Reply #10: Miami's lifeline to Fidel [View All]

[Osolomia]

Commentary > Opinion
from the September 17, 2003 edition
Christian Science Monitor
By Terry L. McCoy and Paolo Spadoni

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – A group of Cuban-American members of the Florida legislature recently issued an ultimatum to President Bush - either take a tougher line against Fidel Castro or Florida's Cuban-American community might well abandon the Republican party in 2004.
Given the importance of the Florida vote to Mr. Bush's reelection and the unwavering support Florida's Cuban-Americans traditionally give Republicans, the warning received serious attention from the White House as well as from Democratic contenders for the presidency, who are scrambling to curry the favor of disenchanted Cuban-Americans.

In their Aug. 11 letter to the president, the Cuban-Americans demanded measures be taken to ratchet up the pressure on Mr. Castro, but if they really want to turn up the heat on him, they should look closer to home. The Cuban-American community of South Florida has become the single most important source of external economic support for the Cuban government.

Why not take steps to cut off this aid?

Economic sanctions have been the centerpiece of US policy for more than 40 years. Most Americans can't travel to, trade with, or invest in Cuba. The rationale for the embargo is to deny hard currency resources to the government and create pressure for democratic reform and/or regime change on the island.

But the US embargo has holes - the biggest, by far, is the special exemptions granted Cuban-Americans. They can travel and send money to Cuba. Their dollars transferred through these family visits and remittances are now Castro's principal economic lifeline.

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http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0917/p09s02-coop.html