiana estuvieron durante mucho tiempo administradas por la Capitania General de Cuba, durante la guerra de independencia de los Estados Unidos una buena parte del dinero con que se financió el ejercito continental salió de una colecta pública en la Habana, el propio George Washington reconoció este hecho, a pesar de que Cuba como país no existía, era un territorio de ultramar del Imperio Español. Cuba se empieza a pensar como país desde la ciudad de New York, donde un grupo de revolucionarios cubanos en la decada de 1840 plantean que Cuba pase a formar parte de la Unión Americana como un estado más, ahí se crea la primera bandera cubana y el escudo, ambos inspirados en las insigneas amercianas, estos revoluciónarios anexionistas cubanos y americanos desembarcan en 1850 en la bahia de Matanzas y es en este lugar donde por primera vez se iza la bandera cubana en territorio nacinal, pero la invasion fue sofocada por las tropas españolas, la guerra de secesión americana acaba con las pretenciones de Cuba a ingresar a la unión ya que Cuba era un territorio netamente agricola y esclavista y se acababa de abolir la esclavitud en los Estados Unidos. En 1868 inician las luchas de la independencia de Cuba y Puerto Rico, todo el material de esta guerra llegó desde los Estados Unidos y el Partido revolucionario cubano que planificó la ultima contienda belica en 1895 radicaba en New York, allí fue donde tambien se crea la bandera de Puerto Rico identica a la de Cuba pero con los colores invertidos en simbolo de hermanadad con los boricuas que habian dado su vida por la libertad de Cuba. Al principio la posicion de los Estados Unidos fue muy tibia, incluso denunciando algunas expediciones cubanas al gobierno español pero en 1898 después de la voladura del buque Maine en la Bahía de La Habana por fin los Estados Unidos intervienen en la guerra, y acaban en 3 meses una lucha que a los cubanos les habia llevado 30 años y mas de 100 mil muertos, los Estaodos Unidos gobiernan Cuba desde 1898 a 1902 cuando le dan su independencia a la isla, con algunas concesiones (la enimenda Platt, que toma el nombre de el cobgresista de los Estados Unidos que la redactó) que permitia a los Estados Unidos a intervenir en la Isla cuando fuese necesario y crear bases militares y carboniferas (una de estas bases aun existe, Guantanamo). En 1906 las tropas americanas vuelven a tomar la isla por porblemas internos hasta 1909 que se retiran de nuevo, y nos es hasta 1934 después de la revolucion contra al aspirante a dictador cubanos Gerardo Machado que se deroga la Enmienda Platt y Cuba pasa a ser un pais soberano e indepentiente, aun asi las relaciones con Estados Unidos eran inpresindibles, el 90% del comercio de Cuba era con este pais y el desarrollo de la Isla fue muy rapido en estos años, llegando a ser el primer pais de Latinoamerica en casi todos los renglones, economia, educacion, salud, tecnología.. los automoviles americanos se vendian primero en Cuba que en los Estados Unidos, la Isla era la protegida de USA y se notaba, el peso cubano tenia el mismo valor del dolar, algo nunca visto en otro pais de latinoamerica, hasta el año de la desgracia 1959 que triunfa la revolucion encabezada por Fidel Castro contra el dictador Fulgencio Batista quien habia dado un golpe de Estsdo en 1952, la revolución castrista en sus inicios no fue comunsita ni marxista, planteaba el restablecimiento de la democracia y de la constitucion de 1940, pero ya en el poder Nunca hicieron las prometidas elecciones, cuando el presidente Eisenhower empezo a presionar a Castro por las elecciones este deside establecer relaciones con los Sovieticos, algo que los americanos no podían permitir en plena guerra fria, y acaban las relaciones diplomaticas con los Estados Unidos cuando Castro comienza a intervenir empresas americanas, en respuesta Estaodos Unidos inicia el mebargo economico contra Cuba y Cuba pasa a ser una neocolonia sovietica e impone su modelo politico y economico, el resto es historia, mas de 65 años de comunismo y miseria, emigracion masiva, mas de 3 millones de cubanos viven hoy en los Estados Unidos el 25% de la poblacion total de la isla, ya Cuba no priduce ni azucar, de los 163 centrales azucareros que heredo el Castrismo en 1859 solo quedan produciendo 6 en 2024, los cubanos soportan apagones electricos 12 horas al dia todos los dias y muchisima miseria y hambre mientras la dictadura que ya no tiene una URSS o una Venezuela que la respalde es cada vez mas rigida y opresiva, el unico futuro posible para el bienestar de Cuba es el fin de la Dictadura Comunsita, el resurgimiento de la democracia y de una economia libre y el restablecimiento de las relaciones comerciales con su Socio Natural durante mas de 300 años, los Estados Unidos de América
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
They already have, it’s called South Florida. I’m sure my Cuban American wife has many views on the subject, but until communism falls nothing will change. Unfortunately, foreign tourists only see one side of life there. They don’t see the food shortages and the oppressive government action. This is true of all countries under a dictatorship.
Correct, he mentions castro is gone but fails to see that the only reason relations are this way is due to the communist party that catro left behind and continues to control cuba, without them gone, there will be no meaningful change or no genuine approach towards the US.
100 percent truth!
You’re right
You are completely right my friend.
Yup as a Cuban American I can ensure you that’s is how it is.
I'm from Cuba, I live in the USA since 2015. It's amazing seeing how well informed you're about Cuba's situation. I was watching your video, and your arguments are 100% accurate. It is good to know that some people, American people, are aware of the current issue with Cuba. 👌👌👌
@@orlandoprieto978 si etes cubano, te llamas orlando prieto y eres de la habana y tu padre fué profesor en orestes acosta. Pues fué mi profesor en 1978, saludos de mi parte.
@@tzadiq1729 soy de Cuba, de La Habana Guanabacoa, mi padre es mecánico de profesion. Saludos!!!!
@@orlandoprieto978 saludos 👍
welcome home
I can’t wait to visit Cuba.
May god hear your words. I’m 29, still live in Cuba, still waiting for something like that to happen…
Im Cuban as well
It's been 65 years, the government isn't going to let go of their power. The youth will have to revolt there's no other way.
Sal de ahí en cuanto puedas. Cuba siempre va a ser como es ahora. No te creas el cuento de que vamos a estar bien.
Never going to happen...
@@jfnorona53 Truer words have never been spoken.
