Anyone tracking the Cuban economy knows the real bottleneck isn't the legalization of private businesses, it's the complete lack of domestic credit and supply chains. You can legalize all the private enterprise you want, but if local entrepreneurs still can't legally import basic raw materials or secure a commercial loan, it's just the existing black market walking out into the light to pay taxes.
Suspiciously nowhere in this thread: Why would any private investors or capital invest in a country that has repeatedly shown a willingness to nationalize any assets or infrastructure built there?
If only the world’s second largest economy had spent the last 30 years building an oversupply of factories to make vehicles and energy capture systems for transporting goods and people without using any fuel. Oh well.
Yes but electrifying requires completely rebuilding your power grid, which is something Cuba absolutely does not have the capability to do right now. Until the US ends their sanctions, they’re just kinda fucked.
We (an ex-USSR country) faced similar situation when USSR collapsed. We became an independent nation but all our former USSR-bound supply chains and logistics collapsed. After that we adopted free market reforms and pragmatic foreign policies. Initially it was TOUGH to say the least, but eventually everything has settled itself out. It took time but now we are in much better position than we have ever been under the USSR.
All I want to say, any transition of that scale isn't going to be easy. It might become much worse before it gets better. It will take time, but in the end it will be totally worth it.
The USSR/Russia has much more diverse economy than Cuba, including lots of natural resources. It has an abundance of the most important resource: energy. It also is adjacent to Europe, which made trade much easier.
Cuba's economy is isolated and the country has to import energy. It's going to be a much harder for Cuba to transition. They simply have nothing to work with.
All of which have suffered due to lack of access to foreign investment, lack of energy, and crushing mismanagement by the party.
Even in the best of situations they're not set up for success, but with a more responsive and responsible government they would at least not be imploding.
I imagine that tourism and tobacco have suffered partly because of sanctions, not “crushing mismanagement.” US citizens can’t even legally go to Cuba as tourists, nor can they bring cigars back home with them
They cannot import anything to speak of as long as the USA keeps trying to execute an illegal economic coup d'etat on the country.
The ONLY time that Cuba was EVER any sort of threat to the USA was during the cold war "Cuban Missile Crisis" and that was resolved between Kennedy and Kruschev in a matter of days and the missiles were removed.
Everything since then that the USA did to try to assassinate or depose Castro and turn Cuba into a puppet state was just illegal garbage. Just like what the Orange Troll did to de-capitate the Venezuelan leadership recently and all the illegal assassinations of people on boats in international waters with made-up claims of "drug smuggling" which EVEN IF that were true are STILL illegal.
As always, it's all about economic benefits. Has ZERO to do with 'helping the people'. Trump DGAF about anyone but himself.
First of all, Cuba needs petroleum imports to heat people's homes and power industry. The USA is currently engaging in a rogue blockade against oil imports to the island, immiserating their residents and destroying the island's economy. The United Nations has repeatedly berated the USA over such acts it has no right to impose. Cuba poses NO THREAT to the USA.
The USA is also manipulating all other imports to the island in order to destroy the economy and make its residents miserable. The "rogue state" here is the USA.
As for China, that country is one of the biggest buyers of petroleum in the world. With the disaster in Iran that the USA's idiot-in-chief created, China is having trouble getting enough of it for their own domestic needs, much less giving it to external nations.
THE MAIN THREAT TO CUBA'S ECONOMY IS THE USA EMBARGO. Anyone with a brain knows this, it has been going on for generations.
Touch some grass and spend some time on r/cuba. Their hospitals have been running without electricity long before the latest embargo. They have no money to pay Venezuela or anyone else for oil.
Cuba since the Revolution has consistently been a threat to US interests in South and Central America. Panama, Nicaragua, China, Venezuela, etc. US gets a lot of shit for all the counter communist activities by the CIA (deservedly so) but if Cuba and the USSR weren’t constantly poking around there it wouldn’t have been as necessary. The recent Venezuela operation featured guards from Cuba.
Having a continent on your doorstep that’s turning into a launching point for your major geopolitical and military opposition isn’t exactly what large powers are willing to tolerate.
Not to mention the Mariel Boat Lift was 100% a destabilization operation for South Florida and caused many deaths and crime to spike like crazy.
> Cuba since the Revolution has consistently been a threat to US interests in South and Central America. Panama, Nicaragua, China, Venezuela, etc.
Only if you call "US interests" using the CIA to depose democratically-elected regimes and heads of state all over Latin America in the 20th and 21st century and imposing right-wing genocidal dictators in their place instead. There is ZERO reason to give the USA a pass in that respect if that's what their justification is for trying to destroy and immiserate the population of a neighboring sovereign country.
After the Cuban Missile Crisis the USA certainly had a concrete reason to worry about the USSR expanding their influence there. (Unlike nowadays, where no such threat exists) But the USSR disappeared 35 years ago, you can stop using it to justify anything these days.
