Russia writes off 90% of Cuba's debt ahead of Putin's 'big tour' to L. America

Russia has written down $32 billion of Cuba’s Soviet era debt. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the law ahead of his official visit to Latin America, with Havana as his first stop.

Cash-strapped Cuba has been feverishly trying to restructure its debt to jump start its economy and attract investment. Three years ago it restructured $6 billion it owes to China, and in 2012 Japan forgave about $1.4 billion.

Mexico recently forgave $478 million of Cuban debt, and Havana agreed to pay back $146 million over 10 years.

Russia writes off 90% of Cuba's debt ahead of Putin's 'big tour' to L. America

As all of you know, the USA has blockaded Cuba for half a century. The Soviet Union was a major trading partner of Cuba, but when the USSR collapsed, the USA refused to lift the blockade on Cuba, trying to crush the country so it could institute regime change.

I have met and engaged in dialogue with top Cuban officials before, and they all share the same views of what problems face their country. The main problem is of course their economy. They have to depend on tourism because the blockade cuts off commodity exchange with other countries on a significant scale. All problems with Cuba originate from the USA, ranging from the blockade, to terrorists based in Florida.

But while the USA still refuses to cooperate with Cuba, other countries have stepped up and done the opposite. They actually forgive Cuba's debts in an attempt to strengthen Cuba's economy. With no austerity programs.

Why does the USA still persist in oppressing the sovereignty of Cuba?

a reply to: Vovin
Personally I think opening up trade to Cuba would hasten its "regime change" pretty quick.
However, OP leaves out the fact that Cuba has been controlled by a very violent, oppressive regime beholden to an outdated ideology responsible for more deaths than any single other religion within a similar span of time (because religion is what it is).
As for Putin, let's identify that his moves toward Cuba and Latin America are not from the kindness of his heart but from an ice cold strategy of creating a new power balance as the U.S. has been showing great international weakness the last few years. The same can be said for China. Putin seeks to bring Russia back as a major global player and China has been doing the same for a couple of decades now.
The manufactured narrative of USA as a villain is getting pretty old these days, esp. in light of looking objectively at a bigger picture of world events.
But the best way to destroy collectivism in a communist or socialist order is to expose it to free markets and the bounty they generally bring to most in society. So I say "Let's do business, Cuba"

As all of you know, the USA has blockaded Cuba for half a century.

As much as I can't stand Russia,and Cuba.

What a joke.

Cuba is bad because they were communists ! ! !

China is good and they are communists ! ! ! !

If one is bad then both are bad.

The American government shouldn't get to pick and choose which communists are bad.

Either both are, or neither are.

Anyone sees the similarities with Israel and gaza crisis ? Some do see clearly what happens far far away but can´t see the same in their very own doorsteps. Can´t see the forest from its trees...

They should pay back WW2 penalties which Finland paid, back to Finland as the war was started by Russia. Then we could talk about being honest and making things right.

Russia is just posturing for a little empire building...

One of the problems with big government, it does move with a lot of force but it can be a slow old thing at times. The Korean war was at the tail of WW2, ended in a ceasefire but a peace treaty is still lacking. It sounded like things where getting better with Russia when the cold war ended and economic troubles where bad. Now sanctions with France over a navy contract? France have been making boats for long time, makes good boats and Russia want some, is that really worth a sanction? Is the US and Russia at war? America is a crazy place, god help us all.

a reply to: neo96

You are sooo behind the times with what is really happening in China my dude. The two really aren't comparable. Beyond that USSR wasn't really the "enemy" because of communism I don't think, but just because they were the other super power with Nuclear capabilities and aggressive attitudes toward us. I think the hating communism was just an excuse to get the American people on board with what they wanted us to think. In that sense we could continue cold war ramp ups and proxy wars.

For instance look at Saudi Arabia. They aren't communist, but they aren't Democratic Republic either in the essence that we are. Yet they are an ally in spite of it. I don't think I need to elaborate on their true intentions, which I don't really know anyway.

But I will agree that I don't understand the continued blockade and attitude towards Cuba, unless it is just left over hurt feelings or something. I stopped paying intense attention to World politics a long time ago.

originally posted by: Vovin

Why does the USA still persist in oppressing the sovereignty of Cuba?

There's only one real reason why the blockade is still in place. Florida is a swing state, and has a large voting populations of Cuban immigrants and Cuban immigrant descendents. Large enough that if they could have a visible effect on how Florida swings when it comes to presidential elections. No politician wants to risk swinging Florida away from them in order to end the blockade.

a reply to: tebyen

If Florida has a large Cuban voting population, then would they not prefer better relations with Cuba? Why would Cuban immigrants want a blockade with Cuba?

a reply to: neo96

Oh God...I just gave you a star for that post. I feel dirty.

a reply to: kwakakev

Because most of the Cuban population in Florida are anti-Castro. So they prefer the blockade to remain to hurt the Cuban government.

a reply to: kwakakev
I think they are saying a whole lot of cubans that came here, might just pack it up and head back home if it improved,to the family they left behind. Could be wrong of course.

Yep I was wrong apparently lol.

The whole thing sounds a bit coco bananas.

Sure the is some anti Castro sentiment around. Had the impression things have been gradually changing since his bother or some relation took over a few years ago.

originally posted by: kwakakev
The whole thing sounds a bit coco bananas.

Sure the is some anti Castro sentiment around. Had the impression things have been gradually changing since his bother or some relation took over a few years ago.

Things have been changing ever since the revolution. Too bad American news hasn't reported any updates since the Bay of Pigs.