I live in the suburbs of Miami. Last week, we had some work done at my house and one of the guys had only been in the U.S. for two months after fleeing Cuba. I've never seen such a happy guy in my life. He said he loved everything (especially the ability to buy whatever food you want, whenever you want it, and also freedom of speech, which I found interesting) about the U.S. so far. One day, however, he'd like to visit Costa Rica since he's fascinated by the place. I showed him some pictures from when I was down there a few years ago. He liked the pictures, but more importantly pointed out how incredible the phones here are in terms of apps and capabilities. No geopolitical point to the story beyond the appreciation Cubans would seemingly have for the chance to have a democratic government and be able to develop their OWN indigenous economy. There's a definitely desire by young people to have the same lifestyle as their counterparts 90 miles away. Either way, there's one guy here who's going to be a great American once he becomes a permanent resident/citizen.
@@VisibilityFoggy why should they become Americans, why can't they stay Cubans and get helped to build up their own economy and live in their own country.
@@mendjelire8392 They would if they could. Where are they going to get the arms to oust the current government? The electronic communications capable to organize? The U.S. isn't providing anything. It's a totalitarian state - they've been deprived of the means to oppose the government since 1959 under threat of prison and torture.
@@mendjelire8392 Yes, that would be great. There needs to be a change of government though. Right now, living in Cuba sucks.
@@bluesteel8376 absolutely. A regime change is urgent given the state of the economy and the extreme poverty that those people do not deserve. I pray that they take their time and don't make the mistake of choosing "shock therapy".
Why would this person become an American? How were they working here, was it illegally?
I am from North Dakota and Peter is the only 1 who talks about us.
saying the US had Cuba as a colony from the Spanish American War until Castro is not exactly accurate. Following the war, U.S. forces occupied Cuba until 1902, when the United States allowed a new Cuban government to take full control of the state’s affairs. As a condition of independence, the United States forced Cuba to grant a continuing U.S. right to intervene on the island in accordance with the Platt Amendment. The amendment was repealed in 1934 when the United States and Cuba signed a Treaty of Relations.
Yeah they wish it had been a colony now don't they
Saying Cuba was a US colony is not even REMOTELY accurate. The actual war authorization from Congress specified that Cuba could NOT be kept as a territory and required Cuba to be made independent after a short transition period during which time a local democratic government would be established. As much as everyone labels this time period America's "imperialist phase", the WHOLE POINT of the war was to secure Cuban independence - and famous anti-imperialists like Mark Twain were the biggest supporters of going to war, for anti-imperialist reasons (Spain was seen as an imperialist power that had overstayed its welcome in the Western Hemisphere).
@ScottCovertwe could have it now 😂.
@@nerva- Thank you. I was coming here to make the same point, but you did a better job.
Itvwas exactly like that,they put the dictator or goverment of turn,whoever allow to rip apart the country and get lobbies more profits
I am Cuban and I live in Cuba. I can assure you that today our situation, due to a failed political system, is one of Total Ruin, we literally look like a people at war but without it. We have the potential to move forward, as has been demonstrated by all our emigration, which today is the same number of people left living on the island. It is a call for help, today more than ever we need the impulse and support of the USA. Blessings 🌹❤
No, the cars are not Mostly, Soviet cars. The majority of cars in Cuba (from the 50’s) are Americans. And they still work because when you HAVE TO make them work because your live depends on it, you HAVE TO MAKE them work; it’s a survivalist skill, not an EXTRA brain of us Cubans; we wish it wasn’t like that but WE HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE
Great job cubs :)
Im Cuban and I wish Cuba would remain independent. Cuba before fidel was super prosperous. Not just the U.S wants Cuba but Spain wants it back also. Historically certain politicians in Mexico and Colombia also wanted it. So basically everyone wants to own Cuba
Problem is we being independent ruined everything, we let machado, batista then fidel screw us over, i rather become a state and be under the constitution with all the guarantees
@@brolim. manchado wasn’t that bad of a president compared to batista and fidel. Except the fact that he was corrupt (like most men during his time) outside of Cuba. Before that Cuba was still an amazing country and prosperous even under manchado and batista. Fidel came in promising he would make it a democracy and a capillary nation even in his tapes during the revolution. He lied and now Cuba is messed up.
@@Stoicsaiyan while machado developed and modernized cuba, he turned authoritarian and tried to amend the constitution to stay in power, he had to resign and flee the country, batista broke the democratic process as well and that led to fidel, they all had faults, of course the castros being the worst thing in cuban history, and for that i rather annex to the United States
@@brolim. Hey bro , im a cuban living in cuba , and i agree with you
Hi, I am also cuban Bro and I don't know why you said that Cuba is independent now days, when we all know that Cuba belong for decades to URRSS and now days they just do what Putin and his friends wants, so in my opinion this is just a term that the Communists regime make us believe that we are free and independent, I am not saying we should become part of USA, but what we have now its not independence, there is. No freedom, it is nothing there, no even food. But stop saying we are dependents when you are not able to decide your own future, on a dictatorial regimen there is no independence
Cuba has enormous potential for Tourism.. sun, nice temps and miles of prestine beaches. If Cuba "awakens" it would disrupt tourism movements in the the whole caribbean.
As a Canadian: First time?
@@walterpborn9807 broo, the "government" has fill every centimeter of sand with hotels XD.
Tourism is not always a zero sum game. Look at the idiotic cruise ships. If they added Cuba to the route it would attract more people and benefit the other destinations like the stupid meme, "rising sea floats all boats," though they may not rise equally. You should have mentioned that Cuba's rum production could be bad for competitors.
Cuba has an infrastructure problem. They would be a long way away from disrupting Caribbean tourism.
@@Superidgy we won't. We have more hotels, but the quality of the service is horrible. I work in hotels wen I was younger, there's is barely any food variety (or quantity) for the costumer, and the workers are are obsessed with making sure that the tourist consumes the least amount of food... Because that is the food that they will take home, and is actually the only incentive to work there since salary is merely a "token". And that was like 10 years ago, the stories that my father makes about the state of the Hotel he works are just horrible.
From North Dakota here, sugar beets also tear up the land pretty bad. They suck up a lot of nutrients and the parts left over aren't much or of a high enough quality to decay back into the land. So honestly although the loss of a cash crop would really hurt, losing them probably would be a good thing long term.
No doubt, the US could use some crop diversification of other than what we need for food and corn/soybeans. I don't remember all the sugar laws shit, but we basically aren't allowed to grow sugar cane commercially here.
US doesn’t need more subsidies for farming right now. Need to integrate more with are Latin neighbors and drive the Chinese out of the region.