Since the Kennedy days it was always the Republican politicians and administrations in the USA that were pushing for more Cuba abuse, because of their deep personal revulsion to anything that is not right-wing. Carter let the previous sanctions expire, Clinton carved out exceptions so US farmers could sell their products to Cuba, and Obama ratcheted back much of the embargo when he was in office, only for it to get reverted and made even more extreme under Trump. The Republicans DGAF about the welfare of the common person down there, all they care about is pushing their right-wing ideologies everywhere and using regular citizens as pawns in those games.
Cuban businesses cannot compete with businesses with established and efficient supply chains of foreign businesses. This is not going to make the average Cuban any more prosperous.
Everyone with 2 brain cells to rub together can quickly realize that the embargo is the reason why Cuba is struggling. The reason they're implementing these reforms is to try and stave off the invasion, unfortunately Marco Rubio is a piece of shit dog that wants a batista-like figure in Cuba. America doesn't want reforms, they want to subjugate Cuba.
The Embargo doesn't help, especially when it comes to raising capital, but economists across the board accept that the Cuban government is primarily responsible for the woes of the Cuban economy.
Bad situations can hurt an economy, it's bad management that collapses one.
It's also interesting that marxists like Jason Hickel promote the unequal exchange theory where the Global North impoverishes the Global South though trade. The idea is by delinking from the US Cuba should become wealthier by growing domestic industry and trading with other global south countries. Funny how this doesn't work out.
Yeah what a load of crock from this guy. A tiny island nation that has been cut off from international trade for the better part of the last century by the global superpower. Wtf about their management could have changed anything about their situation?
Vessels that dock in Cuba are sanctioned and aren't allowed to visit America for 180 days. Also they risk litigation because America has the Helms-Burton Act which allows cuban americans to sue companies. Also this year Trump threatened countries with tariffs if they sell oil to Cuba.
There's also the fact that America is the hegemonic power and countries and companies are afraid of retaliation if they move against America's interest. Everyone knows that America wants to punish Cuba for overthrowing the fascist dictator Batista, so what country would risk retaliation from America for undermining their goal?
This seems unbelievable to me. Taking your claim at face value, Cuba would have close to 0 international trade with any country.
Yet this is easily googled and we can see they do in fact with trade with other countries, at scale. Ironically, international trade represents a relatively HIGH fraction of their economy. How do you explain this?
I'm sorry, are you mentally deficient? Because your argument is that an island nation's economy is struggling not because there's an embargo stopping imports and exports, but because the government mismanaged everything. And if the government did mismanage everything, then why is there a need for an embargo? Why does America need to stop companies from trading with Cuba if the country is ruled by incompetent people?
Do you realize how stupid that sounds? Are you a child perhaps?
Cuba was struggling long before the current oil embargo that is not really an embargo because the US can't prevent China- or Russian-flagged ships from docking.
The embargo on Cuba has been there for over 60 years. And yes, the embargo is really an embargo because America will impose sanctions on any vessel that docks in Cuba and they're not allowed to enter America for 180 days. Additionally there's the Helms-Burton Act which allows cuban nationals in America to sue any company that trades with Cuba.
This means companies won't risk 6 months of suspended economic activity, or a possible law suit that would cost them money. Since America is the hegemonic power they also exert their influence so other countries don't trade with Cuba.
Also this year Trump has threatened sanctions and tariffs on countries that export oil to Cuba, and threatened a full on naval blockade.
So it is an embargo, regardless on how much you keep trying to "uhm ackshually" your way.
US has violated the rights of people to live their life more than any other country on earth, supporting and allying with tyrannical anti democratic dictators when it benefit them.
also what is it about international law and sovereignty again? a country cannot decide its own internal affair if it go against what another country like? it's one thing to have an embargo, which is just every nation allied with the US exercising its sovereign right to not do business with Cuba, which is barely reasonable enough. but US is actively blockading Cuba right now, which is an aggressive act of war that causing more human suffering than whatever Cuba regime have ever done. The embargo itself is also motivated by desire to cause more suffering to people there than any high-minded idea.
First, I'm Vietnamese, same system of goverement as China btw, and I'm also using the internet!
Second: Tô Lâm sucks! Watch I'm not going to be dissappeared either.
Third, they produce enough, but no one wanna risk getting seized by US Navy for supplying oil to Cuba, don't forget that US in enacting an active blockade right now.
And fourth, I'm just calling the act of embargo and blockade that US doing to Cuba as the monstrous act that it is, I can also be anti-embargo, anti-blockade and not pro Cuban government you know? still, as far as I'm concerned, US goverement is way worse than Cuban government for the world as it is right now.
You're not going to get disappeared because you're nothing, you have no power to change anything, you're lesser than dirt for America's ruling class. This is going to change as America isn't the uncontested hegemony, try saying something negative about Israel at work, see how that goes for you.
