U.S. Embargo Putting Mexican Firms Off Cuba

[Mika]

U.S. Embargo Putting Mexican Firms Off Cuba
http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/newsbyid.asp?id=19954

Many Mexican firms are not investing in the Caribbean island "out of fear of the relations or the presence that (those firms) have in other countries that are not necessarily friends of Cuba," he said in reference to the U.S. Helms-Burton Law, which includes sanctions against companies that do business with Havana.

Mexico, which during the Cold War seemed to delight in tweaking Washington's nose by supporting Cuba, has since 1994 been linked to the United States and Canada through the North American Free Trade Agreement, and its economy is now very dependent on U.S.-bound exports.

"Mexican firms, rather than introducing their products directly (into Cuba), must triangulate to avoid the problem," Diez Morodo said.

Further proof of the extraterritorial nature of the US's Helm-Burton law, that (contrary to the opinion of many) prevents Cuba from freely trading with businesses in other nations.

[lebkuchen]

1. A lot of Europeans travel to Cuba

for holiday. Since Bush has been in office, I'd like to think Cuba is taking away more and more tourist dollars from Florida because the Europeans are so fed up with US foreign policy.

I've always wanted to go to Cuba, even more so now that I've seen The Buena Vista Club.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Elegant people in that film. It was tremendous.

Hope you do go there, sometime. If you bump into anyone who's been, let us know what he/she thought about the trip, if you're inclined!

[lebkuchen]

3. My German cousin's family went, but I haven't seen the pics yet

The classic 1950s American cars to photograph in Cuba would be a trip back to another era.

It's too bad the US won't trade. Cuba used to be the largest importer of US cars. Maybe Flint, MI wouldn't have become Shithole USA if it the RW whackjobs hadn't driven economic suicidal policies.

[Vogon_Glory]

7. The Days Of Doctor Detroit Are Gone For Good In Any Event...

The days of American dominance in the Cuban automobile market are gone for good even if the travel restrictions and the trade embargo were lifted tomorrow. I expect that Cuba's automotive buying pattern would probably resemble that of other Caribbean and Central American mainland countries--Japanese and Korean riceburners predominating, followed by European imports, with a sprinkling of American SUVs and heavier trucks and pickups.

[Vogon_Glory]

4. Cuba A Bargain For Europeans And Others, BUT...

I expect that travel to Cuba is a bargain for Europeans and others (Including Canadians, Brazilians, and even Mexicans) but there is the hassle of having to get tourist visas, which most other Caribbean countries don't require.

Thanks to a majority of voters here in the US in 2004 :(, it looks like those Canadian and European tourists are still going to find that travel to Cuba will remain good value until at least 2009. It's not like they can expect to compete for hotel space with hordes of enthusiastic American tourists wishing to sample what had been forbidden to them by their own government for generations.

Those 1950's cars are wonderful, but alas, they are getting fewer and fewer each year as age and mechanical wear catches up with them. The fact that those 1950s automobiles have survived decades beyond what was expected to be their life span in adverse conditions is little short of miraculous.

I suspect that Mexican businessmen will be able to do little about Helms-Burton. Should the US dollar become weaker, I shouldn't be surprised if European lobbyists in Brussels or plaintiffs in EU courts force the Boosh regime or its Banana Republican allies to amend its embargo policies or risk trade sanctions with a strong, healthy trading bloc.

[Mika]

5. VogonG. a majority of our reps voted to end the travel sanctions..

..four times in the last four years.

The amendment has been killed, undemocratically, in the backroom/closed door markup committees (usually by Lincoln Diaz Balart - Fl exCuban repuke).

Thanks to the Nazis in Washington we can't freely go to Cuba.

:hi:

[Vogon_Glory]

6. I Would Expect That De Lay Had Something To Do With It

I suspect that Tom De Lay probably also had something to do with the travel ban remaining in place. De Lay is reportedly also a strong "cosmic Commie killer" who either reportedly took exception to the Castro regime at a tender young age or finds it convenient to be one in his hour of power. Since Republican house reps can't seem to be able to go potty without clearing it with either Speaker Dennis Hastert or House Majority Whip De Lay first, that's why the travel ban not only remains in place, but its reenforcement by the Rulin' Dubya Posse remains intact.

Again, the travel restrictions are an infringement on the liberties on almost all American citizens, except for a few privileged Cuban exiles. this used to be the sort of thing that once caused red-neck Bubbas to rose Holy Hell about "Washington tyranny" and "gummint oppression by bureaucrats."

Now even the more of exiles are feeling the pinch as the Boosh regime has restricted THEIR right to travel to Cuba to visit THEIR families.