@@chillxxx241 yeh good ol USA: destabilize another weaker economy , take it over and let someone else do the dirty work and regulations and cash in . USA perfected slavery by enslaving other countries : for ex Marshall plan . For ex Hawaï
@@chillxxx241agreed , I have always said Cuba would be a great trade partner and ally. if they got over the communism 😂.
@@gamingforever9121
US trades with communist China
I am from Cuba, but now I am US citizen, I have been living in South Carolina for 10 years, thank you for this video❤
Me too
I disagree with what you are saying that Cuba was a colony of the United States. According to the history I was taught, the U.S. did help Cuba in gaining its independence from its colonizing country, Spain, but then Cuba was allowed to rule itself. I’m a Cuban American brought as a child to the U.S. in the early seventies. My maternal great-great-grandfather fought as a Mambi on the Cuban side and survived the war. He was then, as a veteran of the war of independence, granted farmland that has to this day remained in the hands of the family. As far as capital dependence, although the United States did have U.S. companies conducting business in Cuba, the Cubans owned plenty of businesses and farmland themselves. After the war of independence many Spaniards from the north of Spain migrated to Cuba and worked very hard and managed to open small businesses that would become lucrative enough for some of them to return to Spain as rich men. They were called Indianos in Spain, my paternal grandfather was one of them. He chose to stay in Cuba and bought a dairy farm where I was born. In those days immigrants not only came from Spain but from other countries, as I understand Cuba had a strong economy, but a drawback was its sometimes volatile politics. The centrales or sugar producing mills were owned by Americans and Cubans as well. By the way I don’t see a problem with the U.S. sugar we have been consuming, it suits me just fine, to me sugar is sugar. However, recently, sugar demand has gone down because of all the negative health effects associated with it. Fruit juice manufacturers have been decreasing sugar content, adding to the lower demand for sugar, if Cuba were to export the gains from it would not be like what they once were. Lastly, those of us outside and in the island who really wish the best for Cuba don’t think about having casinos back in Cuba, but definitely about getting it to produce, whether items or services.
Great words! As Cuban I’m happy about people like you that put light on the untold reality about Cuba.
This is my favorite backdrop you have ever filmed at. Wow, that meandering stream in that open pasture is the most beautiful landscape I have ever seen.
You should visit Yosemite (in the off-season). It's astonishing in person.
Its beautiful but nothing beats Peter standing in front of flowing lava in Iceland a few years ago!
Where in the World: Grindavíkurbær, and Taiwan is the title you should check it out! :)
@@antonybax5518 yes
@@Doggieman1111 I’ve been many times. It’s naturally beautiful but too many people, roads and structures for my liking. I’ll take remote national forests over a National park any day.
I’m Cuban and been here for 20 years love this country every thing I have is thanks to this country thank youuuu you got a new follower my friend 👍🏼
Que bola asere
Just a correction Peter, Cuba actually was never a colony of the US for more than like a year, congress decided to immediately give it independence after the war's end. Yes, it was an independence where the US constantly meddled in its affairs but it had sovereignty.
The colony is us...Puerto Rico, even though some people don't like the word colony.
That was so good. I can't get enough of his content and I'm glad to see him putting more stuff out lately.
As a Cuban I agree with this, but 1 the Cuban upper class that left after the revolution wants their land back which could cause problems with Cuban integration 2 Cuba as of now is not reformist and doubles down on Marxism Leninism. Most Cubans in reality want to be more like the USA and want name brands and shit but they are brainwashed from a young age and the government is still pretty tough.
Not many cubans hate the US anymore.
For "Cuban upper class" you should substitute the term "mafia connected" cause that is where all the real money came from in pre-revolutionary Cuba.
You guys aren't our problem.
@@SkyRiver1 that's quite a uneducated and prejudice opinion.
@@JRFO292its not prejudice. Put away your leftist word weapons. 🙄
But it is uneducated.
Having spent some time in Cuba, I found the people to be wonderful to work with. And I look forward to the day when they indeed are part of the wider world in a meaningful way.
Indeed they are. But do we want you change there happiness to thé fake faces in capitalisme ?
@@jmortier71 🤨 sure buddy, where super happy in here, communism is the best...😑, 👍 totally don't want any change.
@@jmortier71 Yes because Taiwanese are "fake" happy compared to the real true happiness that the Hong Kongers now enjoy along with the rest of "real" happy average mainland Chinese people not connected to the CCP.
Except for the US, they can be part of the wider world today and could have yesterday. The block is their government letting them travel
@@jmortier71Your system is great that you have to stop people leaving and capitalism is so terrible that they have to stop people from coming in 😂
As a member of a Soviet national team, I have competed with Cubans about 40 years ago. We got to talk (all Soviet Bloc countries spoke Russian well enough). We, the Russians left astonished... The Cubans were true Marxist believers! They were the only group of people we have encountered inside or outside Russia that truly believed in the garbage and nonsense that Cubans were spouting. As we discussed it back in our hotel, every one of us was asking: "Don't they see the difference between the propaganda and the reality? Where was that cognitive dissonance that ALL of us knew as the citizens of a Communist countries?". Brainwashing was strong then. Now, who knows?
You’re probably 100% right but in their defense living in the Cuban climate and shitty conditions are probably better than living in Russia in good conditions.
Cubans do not get an education, instead they get a good thorough brainwashing to insure obedience. Marxism a la Nazi Germany.
Brainwashing is still strong, I see it in the United States throughout our government run schools and media. The media on paper is "private" but in reality it's in the same spirit as soviet era Pravda. I think the more people tune out to both of these the more reality sets in and they see more of the truth. Still, ritualistic brainwashing through government mandated "education" from the age of 5 to 18 is a very powerful force.
I had heard that most Russians never believed the Soviet propaganda. What was the saying? "In Truth there in no news, in News there is no truth?"
A lot of rain has fallen since. Most Cubans don’t believe in Marxism anymore and the whole system is sustained by the people that recieve bennefits from the govt. pretty much like in final days of the soviet union
The man is a geopolitical artist at this point. I came to be informed and I was both informed and entertained. I salute you sir!
I wrote a paper sophomore year of college on the normalization of relations with Cuba. Hit the majority of the your talking points. Got a B. One month later, Obama announced his deal. I asked for a bump up to a 90 on the paper cause I was right with everything I had said. Got told no. Never took a class with that professor again
Trump started a process of normalization with Cuba and the US diplomats were microwaved by the Russians, resulting in Havana syndrome. Russia has always seen Cuba as a vector for strategic depth against the US, and Putin would go to great lengths to sabotage US efforts at establishing better relations with them.
Yes, very sad. Anyway...