Russia and China aren't allowed to send goods to Cuba without getting sanctioned. So it's not that "Like Russia and China can't produce enough for the island", you ignorant midwit, it's more like America is making it illegal to export to Cuba.
I'm so tired of all the fascist midwits have to have an opinion and it's always based on ignorance and stupidity and i have to take it serious like you're a fully fledged human being and not a bag of rocks rolling in a cement mixer.
No sanctions stopping China from sending goods to Cuba all the time you delusional conspiracy theorist. Every vehicle on the island is an ancient US vehicle or a modern Chinese EV.
I'm not defending a tyrannical and anti democratic regime with horrific rights violations of its people because... they call themselves communist or something.
Um……. The real bottleneck is the complete lack of transparent, accountable, and publicly elected government.
When one party controls all political power, today they can legalize certain economic activities, and tomorrow they can make them illegal, confiscate capital, and imprison the business owners and employees.
That last statement wasn’t exaggeration; that has happened thousands of times in Cuba.
>U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged that they are maintaining a policy of maximum pressure to change the island’s political and economic system, which has endured for six decades despite U.S. pressure. They have not ruled out the use of military force.
There's no economic model that functions under that pressure
The plan is to force Cuba to open up to foreign investment, which really means divide the economy up and hand the parts out to Trump's supporters. It's basically what happened to Russia after the collapse of the USSR, but the handouts will go to Cuban-American exiles that supported Trump instead of internal gangsters.
Most of Trump's plans are idiotic and executed horribly, but this one is so straightforward that it might actually work. It's not really his plan though. The Cuban exile community has been waiting decades for this.
Might actually work to do exactly what it did to Russia, where rich oligarchs take over the economy and continue to repress everyone else while capitulating to western corporations who then exploit the shit out of the country. Yes.
Basically they aren't freed just under a new captor.
Cuba will go through far worse if they open themselves to the free market. Just like what happened when the former Soviet bloc opened themselves up to the free market, they lost all welfare programs, privatized everything, and the country went through an economic crisis rivaling the Great Depression.
The only ones that prospered in the Soviet bloc are the Baltic countries, but the rest got worse. Even in Germany today, there's huge cultural, political and economic divide between East and West. One of my professors did their research on their thesis in East Germany and they often ran into people who were older and they preferred it under the Soviet bloc because they had better welfare programs.
BS, the only country he got wrong was Ukraine, due to a combination of incompetence, corruption, and wars. Most countries of the former Soviet bloc are now much richer than when that bloc existed.
To cite the gap between East and West Germany today is even greater BS, since 30 years ago it was even greater.
So basically the US illegally embargos Cuba to the point where they had to let the capitalist pigs in to come run the place into the ground. "Free market" is absolutely laughable in this world economy. Nothing free about consolidated supply chains.
What's funny is how you guys still simp for communist dictators even though they still hold onto totalitarian power after their economic system has proven to be a failure.
Please tell me, now that they allow capitalism, what legitimacy does the communist party still have to hold a monopoly on political power in Cuba?
>Please tell me, now that they allow capitalism, what legitimacy does the communist party still have to hold a monopoly on political power in Cuba?
When they lose their healthcare, their utilities and corporations enslave them in debt peonage, capitalism will have no legitimacy. They'll regret accepting it, MMW.
Anti-capitalists will be. At the end of the day, people like freedom of choice and the means to live vs unproven theories riding on the back of proven totalitarianism
Have you ever heard anyone claim to be "capitalist" irl?
Most people certainly support private ownership of the means of productions but they will never ever call themselves capitalist unless specificly asked.
People like u/mydadisyourdad2 specificly invoked that word because to them there is no middle ground.
The United States is already the middle ground, same with 100s countries in this world.
This is why "capitalism" is usually invoked by right wing and left wing garbages who are economics illiterate.
The US has kicked the current regime in Cuba in the nuts for about 70 years. Cuba keeps either regrowing its nuts or has a terrific nut kicking guard. (That could be trademarked.) This is all a mystery to me.
Does this latest nut-growing strategy by Cuba adequately counteract the latest and best US nut kicking offensive?
Sometimes I just don't understand the nuances of nut kicking. Not something that is prevalent in our household but hey.
Here's some extra historical info that will help you contextualize Cuba's situation a bit more: they relied heavily on the USSR for support throughout their existence; when the USSR collapsed, support dried up, and the American embargo began to cost them much more seriously than it previously had because of that help. China has been reluctant to provide substantial support to Cuba because the Cuban government has historically refused Chinese conditions (and there is some bad blood bc of Castro's vocal disapproval of Chinese market reforms under Deng Xiaoping).
How is it the USs fault Cuba uses citizens as slave labor, dissappears people who illegally start businesses or voice disapproval of the corrupt regime, which doesn't allow for free and fair elections?