By the way, I find it very interesting how much Cuba has affected American politics. After all, JFK was assassinated because he wasn't willing to back up the Bay of Pigs invasion. Makes you think about Obama not backing up proxy forces in Syria.

a reply to: neo96

Evaluate each situation on it's own specific and unique merits. It is not a matter of "What "Club" do you belong to". The economic opportunities for Americans and Cubans alone is worth exploring.

a reply to: Vovin

Pretty open dealings though...not how we do things.

Robles: You just mentioned Karzai. I was just reminded about his recent revelation that he’d been receiving garbage bags full of money from the CIA for over a decade.

www.globalresearch.ca...

a reply to: Char-Lee

The Cuban revolution itself was blowback against the US-backed dictator Batista, who sustained Cuba as a whorehouse and mafia outpost for American criminals and businessmen.

The Cuban revolution was never meant to be modelled after Communism. Like most South American leftist revolutions, it was socialist in terms of social policies, but nationalist in terms of economy. The Cuban culture is inherently socialist, which is why it was always a popular revolution.

The only true aspect of communism that was meant to be enforced was a single-class society, in terms of individual wealth. This is what scared a lot of the exiles away, because they had profited so much from class exploitation and corruption under Batista.

But the other communist aspects emerged in direct reaction to the American blockade. These "blockades" and "sanctions" are always designed to pressure a population into producing regime change that is favourable to the USA, because the revolution had ousted American or pro-American puppets (a good example is Iran, or even North Korea).

But the Cubans wanted the revolution, and never wanted to revert back into an American protectorate state. If a population is being pressured from being surrounded by external forces, then their politics becomes more serious and isolationist, for survival.

In Cuba's case, they moved towards more communistic practices because of two reasons: it was a viable way to sustain themselves as an isolated country, and because the only power willing to cooperate with them was the USSR.

For Cuba, it turned out to be a very good transformation. There are social realities in Cuba that people in the USA or even Canada (my country) could never manifest. A lot of it has to do with culture and geography and population, but for Cuba this cultured means of sustaining themselves quite beautifully.

Cuba has managed to undergo a green agricultural revolution, while advanced countries play around with GMO crops just to achieve the same results. They have proven the more is less, and that capitalism is highly inefficient when the free-market is expected to supply the essentials like food, healthcare and education.

The most fascinating thing that I find about Cuba is how easy it is to become a doctor or a professor, but only to make less money than a cab driver or barista. This is, of course, due to the dual currency, which is in part due to Cuba depending on the tourist industry as its mainstay of its economy.

Last time I met the Cuban ambassador (to Canada), he was describing the new economic transformation policies that the Cuban government was working on. They decided that they want to allow entrepreneurs to start up small businesses.

Now, it is important to know the reason behind this. It is because the Cuban state is required, by constitution, to provide jobs to all Cubans. However, with Cuba's economic situation, this had led to arbitrary bureaucratic problems. For instance, seven people may be employed to sit around in an office doing the work that one employee could do. So the new policy will allow Cubans to open up their own businesses (specifically in service industries) so they can take the stress off of overemployment by the state. Essentially it is controlled economy still, but with room for Cubans to start their own businesses.

I travelled around Cuba just a couple of months ago on holiday - it's an amazing place! The people are lovely and it's beautiful. Food's not great, mind you.

Based on what Cuban people told me, there's a feeling things will change when Castro goes. They want to retain their socialism as it works fairly well for ordinary people, but want to open up a bit of private enterprise - perhaps akin to some of the more recent developments in China.

Sounds reasonable enough to me.

a reply to: Vovin
Interesting

As far as this

The most fascinating thing that I find about Cuba is how easy it is to become a doctor or a professor, but only to make less money than a cab driver or barista.

At least that would ensure that most people in healthcare CARE and are not just out to profit. I would love to find a Dr who gave a darn whether i live or die other than that he will lose future profit if I die.

originally posted by: Char-Lee
a reply to: Vovin
Interesting

As far as this

The most fascinating thing that I find about Cuba is how easy it is to become a doctor or a professor, but only to make less money than a cab driver or barista.

At least that would ensure that most people in healthcare CARE and are not just out to profit. I would love to find a Dr who gave a darn whether i live or die other than that he will lose future profit if I die.

For Cuba, creating a huge workforce of doctors is a major policy initiative that they take great pride in. This is because they seek to have close ties with other second-world countries (particularly in South America and Africa), and without a strong economy, they instead send tens of thousands of doctors to both provide health care and train new generations of doctors. This was a huge asset in Venezuela when they created a similar healthcare system that placed clinics in almost every neighbourhood in the country.

I believe there are also incentives and benefits for doctors to partake in this initiative, so it is win-win for everybody.

originally posted by: links234
a reply to: neo96

Oh God...I just gave you a star for that post. I feel dirty.

a reply to: kwakakev

Because most of the Cuban population in Florida are anti-Castro. So they prefer the blockade to remain to hurt the Cuban government.

Exactly. These are the people who escaped Cuba over the last 50 years and have seen loved ones killed etc. They still see the Cuban goverment as the ones responsible and are hard core pro blockade. Even though pretty much nobody esle is. Everytime either party starts feeling out the idea the Cuban community makes sure they know they swing the vote for the other guy. Florida being a swing state with a huge population is vital to winning any election. The state of Florica itself is chomping that the bit to end the embargo and surge trade/invesment into Cuba. The only way that will happen is if when Castro dies the exiles soften on the idea or as Florida becomes more and more of a blue state the grip the Cuban voting bloc has will become less important. Either way it is just a matter of time before Cuba becomes vacation paradise for American's to spend lots of money in.