Obama was wrong though. America forgets that they invaded Cuba and got driven out. The Cubans however, haven't.
Classic mistake of using critical thinking rather than just repeating lefties talking points.
How do you know that you got a B because of your talking points and not because it was poorly written?
Cuba libre! My wife is from Cuba she has told me everything that is awful in Cuba, she is grateful to live in the United States.
Q bola asere
Thanks for talking about Cuba, but could you dedicate a video to the situation of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in economic terms and its future relationship with the United States?
PR is doing find. The end.
@@dwightk.schruteiii8454 Sure glad they are doing find. Because they sure aren't doing fine.
@@dwightk.schruteiii8454 If you consider an employment rate of 40.5% and roughly 16% of those being government jobs then they are just peachy.
We need to make Puerto Rico an independent country, as they are a drag on the United States.
The US relationships with the people and states around the Gulf of Mexico goes back to colonial times. The states there could regard the Monroe Doctrine as protective, but it has usually been a reservation of power to the US as opposed to European colonizing states. As the power of the US has increased, it has, periodically, become hegemonic or outright imperialistic. Some of these people regard the US positively as a source of economic opportunity, while others regard it as a selfish exploiter. It has been both. Books and treatises have been written about it, but PZ, possibly in cooperation, should consider making a video.
Thanks! I enjoy so much listening to you, I know you're more of a globalist type person not a libertarian or conservative but I really enjoy listening to you thank you for all you do and this is just a way of showing my appreciation. God bless.. You're very very intelligent!
Hello Peter.
Great content.
Hello from Australia 🌏🦘
I was born in Cuba. Came to the US in 1958, before Castro rolled in to Havana on Jan. 1, 1959. I still have a brother there. Cuba’s biggest problem is the aging Cubans in Miami. They miraculously ALL seem to have owned factories or plantations or hotels that Castro “stole” from them. When the fact is that most were taxi drivers, factory workers, shop owners, etc. For most, their life in the US as refugees far exceeds the standard of living they ever had in Cuba. This Miami Mythology about their lives in Cuba and what was taken from them becomes an obstacle to any meaningful conversation about Cuba’s future and its relationship with the US. They need to get over it and support a future for the next generations of Cubans, who have no beef with America and only want a good job, fair wages, food on the table, and most of all, freedom to live their lives. Lifting the absurdity that is the Embargo is the fastest way to liberate Cuba. The government there doesn’t want it lifted because without it, they will lose all control. Fortunately, those Miami Cuban refugees are aging fast. And their own kids here would welcome a Cuba that you could go visit like the Irish visit Ireland or the Italians visit Italy.
I doubt a Cuban would say that " Cuba’s biggest problem is the aging Cubans in Miami " the younger generations of Cuban Americans respect the Cuban struggle for freedom and vote accordingly
A bit narrow perspective of the problem, very simplistic!
Well said 👍
Communist Sympathizer. Not just money and properties stolen but terror , imprisonments, torture etc all for the glory of “the revolution “. There are a lot of revolutionaries and fidelistas both here and over there!!
One could suggest that the Cubans stiffing every trade partner they've ever had may be a part of Cuba's trade problem.
You forgot to mention that a great deal of sugar in the US comes from high fructose corn syrup, which developed as an industry after the Cuba embargo and is ubiquitous in American food products. As a Midwesterner, I believe many Midwestern corn farmers might be opposed to a deal with Cuba as well. These individuals are very well connected politically. This fact does not fundamentally change the calculus of a deal that you describe, but I believe makes it politically more complicated.
I'm surprised by what Peter said, cane sugar isn't allowed in the USA? Do you know about this?
Good point that is a powerful lobby.
Lobby that made USA turn cirn to ethanol using natural gas.
Corn syrup is toxic and should be banned
@@Clyman974 Given that cane sugar is produced in the US (Hawaii), this is false.
That switch from Cuban cane sugar to HFCS also coincides with America's descent into its current obesity epidemic. Pretty easy to see the correlation. When you factor in the powerful US Senators from those midwestern states that benefit from the embargo, it starts to look less like a battle of political ideology & freedoms and more like basic predatory capitalism.
1. I don’t think you have a home, just a storage area for your stuff (a la George Carlin) while you are on your Walk-about. 2. Back in the 1980’s when I was involved with the Mariel Boatlift there were several political commentators who stated that we dropped the ball with Cuba because we should have made Cuba a Territory and then a State. It could have been a state by the start of WW1. Our issue was the government at the turn of last century was run by WASP’s…z. Bryzensky
Polish WASP?
@@VancouverInvestor Oops, typo, fixed now.
Cuba had the choice to become a territory and Jose Marti wanted to be sovereign so that's why Cuba didn't become a territory like Puerto Rico.
Fine cigars, warm temperatures, rum, gambling, sandy beaches, beautiful women, and all the sugar you could want; Even without manufacturing, Cuba would do well integrated with the USA.
And Coffee as well
And by the way, I am an american citizen born in Cuba with over 57 yrs living in the USA, lived under the Castro dictatorship and experienced the food shortages way back before 1966 when my parents took me out of that imprisoned island, as JFK described it.
Let's hope that happens sooner than later. I've been to Cuba and the people need a better life.
Maybe you should look into how many sanctions have been placed on Cuba by US causing them not able to have a better life.
I’m Cuban myself born and raised over there until my 15 years of age, now I’m 34 years old and living for the past 14 years of my life here in the United States . Now as both Cuban American I don’t want Cuba to be part of the United States I think every sovereign nation should fix their own problems, but the Cuban like myself who are coming here , yes we should adopt the Culture and laws of the land. I have no problem on Cubans celebrating the way they used to do in Cuba , but always respecting and following the law of the land.
Cuba was never taken as a U.S. colony, but instead was ceded to the U.S. Protectorate under the terms of “Platt Agreement” following the “Treaty of Paris”. The Philippines was the only country ceded to the U.S. as a colony while Puerto Rico & Guam became U.S. Territories even though these two initially were treated as colonies as well. However, Cuba was never treated as a colony because of the “The Teller Amendment” occurring before we even declared war on Spain. The amendment explicitly stated we (U.S.) would not Annex Cuba and recognize their independence once Spain is defeated. Cuba was never a U.S. colony, nor was it initially treated like a colony. The difference between a U.S. colony, territories, commonwealth, freely associated and protectorates is significant as countries may cycle through these states prior to full independence.
Territory is just a legal term for colony.
And the US Corporation took the best lands and basically stole any resources you will think about !!
This is why they got kicked out of Cuba by Castro !!