I don’t know what that was supposed to do, but it just ended in an error. Are you trying to help your friend, because he couldn’t back up his own claim with a single source?
Google how they use medical professional services in other countries. Pay 1/10th their labor value, most of which they withhold to locked island accounts to prevent runaways, confiscate passports for the same reason, keep isolated from families and under guard, etc.
You... You realize the U.S uses it's citizens as slave labor too right?
Like its literally right there in the 13th amendment;
"Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a PUNISHMENT for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."
Jesus Christ they were slaves when they were a US colony under Bautista. God forbid they ever have any autonomy or sovereignty. The US will never forgive Cuba for daring to live outside of US imperial hegemony. It’s truly shameful.
You seppos love your acronyms, don't you? What the hell is dsa? Disability Services Australia? Digital Subscriptions Angiography? Even Google Gemini doesn't know that one.
Democratic Socialists of America. He’s calling you a tankie because you asked how the hell Cuba has managed to survive under crushing sanctions for over half a century. What a muppet, he is truly john america.
Anyways to answer your question: no, almost certainly not. Just to use Venezuela as an example, the US was never actually interested in any type of negotiation that’d allow for them to change economic policy in exchange for sanctions relief. No. Trump wanted to get a big victory, so he kidnapped their president. Then when he did that, they actually came to the table, and now the Venezuelan government is a US puppet, even though the government hasn’t actually changed at all. Cuba is almost certainly the same situation, because Marco Rubio has made it essentially his lifelong goal to get rid of the Cuban government, so that’s what he’ll do, it doesn’t matter what they actually do or if they try their hardest to cooperate, he just wants them out.
So now the communist party will forfeit their totalitarian hold onto political power since their supposed legitimacy was the need to enforce an economic system that has proven to be a failure? Right?
It’s happened in a vacuum with no embargoes or international interference, right??? Surely the failures couldn’t have been caused by a decades long embargo, right???
the chinese wanted these reforms too because the cubans were literally using marxist econcomics to run there economy. and i mean like the 19th century scientific marxism which has been plagued with problems and been superceded by the markets.
the government will probably just enter into a chinese style state capitalism.
It’s not the only example of socialism/communism failing. Also is it that hard to believe the US would embargo a country that has continually sided and aided their enemies?
Also Cuba wasn’t on their own, they’ve been very close to Russia, China and Venezuela, some of the largest economies in the world. Yet couldn’t use their friendship to any sort of economic benefit for their country and people? Even with the embargo other countries like Canada and most of Europe were friendly and had a lot of tourism and trade with Cuba. So why exactly is the failure of Cuba on the US and not on their government? The US is under no obligation to assist a country that allies against them and was a legitimate threat to them for decades. What the US did do was welcome any Cubans that escaped Cuba into the country and allowed them to flourish here. Roughly 25% of Cubans now live in the US vs in Cuba, that’s ought to say something.
That's a separate argument (which is also wrong btw, if communism is superior, why wasn't the communist block strong enough to pressure the capitalist block, while the opposite happened).
But ignoring that, what's the argument for the communist party to remain a monopoly on power at this stage? If they're not using their totalitarian power to impose communism, what's their legitimacy? Please explain to me.
Hour-Horror-265 | 14 hours ago
Anyone tracking the Cuban economy knows the real bottleneck isn't the legalization of private businesses, it's the complete lack of domestic credit and supply chains. You can legalize all the private enterprise you want, but if local entrepreneurs still can't legally import basic raw materials or secure a commercial loan, it's just the existing black market walking out into the light to pay taxes.
EnglishBrekkie_1604 | 14 hours ago
Yeah good luck starting a private business when there’s no fuel to transport people or goods.
EconEchoes5678 | 8 hours ago
Suspiciously nowhere in this thread: Why would any private investors or capital invest in a country that has repeatedly shown a willingness to nationalize any assets or infrastructure built there?
9Implements | 13 hours ago
If only the world’s second largest economy had spent the last 30 years building an oversupply of factories to make vehicles and energy capture systems for transporting goods and people without using any fuel. Oh well.
EnglishBrekkie_1604 | 12 hours ago
Yes but electrifying requires completely rebuilding your power grid, which is something Cuba absolutely does not have the capability to do right now. Until the US ends their sanctions, they’re just kinda fucked.
I-IV-I64-V-I | 12 hours ago
Good thing thall be easier because China just give them like several billion dollars of solar and transformers to re-do their grid
China wins again 🇨🇳! (as babies die on ventalators in cuba because the USA wants to throw a hissy fit)
https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/international-issues/cuba-turns-to-solar-power-from-china/
https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/13/climate/cuba-solar-us-oil-blockade-trump-china
Just_a_Berliner | 12 hours ago
Than it makes sense, since China was pretty discontent about the lack of free market reform in Cuba in the past.