@@tytania3545
”Cuba was never taken as a U.S. colony”
Cuba has always been treated by the U.S. as a colony.
@@asdrubalanibal6853 When did I say otherwise?
@asdrubalanibal6853 I'm Puerto Rican. When I say that territory is a pretty word for colony, you don't understand?
Your work and insights are fantastic! Thanks so much---Please, please keep going.
@6:52 as a lot of Canadians are probably saying:
Well there goes the neighbourhood
Some of us here in the US are thinking the same thing, too!
How does he pull off these uploads from mountains?? Love it
Easy. He films in the mountains and then uploads when he gets back to civilization.
i met a cuban the other day. And when I suggested the NFL begin to start a farm league there, he went off about his parents and grandparents being stripped of their wealth and the cubans not able to build cars past the 1950s. I realized that there is just a satisfaction with the permanent economic stranglehold on cuban by the west that gives some cuban's great satisfaction/closure. So no, the florida cubans will never allow it.
Fascinating Analysis!!!
Peter, you gotta throw the Miami Cuban-Americans in that mix. They are mostly opposed to anything other than forcing the government out, and they are pretty influential in Washington.
They create the possibility of making one state a swing state. I don’t see what other traction they really gain
And they are right
@@dynamicascension981 yeah. It's just barely enough to upkeep the status quo.
And "the mafia never forgets", but it sure seems like everyone else has forgotten that Cuba was a criminal empire totally in the pocket of the US mafia, which ran it like a subsidy, literally delivered suitcases of cash directly to the president, and owned all the sin businesses, from whose crumbs that fell off the mafia table, a good number of the well-off Cubans who fled were dependent.
Not least of which is the fact that Florida is a swing states in most elections now.
More primary research from Peter Zeihan, this time on Cuba, investigating Cuban geopolitics by wandering around Yosemite.
Yep, the only thing worse is people who visit a country once or twice and think that it makes them an expert on that country😂
America only kept Cuba as a colony for a few years and they got independence in 1902. You made it sound like they went from US colonization to Castro. Not so
He is being cheeky and fast and lose with a complicated but in the end subordinate relationship between the various governments in Cuba from 1900 to 1958.
did you keep reading after 1902? It wasn't technically a colony anymore but Cuba couldn't do anything major without US approval. I will help you out a bit. "The 1901 Constitution of Cuba took effect in Cuba on 20 May 1902, and governments operated under it until it was replaced by the 1940 Constitution of Cuba. It was adopted by delegates to a Constitutional Convention in February 1901, but the United States, then exercising military authority over Cuba following the end of Cuba's war for independence from Spain, withheld its approval until the Convention amended the Constitution in June to incorporate language from a U.S. statute, the Platt Amendment, that placed limitations on Cuban sovereignty and provided a legal basis for future U.S. military interventions in Cuba."
Cuba remained an economic colony, where American business could do whatever they wanted, until Castro. If you want to see what the change over looked like, watch Godfather II. (It was you, Fredo!)
The US was a great supporter of the dictators in Cuba until Castro.
Cuba does have a world class medical system.
I think it's fair to shorten the era of the Platt Amendment, which undermined every Cuban government and led to the US intervening in and occupying the country for years, as well as the US supported first Batista coup, to "they were our colony".
Excellent Episode 👍
What happened to their gas trade from Venezuela? You said it's "about gone" but what do you mean by that? Is the gas gone or what?
The country has been in a state of more or less fucking itself for a good 2+ decades and a lot of the actual machinery and equipment to extract the oil has been sold or fallen into disrepair
I think he means the deal, I don't think Venezuela ran out of oil
Cuban here. Listen to this man. He knows his stuff
The Cuban population who fled in the 60's are very bitter about the property, and land that was taken away from them. I do wonder if Cuba has the capacity to make the necessary changes.
Their land was taken from them by mafia from the US in the 40s and 50s. There were establishments where Cuban citizens couldn't enter because they were the "wrong" color.
"The Cuban population who fled in the 60's ..." are actually mostly all dead now. Do the math.
Plus how would they deal with giving the Jewish/Italian/Cuban mafia their criminal run country back? When Cuba was taken over by communists it was taken basically from a cabal of gangsters that controlled every aspect of government and all the commerce that really mattered, casinos, money laundering for the US operations, drugs, prostitution. The gangsters are lining up with their hand out and the mafia never forgets. Plus if anyone thinks that Cubans are going to labor for 10% of what others are getting for more than a nanosecond, they you do not realize that the number one form of suicide in Cuba is from jumping off of their egos.
if I understand it correctly, most of the property would technically be in the hands of the government? save for that which has been transferred to local oligrachs? if that's the case, you only have central and eastern Europe to look to for inspiration. Virtually all countries of the easter bloc had to deal with privatization in some way after the fall of the USSR, and there were numerous schemes to return proeprty to the former owners before they were driven to exile or fled the regime on their own. But yes, not sure if Cuba has the capacity for the same transition, as besically all the former eastern bloc countries had solid democratic foundations before the various communist takeovers.
It might take sometime, however if we could bring in capital, to manufacturing it could very well change things for the better overtime, they have to figure it out on there own.
As a Cuban I must say, this video is very accurate! 🤜🏻🤛🏻
Cuba, is under the Helms Burton Law since 1996, on which the goverment of Cuba has to go through a democratization process before the US goverment can certify that there was a real transition towards freedom, multiparty elections, etc.
Does Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE are und r Helms Burton laws too ? I mean theres is no democracy there.
It is a good point,i just want respectfully ask that when you talk about cubans really apoint the comunist party wish is the only 2% of cuban tha have a saying in all matters related to economics and politics the 98% of cubans have no voice or vote and do not support the dictatorship they actually hate the goverment. Another thing before castro cuba was open to every one including american farmers whom owned sugar cane fields, so it could go back to normal in a democracy where american farmers will be welcome to plant sugar cane or whatever they like many american companies where taken by the castros without compensation there for the embargo among other reasons including democracy,the cubans are only here because comunism that's all.
Thank you very much this give us hope!
There are a surprising number of flights to Havana from the US, probably 7-8 a day from Miami, 2 from Tampa, and even 1 from Houston. The requirements for US citizens to travel is still limited to things such as educational and journalistic purposes, so I wonder why so many departures.
Maybe they make exceptions for relatives?
Planes full of spooks?
Seriously? The largest population of Cubans in the U.S. is 1.2 million in the Miami area. They are allowed to fly back to their home country.