Probably that's why they're doing it now, because China promised some support.
werthermanband45 | 5 hours ago
That CNN article also gives a possible motivation for the US takeover of Venezuela: permanently cutting off Cuba from their main oil supplier
9Implements | 12 hours ago
You sure are great at spreading misinformation. Maybe take a break from the internet and sign up for some classes at a community college.
EnglishBrekkie_1604 | 12 hours ago
Mind telling me why I’m wrong instead of just saying I am
9Implements | 12 hours ago
Cuba is a sunny country. Local solar and storage can supply the demand virtually everywhere.
meerkat2018 | 14 hours ago
We (an ex-USSR country) faced similar situation when USSR collapsed. We became an independent nation but all our former USSR-bound supply chains and logistics collapsed. After that we adopted free market reforms and pragmatic foreign policies. Initially it was TOUGH to say the least, but eventually everything has settled itself out. It took time but now we are in much better position than we have ever been under the USSR.
All I want to say, any transition of that scale isn't going to be easy. It might become much worse before it gets better. It will take time, but in the end it will be totally worth it.
Own-Chemist2228 | 8 hours ago
The USSR/Russia has much more diverse economy than Cuba, including lots of natural resources. It has an abundance of the most important resource: energy. It also is adjacent to Europe, which made trade much easier.
Cuba's economy is isolated and the country has to import energy. It's going to be a much harder for Cuba to transition. They simply have nothing to work with.
OrangeJr36 | 8 hours ago
They have sugar, tobacco and tourism.
All of which have suffered due to lack of access to foreign investment, lack of energy, and crushing mismanagement by the party.
Even in the best of situations they're not set up for success, but with a more responsive and responsible government they would at least not be imploding.
werthermanband45 | 5 hours ago
I imagine that tourism and tobacco have suffered partly because of sanctions, not “crushing mismanagement.” US citizens can’t even legally go to Cuba as tourists, nor can they bring cigars back home with them
IAmTheNightSoil | 2 hours ago
What's your country, out if curiosity?
PrivacyIsDemocracy | 13 hours ago
They cannot import anything to speak of as long as the USA keeps trying to execute an illegal economic coup d'etat on the country.
The ONLY time that Cuba was EVER any sort of threat to the USA was during the cold war "Cuban Missile Crisis" and that was resolved between Kennedy and Kruschev in a matter of days and the missiles were removed.
Everything since then that the USA did to try to assassinate or depose Castro and turn Cuba into a puppet state was just illegal garbage. Just like what the Orange Troll did to de-capitate the Venezuelan leadership recently and all the illegal assassinations of people on boats in international waters with made-up claims of "drug smuggling" which EVEN IF that were true are STILL illegal.
As always, it's all about economic benefits. Has ZERO to do with 'helping the people'. Trump DGAF about anyone but himself.
hardsoft | 11 hours ago
Sure they can. China has shit ton of exports for one.
And not disappearing people for starting successful businesses will 100% help their economy.
PrivacyIsDemocracy | 2 hours ago
First of all, Cuba needs petroleum imports to heat people's homes and power industry. The USA is currently engaging in a rogue blockade against oil imports to the island, immiserating their residents and destroying the island's economy. The United Nations has repeatedly berated the USA over such acts it has no right to impose. Cuba poses NO THREAT to the USA.
The USA is also manipulating all other imports to the island in order to destroy the economy and make its residents miserable. The "rogue state" here is the USA.
As for China, that country is one of the biggest buyers of petroleum in the world. With the disaster in Iran that the USA's idiot-in-chief created, China is having trouble getting enough of it for their own domestic needs, much less giving it to external nations.
THE MAIN THREAT TO CUBA'S ECONOMY IS THE USA EMBARGO. Anyone with a brain knows this, it has been going on for generations.
hardsoft | an hour ago
BS!!!!
Touch some grass and spend some time on r/cuba. Their hospitals have been running without electricity long before the latest embargo. They have no money to pay Venezuela or anyone else for oil.
Mnm0602 | 10 hours ago
Cuba since the Revolution has consistently been a threat to US interests in South and Central America. Panama, Nicaragua, China, Venezuela, etc. US gets a lot of shit for all the counter communist activities by the CIA (deservedly so) but if Cuba and the USSR weren’t constantly poking around there it wouldn’t have been as necessary. The recent Venezuela operation featured guards from Cuba.
Having a continent on your doorstep that’s turning into a launching point for your major geopolitical and military opposition isn’t exactly what large powers are willing to tolerate.
Not to mention the Mariel Boat Lift was 100% a destabilization operation for South Florida and caused many deaths and crime to spike like crazy.
Ok-Bug-5271 | 8 hours ago
So do you blame Ukraine for the current war because Ukraine wanted to move closer to the West?
PoopyisSmelly | 3 hours ago
Im not the OP, and wouldnt "Blame" Ukraine (it isnt their fault Russia invaded them), but thats basically why Russia invaded them.