Just a guess, but Florida is the destination for a huge number of Canadian “snowbirds“. They flock there in the thousands during the winter. Perhaps they, having the freedom to travel to Cuba whenever they wish, are filling those planes. Hi from Canada
Most flights are Cubans with absolutely no dignity at all who go and lower their heads over there. Here in the USA they are loud and obnoxious. Once they are over there, they don’t dare say a word
Floridian here. Don't forget about the exiles in Florida. They still remember their families losing everything and being driven out of Cuba. Remember, the Cuban exiles as well as many Americans lost huge investments in Cuba after the revolution. Thats the reason there has been so much bad blood between the US and Cuba. Many people lost family fortunes in that whole debacle (part of the reason that they famously confiscated Castro's airplane when he came to the US). I think there is going to have to be some kind of massive guarantee that another Castro/Chavez or whatever latin flavor of communism of the week is doesn't come along and destroy everything again.
All that being said, I think Peter is right in the fact that Cuba is not going to find an international sponsor willing to sponsor Cuba half a world away, which means, if they want to be anything other than a Caribbean backwater, they're going to have to let bygones be bygones. I could see advantages to re-opening trade with Cuba. yes, Agricultural products here in Florida like Sugar Cane in the Everglades and tobacco would be affected (most tobacco grown for cigars comes from Honduras and Nicaragua now-a-days anyway). But it would be made up for with Tourism and cheap manufacturing. It would be interesting to see Havana open up to the west again.
Any deal with Cuba should result in a full democratic transition of the country. Anything less isn't worth the US's time. Why would the US normalize relations just for the corrupt leaders to remain in power? The US is more than happy to keep the embargo going until the end of time. Ending it should require the needed concession to make it worthwhile.
@@HisShadow agree 💯
Exactly, the sooner they ditch socialism the sooner we can talk about them having a seat at the table
For cheap labor 15 minutes away.
@anthonyml7 can you give a definition of socialism off the top of your head?
Yep. I mean look at the US relationship with Saudi. Definitely not run by corrupt leaders and fully democratic.
I left Cuba in 2017. It’s the first time I’ve heard an American actually understand something about Cuba and its current geopolitical situation. Today, there are neighborhoods in Havana that have gone over 80 hours without electricity.
Went to Cuba last year for vacation and was astonished by what I saw. There were a lot of open, public conversations about government reform (more capitalism and less communism). One of the biggest surprises was seeing Cuban citizens who had cellphones with access to Facebook and Instragram! It's no wonder young Cubans are fleeing the country in droves -- because they've seen how the rest of the world lives and they want that kind of life for themselves, too
They've been on Facebook & Instagram for a while now & the internet has been around for almost a decade.
You got the wrong impression about young people in Cuba. Everybody wants to escape from it, or escaped already(just like me).
@@juanmiguelosorioparra1094 That’s what the person sais is that people are fleeing Cuba.
I’m a Cuban American, graduated from law school in Cuba in 1995 and earned a JD in the EUA in 2012. Thank you for addressing Cuba. It is appreciated to have your knowledge and thoughts about Cuba.
Having said that - it is important to remark that Cuba is not a trusted country to invest absolutely anything until the regime in place allows its people to live with dignity and democracy.
It will be a blessing to count with the support of the USA but under a capitalistic system of government - where everyone can enjoy fundamental liberties and rights.
Right now, the Cuban people are suffering hunger and desperation- they lack absolutely everything - many don’t have even water to drink, there is no electricity, and no food. It is inhuman how they are surviving under the hands of a criminal government that sacrifices de people to stay in power.
I'm a CubanAmerican living in Tampa, Fl. Let's not forget that Cuba was the 4th largest producer and exporter on Niquel. The beaches and keys are outstanding for developing tourism. The cigars are the best in the world. The ground is very fertile. I would like to see that Cuba integrates with the USA becoming another tropical state of the union. May be i'm dreaming.
If they can hurry up and learn English, maybe
I’m pretty sure the confederates had the same plan that you do, never get around to it quite though Some pressing issues at home.
Seriously 😂@@SeanEustace-zk3mc
That’s what the Americans want, they sabotaged the country’s growth so newer generations soften up about an integration with the US, Cuba has always fought for its liberty, and the US has always been more interested in stealing Cuba and turning into their second Hawaii so their old people have a place to retire
Yeah, that is a dream, I don't think it will happen.
Love your videos Peter, but this was one of the more interesting ones. Well done.
Peter please address the Jelqing incident within the Kremlin!
huh😭
Because of Groton, Hampton Roads, Kings Bay, etc., I suspect that the PRC's PLA(N) may soon want to operate submarines, a submarine tender, and maybe a surface warfare group with a tactical aircraft carrier (for tactical force protection for the group), in the western Atlantic, and a base located in Cuba may be very useful in that.
Toured Cuba solo on my bicycle for a month in '04. Was a very interesting and somewhat surreal experience...eg. bumping into what I assumed was a Quebecois biker/gangster on the lam (in Holguin, riding a bright orange blinged-out Goldwing trike). Then there was the army veteran with the huge ugly scar across his midriff and war stories from fighting with the communist side in the Angola civil war. Is a great place to tour on a bike though, if one doesn't mind that there's almost nothing but the very basics to buy. Extremely light traffic!
Totally with Peter on this one. Many benefits ahead.
All of a sudden, Peter forgot about aging demographics and low fertility rate. Once Cuba opens up, it is more likely for it to get empty than to industrialize
You make it a territory like PR and you’ll have a bunch of gringo-cuban baby’s running around.
I think you mean “gentrified”
Poor Cubans would leave Cuba. And middle class Cuban Americans would "take back what's theirs".
@@THUNDERMONK64lol. Sure dude. You will be the low income worker in the resorts. Exploited like the Mexicans are by America.
@@THUNDERMONK64 These are aged now too. Few are left. Cauba has more land mass than the rest of the Caribbean combined so many healthy solutions exist.
Fingers crossed!
They can at least teach us how to keep our cars running
Cuba shall remain a republic for eternity my friend. But thanks for the invite
3:38 That would help ease pricing for Food Processing Corporations in the bid to eliminate High Fructose Corn Syrup from out diets but would they take the leap?
Big food/big corn has a ton of influence in DC both in ag and from food & grocery mfgrs. They line a lot of pockets and finance campaigns.
Corn is grown at a loss in the US. The government makes up the difference via subsidies. So, corn is way more abundant in the market than it should be leading to a need to find a way to use up the surplus. That surplus lead to us making corn into ethanol for cars, HFC for food, plastic and a thousand other goods. So, to get rid of HFC you need to cut corn subsidies and that's political suicide so it's never going away.
NO! Absolutely NOT!
Peter, there are a LOT of sugar beets grown around Twin Falls, Idaho. There's a HUGE sugar beet processing plant in Twin Falls, Amalgamated Sugar.
We should have made a video for Cuba rather than North Korea lol
👌
Thanks Peter.
There are still places in the world that doesn't know that the Cold War is over
Went to Cuba last year, awesome people. Their current environment makes them hustlers, a lot of them would crush it if they lived in the states. My tour guide in Havana was also much more critical of his government than I expected, had a great chat about the ration system of the country and the book 1984.
Less wind, but more bugs on his shoulder
A bit of a change in mindset for Cuba? Understatement of the year.
if it came to be that Cuba and the US were economic trading partners, first thing Cuba would have to do is ensure the safety of foreigners. Mexico would be much farther along than they are now if they just obliterated the cartels and anyone sympathetic to them. Ensure drunken couples can stumble from the bar to the new Havana Marriott Hotel & Convention Center without getting mugged or stabbed and you would see tourism explode from the US.
The first thing they would have to do is change their government (no easy task) then they would have the luxury of tackling that problem. But that won''t happen anytime soon
Cuba is safe for Canadian and European.
A downside to links with USA is guns and drugs.
You americans cannot even imagine how difficult residing in Cuba is. Many good, smart people in Cuba deserve a better life and actual life opportunities to achieve their full potential.
Cuban here. Won't happen.
Thanks for the input. So you disagree that Cuba won't integrate with America?
Why do you think this?
Thanks for the input. So why do you think it won't happen?
@@swiftycortex chances the status quo changes is near zero.
The Tyranny in Cuba won't fall. And over all it requires the US to be their "enemy" in order to sustain it's internal order. It may looks from time to time they are willing to "change" but is charade, the upper communist class has zero incentive to promote anything that may give yo them having lees power and control. I live inside the island and have experience the repression first hand, can guarantee you, they will not change their current course.
US don't really care about Cuba beyond the votes they can get every election cicle.
And the Cuban willing to promote change (get rid of the Tyranny) have no actual power to promote their ideas
@@swiftycortex think I wrote a response. Not sure why it doesn't show. Y will try to write down different, and more concise.
"The status quo won't change."
Neither part as any interest in it.
@JRFO292 so Cubans still want to be under the trade embargo?
Very realistic view of possible events
Here I was thinking Cuba’s biggest industry was cigar manufacture.
In all reality, it's tourism, from everyone in the world but the US.
@@asterixkyyea when I went I was surprised by the amount of Europeans there. Especially eastern.
Just recently, the biggest tourism attraction was a Russian sub that required a support Tug ;)
I bet there were more than a few American "Tourists" getting some great shots for "Instagram."
Turn into a tropical Vegas, wasn't that part of the reason they had a revolution in the first place 😅
It’s cigar rum sugar and coffee. Also tourism
Bringing Cuba into the USMCA....appreciate your perspective, Peter! Also, as another said, the tourism potential is enormous.
5:24. “I have no doubt that it’ll turn into a tropical Vegas”. Kinda like the Cuba of the 1950’s. Sure, Peter.
Yeah thats what PR is too, especially after all those hurricanes hit it, Peter is so cute, but he does make some good points when he's actually being objective
I'm pretty certain your snark is not a counter argument. It's only snark. Which is meritless.
Maybe in 100 years.
“I candidly confess that I have ever looked on Cuba as the most interesting addition which could ever be made to our system of states.” From Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, 24 October 1823
You are forgetting tobacco. Cuba sells every cigar they can roll, even with no access to the US market.
Doesn’t hold a match to the sugar numbers.
Everyone eats sugar.
Minority of the world population smokes cigars.
Sugar is king. Cigar production in Cuba has dropped.
@@MLMcNabb It's hard to take Mr. Zeihan seriously when he says something as dumb as sugar from sugar beets is inferior to cane sugar. They are exactly the same thing, sucrose. He's maybe confusing beet sugar with high fructose corn syrup, a sweetener most consider inferior to sucrose.
@@RandomDudeOne he’s talking about the amount of sugar per beer as compared to the amount of sugar per Cain.
I’m from a sugar growing region.
It takes a lot of work to get sugar out of beets compared to Cain.
Perhaps it would get easier to diversify their economy (or forced to do so regardless) once part of the wider market.
let me know when ou want to go hike the mountains in BC
So Cuba should integrate with Mexico 🤔
AMLO was working on that. :)
The carrels would love the additional farmland and a whole new route to the states.
I would argue the cartels are steps ahead of that already lol
@@emceeboogieboots1608 it would end turning in Cuba in to a Narco state no thanks.
Bring subtitles back please 🙏🙏
turn them on yourself. click on the white block that has cc inside of it, lower right hand corner.
@@joe18750 Thank you, though I believe those are auto-generated and may have errors. It would be nice to have dedicated subtitles
Don't forget the cigars😁
Rum
Both the Rum and the cigars have been on a downslide since a lot of year ago, for both Nicaragua beat cuba in Rum (flor de cana) y cigars (bunch of artisans cigars)
@@tioopuh When both can be sold here in the US, there will be a run for those markets.
Enjoyed your video! I'm American of Dominican origin and often wonder, what was the food import situation in Cuba prior to the Revolution? Cuba could have or should have been agriculturally self-sufficient. Another question is, what will be the impact of Cuba opening up on the neighboring economies of the Dominican Republic especially as well as the Caribbean Basin?
"Venezuelan oil is almost gone" ??? 1.5 Trillions barrels of crude oil gone overnight?
OK...
He also said in a video that China is collapsing. This dude doesn't know what the hell he's talking about.
He meant production capacity
But he said completly different @@emmanueljosuecasasmora2797
Totally agree with you
1:00 Hahaha Hahaha Hahaha Hahaha.
No heads up on the fart down under Peter. 😮😅😊😊😊😊
Good on you mate.
He dealt it,
I felt it.
I think it resonated up to the left shoulder. 🤔 😂😢😊
My college professor cited your book for his global business class today!!!
Tropical Vegas? So, Micheal Corleone was just 60-70 years early.
Before Castro it was already a tropical Vegas. My grandparents who were lower middle class in the 50's in S. Florida spoke warmly about flying to Havana for a 3 day weekends. Living like royalty in swanky hotels, great food, shows, dancing and gambling. All at a cost even they could afford.
Interesting info! Thank you
A US-Cuba trade deal would be great!
As Peter said, the Cubans are pretty well-educated and they're hard-working too.
They're also very culturally-compatible with the US and other Western countries.