PrivacyIsDemocracy | an hour ago
> Cuba since the Revolution has consistently been a threat to US interests in South and Central America. Panama, Nicaragua, China, Venezuela, etc.
Only if you call "US interests" using the CIA to depose democratically-elected regimes and heads of state all over Latin America in the 20th and 21st century and imposing right-wing genocidal dictators in their place instead. There is ZERO reason to give the USA a pass in that respect if that's what their justification is for trying to destroy and immiserate the population of a neighboring sovereign country.
After the Cuban Missile Crisis the USA certainly had a concrete reason to worry about the USSR expanding their influence there. (Unlike nowadays, where no such threat exists) But the USSR disappeared 35 years ago, you can stop using it to justify anything these days.
Since the Kennedy days it was always the Republican politicians and administrations in the USA that were pushing for more Cuba abuse, because of their deep personal revulsion to anything that is not right-wing. Carter let the previous sanctions expire, Clinton carved out exceptions so US farmers could sell their products to Cuba, and Obama ratcheted back much of the embargo when he was in office, only for it to get reverted and made even more extreme under Trump. The Republicans DGAF about the welfare of the common person down there, all they care about is pushing their right-wing ideologies everywhere and using regular citizens as pawns in those games.
prsnep | 6 hours ago
Cuban businesses cannot compete with businesses with established and efficient supply chains of foreign businesses. This is not going to make the average Cuban any more prosperous.
iaNCURdehunedoara | 11 hours ago
Everyone with 2 brain cells to rub together can quickly realize that the embargo is the reason why Cuba is struggling. The reason they're implementing these reforms is to try and stave off the invasion, unfortunately Marco Rubio is a piece of shit dog that wants a batista-like figure in Cuba. America doesn't want reforms, they want to subjugate Cuba.
OrangeJr36 | 8 hours ago
The Embargo doesn't help, especially when it comes to raising capital, but economists across the board accept that the Cuban government is primarily responsible for the woes of the Cuban economy.
Bad situations can hurt an economy, it's bad management that collapses one.
DeathKitten9000 | 4 hours ago
It's also interesting that marxists like Jason Hickel promote the unequal exchange theory where the Global North impoverishes the Global South though trade. The idea is by delinking from the US Cuba should become wealthier by growing domestic industry and trading with other global south countries. Funny how this doesn't work out.
_Kiith_Soban_ | 8 hours ago
economists across the board accept
Name it.
It's a economy strangled by a neighbour. What could the Cuban government have done? Subjugation?
Haggardick69 | 7 hours ago
Yeah what a load of crock from this guy. A tiny island nation that has been cut off from international trade for the better part of the last century by the global superpower. Wtf about their management could have changed anything about their situation?
AncileBanish | 6 hours ago
Has it been cut off from international trade, or only US trade?
iaNCURdehunedoara | 6 hours ago
It's been cut off from international trade.
Vessels that dock in Cuba are sanctioned and aren't allowed to visit America for 180 days. Also they risk litigation because America has the Helms-Burton Act which allows cuban americans to sue companies. Also this year Trump threatened countries with tariffs if they sell oil to Cuba.
There's also the fact that America is the hegemonic power and countries and companies are afraid of retaliation if they move against America's interest. Everyone knows that America wants to punish Cuba for overthrowing the fascist dictator Batista, so what country would risk retaliation from America for undermining their goal?
AncileBanish | 6 hours ago
This seems unbelievable to me. Taking your claim at face value, Cuba would have close to 0 international trade with any country.
Yet this is easily googled and we can see they do in fact with trade with other countries, at scale. Ironically, international trade represents a relatively HIGH fraction of their economy. How do you explain this?
iaNCURdehunedoara | 8 hours ago
I'm sorry, are you mentally deficient? Because your argument is that an island nation's economy is struggling not because there's an embargo stopping imports and exports, but because the government mismanaged everything. And if the government did mismanage everything, then why is there a need for an embargo? Why does America need to stop companies from trading with Cuba if the country is ruled by incompetent people?
Do you realize how stupid that sounds? Are you a child perhaps?
Ceno-taur | 11 hours ago
Cuba was struggling long before the current oil embargo that is not really an embargo because the US can't prevent China- or Russian-flagged ships from docking.
iaNCURdehunedoara | 10 hours ago
The embargo on Cuba has been there for over 60 years. And yes, the embargo is really an embargo because America will impose sanctions on any vessel that docks in Cuba and they're not allowed to enter America for 180 days. Additionally there's the Helms-Burton Act which allows cuban nationals in America to sue any company that trades with Cuba.
This means companies won't risk 6 months of suspended economic activity, or a possible law suit that would cost them money. Since America is the hegemonic power they also exert their influence so other countries don't trade with Cuba.
Also this year Trump has threatened sanctions and tariffs on countries that export oil to Cuba, and threatened a full on naval blockade.
So it is an embargo, regardless on how much you keep trying to "uhm ackshually" your way.
Ceno-taur | 51 minutes ago
BS. Spain and Mexico alone have around billion per year of trade with Cuba.
Gold-Loan3142 | an hour ago
An example of that is Mexico stopping oil shipments because of US threats: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/mexican-oil-shipments-cuba-currently-halted-president-says-2026-02-09/
SuspiciousMap9630 | 9 hours ago
Wild you weren’t aware that Cuba has been under embargo for decades.
Ceno-taur | 54 minutes ago
US not willing to trade with Cuba =/= embargo. Anyone else can does trade with Cuba.
hardsoft | 11 hours ago
So most Cubans are idiots?
Love all the keyboard warriors here bootlicking a tyrannical regime.
PointmanW | 10 hours ago
the only one bootlicking any tyrannical regime is you, others just want that tyrannical regime to leave a country alone.
hardsoft | 10 hours ago
"Just leave those tyrannical, anti democratic, and horrific rights violating dictators alone man"
PointmanW | 9 hours ago
US has violated the rights of people to live their life more than any other country on earth, supporting and allying with tyrannical anti democratic dictators when it benefit them.
also what is it about international law and sovereignty again? a country cannot decide its own internal affair if it go against what another country like? it's one thing to have an embargo, which is just every nation allied with the US exercising its sovereign right to not do business with Cuba, which is barely reasonable enough. but US is actively blockading Cuba right now, which is an aggressive act of war that causing more human suffering than whatever Cuba regime have ever done. The embargo itself is also motivated by desire to cause more suffering to people there than any high-minded idea.
hardsoft | 9 hours ago
First of all, here in the US, I get to use the internet!
Second, Trump sucks! Watch I'm not going to be dissappeared.
Third, how much oil and goods does Cuba really need? Like Russia and China can't produce enough for the island!?
So yeah, your whataboutisms are moronic. Keep boot licking though the Cuban government loves you for it.
And fourth, you can be anti embargo and anti Cuban government. This is quite possibly the most moronic false dichotomy in history.
PointmanW | 9 hours ago
First, I'm Vietnamese, same system of goverement as China btw, and I'm also using the internet!
Second: Tô Lâm sucks! Watch I'm not going to be dissappeared either.
Third, they produce enough, but no one wanna risk getting seized by US Navy for supplying oil to Cuba, don't forget that US in enacting an active blockade right now.
And fourth, I'm just calling the act of embargo and blockade that US doing to Cuba as the monstrous act that it is, I can also be anti-embargo, anti-blockade and not pro Cuban government you know? still, as far as I'm concerned, US goverement is way worse than Cuban government for the world as it is right now.
hardsoft | 9 hours ago
China has one of the most capitalistic economies on earth. Literally turns a blind eye to a 9-9-6 work environment.
But also, cool that you're not a Cuban with blocked internet access?
PointmanW | 8 hours ago
turned a blind eye my ass, they cracked down hard on it and it basically doesn't exist now.
https://hr.asia/top-news/chinas-996-crackdown/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yHIiSop5aQ
https://harris-sliwoski.com/chinalawblog/china-employment-law-2025-996-is-no-longer-okay/
Also, a Cuba without embrago would have most likely opened up like us.
NOLA-Bronco | 8 hours ago
Define capitalism, please
iaNCURdehunedoara | 8 hours ago
You're not going to get disappeared because you're nothing, you have no power to change anything, you're lesser than dirt for America's ruling class. This is going to change as America isn't the uncontested hegemony, try saying something negative about Israel at work, see how that goes for you.
Russia and China aren't allowed to send goods to Cuba without getting sanctioned. So it's not that "Like Russia and China can't produce enough for the island", you ignorant midwit, it's more like America is making it illegal to export to Cuba.
I'm so tired of all the fascist midwits have to have an opinion and it's always based on ignorance and stupidity and i have to take it serious like you're a fully fledged human being and not a bag of rocks rolling in a cement mixer.
hardsoft | 6 hours ago
No sanctions stopping China from sending goods to Cuba all the time you delusional conspiracy theorist. Every vehicle on the island is an ancient US vehicle or a modern Chinese EV.
VideogamerDisliker | 10 hours ago
By keyboard warriors surely you’re referring to yourself. You know, supporting an imperialist project bullying a sovereign nation for its own gain
hardsoft | 10 hours ago
I'm not defending a tyrannical and anti democratic regime with horrific rights violations of its people because... they call themselves communist or something.
1776FreeAmerica | 8 hours ago
Holy shit, when did republicans become communists!?!?!
Dry-Environment5122 | 7 hours ago
That and anyone knows that legalization is cyclical. Eventually the state will swing back
torontopeter | 6 hours ago
Um……. The real bottleneck is the complete lack of transparent, accountable, and publicly elected government.
When one party controls all political power, today they can legalize certain economic activities, and tomorrow they can make them illegal, confiscate capital, and imprison the business owners and employees.