Being a NZer, I don't know a great deal about the Cubans in Florida (other than that there are a lot of them) but I think they seem to fit in to the local scene there very well.
So yeah - I would think that meeting with the Cubans and drafting up at least an "introductory" trade deal shouldn't be hugely difficult some time in the next few years. It would be MUCH easier after the Russian (and hopefully Chinese) government collapses.
Everything you said was true in the 80s and 90s. This last generation might as well be Venezuelans. Don't ask how I know.
@@nobodynever7884im curious 🌝
The challenge is the Cuba government was wanting to ban Cubans in Miami from doing business in Cuba. Under the law that Cubans cannot own factories. The Cuban government wants the US federal government to sell food and equipment to Cuba, not privately owned businesses.
Insightful comments about US/Cuba thank you Peter. However, the needed changes on both sides could take *decades* to accomplish, despite the clear and compelling arguments for moving in this direction.
Cuba could also clean up if they turn to Medical Tourism. Cuba has a good medical system, and the US has a very expensive one. If Cuba manages to get into the medical tourism industry, it could score a Great windfall.
the cuban medical industry is not great, it is cheap and not expensive doesnt mean great quality.
@@matthewgaudet8001 They lack resources but they have very good doctors and nurses.
Not going to happen. US sanctions are some of the major reasons Cuba is poor. They are definitely not getting medical tourism if normal tourism is not allowed.
When I lived in Alaska, a bunch of the guys would vacation down in Mexico and get their dental done while they were down there and the savings paid for the vacation
Very interesting!
Cuban here, 30 years living in the USA
Algunas aclaraciones: el acercamiento de Cuba a los Estados Unidos fue muy anterior al siglo XIX, comenzando con la colonización de buena parte del territorio de lo que es hoy USA, muchos de esos exploradores partieron desde Cuba, la Florida y Louisiana estuvieron durante mucho tiempo administradas por la Capitania General de Cuba, durante la guerra de independencia de los Estados Unidos una buena parte del dinero con que se financió el ejercito continental salió de una colecta pública en la Habana, el propio George Washington reconoció este hecho, a pesar de que Cuba como país no existía, era un territorio de ultramar del Imperio Español. Cuba se empieza a pensar como país desde la ciudad de New York, donde un grupo de revolucionarios cubanos en la decada de 1840 plantean que Cuba pase a formar parte de la Unión Americana como un estado más, ahí se crea la primera bandera cubana y el escudo, ambos inspirados en las insigneas amercianas, estos revoluciónarios anexionistas cubanos y americanos desembarcan en 1850 en la bahia de Matanzas y es en este lugar donde por primera vez se iza la bandera cubana en territorio nacinal, pero la invasion fue sofocada por las tropas españolas, la guerra de secesión americana acaba con las pretenciones de Cuba a ingresar a la unión ya que Cuba era un territorio netamente agricola y esclavista y se acababa de abolir la esclavitud en los Estados Unidos. En 1868 inician las luchas de la independencia de Cuba y Puerto Rico, todo el material de esta guerra llegó desde los Estados Unidos y el Partido revolucionario cubano que planificó la ultima contienda belica en 1895 radicaba en New York, allí fue donde tambien se crea la bandera de Puerto Rico identica a la de Cuba pero con los colores invertidos en simbolo de hermanadad con los boricuas que habian dado su vida por la libertad de Cuba. Al principio la posicion de los Estados Unidos fue muy tibia, incluso denunciando algunas expediciones cubanas al gobierno español pero en 1898 después de la voladura del buque Maine en la Bahía de La Habana por fin los Estados Unidos intervienen en la guerra, y acaban en 3 meses una lucha que a los cubanos les habia llevado 30 años y mas de 100 mil muertos, los Estaodos Unidos gobiernan Cuba desde 1898 a 1902 cuando le dan su independencia a la isla, con algunas concesiones (la enimenda Platt, que toma el nombre de el cobgresista de los Estados Unidos que la redactó) que permitia a los Estados Unidos a intervenir en la Isla cuando fuese necesario y crear bases militares y carboniferas (una de estas bases aun existe, Guantanamo). En 1906 las tropas americanas vuelven a tomar la isla por porblemas internos hasta 1909 que se retiran de nuevo, y nos es hasta 1934 después de la revolucion contra al aspirante a dictador cubanos Gerardo Machado que se deroga la Enmienda Platt y Cuba pasa a ser un pais soberano e indepentiente, aun asi las relaciones con Estados Unidos eran inpresindibles, el 90% del comercio de Cuba era con este pais y el desarrollo de la Isla fue muy rapido en estos años, llegando a ser el primer pais de Latinoamerica en casi todos los renglones, economia, educacion, salud, tecnología.. los automoviles americanos se vendian primero en Cuba que en los Estados Unidos, la Isla era la protegida de USA y se notaba, el peso cubano tenia el mismo valor del dolar, algo nunca visto en otro pais de latinoamerica, hasta el año de la desgracia 1959 que triunfa la revolucion encabezada por Fidel Castro contra el dictador Fulgencio Batista quien habia dado un golpe de Estsdo en 1952, la revolución castrista en sus inicios no fue comunsita ni marxista, planteaba el restablecimiento de la democracia y de la constitucion de 1940, pero ya en el poder Nunca hicieron las prometidas elecciones, cuando el presidente Eisenhower empezo a presionar a Castro por las elecciones este deside establecer relaciones con los Sovieticos, algo que los americanos no podían permitir en plena guerra fria, y acaban las relaciones diplomaticas con los Estados Unidos cuando Castro comienza a intervenir empresas americanas, en respuesta Estaodos Unidos inicia el mebargo economico contra Cuba y Cuba pasa a ser una neocolonia sovietica e impone su modelo politico y economico, el resto es historia, mas de 65 años de comunismo y miseria, emigracion masiva, mas de 3 millones de cubanos viven hoy en los Estados Unidos el 25% de la poblacion total de la isla, ya Cuba no priduce ni azucar, de los 163 centrales azucareros que heredo el Castrismo en 1859 solo quedan produciendo 6 en 2024, los cubanos soportan apagones electricos 12 horas al dia todos los dias y muchisima miseria y hambre mientras la dictadura que ya no tiene una URSS o una Venezuela que la respalde es cada vez mas rigida y opresiva, el unico futuro posible para el bienestar de Cuba es el fin de la Dictadura Comunsita, el resurgimiento de la democracia y de una economia libre y el restablecimiento de las relaciones comerciales con su Socio Natural durante mas de 300 años, los Estados Unidos de América