That last statement wasn’t exaggeration; that has happened thousands of times in Cuba.
laz10 | 9 hours ago
This is the only relevant thing
>U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged that they are maintaining a policy of maximum pressure to change the island’s political and economic system, which has endured for six decades despite U.S. pressure. They have not ruled out the use of military force.
There's no economic model that functions under that pressure
Own-Chemist2228 | 8 hours ago
The plan is to force Cuba to open up to foreign investment, which really means divide the economy up and hand the parts out to Trump's supporters. It's basically what happened to Russia after the collapse of the USSR, but the handouts will go to Cuban-American exiles that supported Trump instead of internal gangsters.
Most of Trump's plans are idiotic and executed horribly, but this one is so straightforward that it might actually work. It's not really his plan though. The Cuban exile community has been waiting decades for this.
DesertSeagle | 4 hours ago
Might actually work to do exactly what it did to Russia, where rich oligarchs take over the economy and continue to repress everyone else while capitulating to western corporations who then exploit the shit out of the country. Yes.
Basically they aren't freed just under a new captor.
busyHighwayFred | 5 hours ago
Name some Americans that bought up Russia in the 90s. Are we just lying?
werthermanband45 | 5 hours ago
Read it again
veryupsetandbitter | 7 hours ago
Cuba will go through far worse if they open themselves to the free market. Just like what happened when the former Soviet bloc opened themselves up to the free market, they lost all welfare programs, privatized everything, and the country went through an economic crisis rivaling the Great Depression.
The purpose is pain.
Chocotacoturtle | 6 hours ago
Except for Estonia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Latvia, Ukraine, Eastern Germany etc. who become far more prosperous after free market reforms.
veryupsetandbitter | 5 hours ago
The only ones that prospered in the Soviet bloc are the Baltic countries, but the rest got worse. Even in Germany today, there's huge cultural, political and economic divide between East and West. One of my professors did their research on their thesis in East Germany and they often ran into people who were older and they preferred it under the Soviet bloc because they had better welfare programs.
Lote241 | an hour ago
Very true. The guy you responded to pulled a list of countries out of his ass. The collapse of the USSR was a catastrophe.
Rustic_gan123 | an hour ago
The Ruzzians were not asked.
Rustic_gan123 | an hour ago
BS, the only country he got wrong was Ukraine, due to a combination of incompetence, corruption, and wars. Most countries of the former Soviet bloc are now much richer than when that bloc existed.
To cite the gap between East and West Germany today is even greater BS, since 30 years ago it was even greater.
YouWereBrained | 6 hours ago
Thank you. They’re only doing this out of fear/pressure.
Busterlimes | 15 hours ago
So basically the US illegally embargos Cuba to the point where they had to let the capitalist pigs in to come run the place into the ground. "Free market" is absolutely laughable in this world economy. Nothing free about consolidated supply chains.
Capable_Compote9268 | 13 hours ago
The funniest part I think of all of this is that people will look at this and still somehow spin this into the socialists being evil
Busterlimes | 13 hours ago
Oh 100% they will say this is a failure of communism when it was capitalists who killed the country with sanctions
Capable_Compote9268 | 13 hours ago
Time to open up Cuba for some freedumbz!!
I’m sure the people their can’t wait to be charged for things that were once free
Busterlimes | 13 hours ago
I remember when air was free at gas stations. . . . Capitalism babay!
WindHero | 11 hours ago
What's funny is how you guys still simp for communist dictators even though they still hold onto totalitarian power after their economic system has proven to be a failure.
Please tell me, now that they allow capitalism, what legitimacy does the communist party still have to hold a monopoly on political power in Cuba?
veryupsetandbitter | 7 hours ago
>Please tell me, now that they allow capitalism, what legitimacy does the communist party still have to hold a monopoly on political power in Cuba?
When they lose their healthcare, their utilities and corporations enslave them in debt peonage, capitalism will have no legitimacy. They'll regret accepting it, MMW.
jnordwick | 13 hours ago
You've been a 1% commenter in 122 groups! 400-day streak. Repeat commenter award 601 time.
Why is it always people like you that are the most strident anti-capitalist.
prob not a bot so im guessing paid poster.
doubagilga | 11 hours ago
Chronically online.
Busterlimes | 12 hours ago
13 year old account that is active. But thanks, first time Ive been accused of that.
GandalfTheSexay | 11 hours ago
Top 1% commenter, bottom 1% thinker
CertainCertainties | 10 hours ago
He just did the same thing to my account too. You're a well regarded redditor, so that's suss according to that MAGA/Putin bot.
jnordwick | 8 hours ago
> well regarded redditor
that's not the flex you think it is
The_Demolition_Man | 7 hours ago
Well regarded redditor is actually embarrassing
luvsads | 10 hours ago
Well regarded? You need to log off if you're able to keep a list of "redditors I like"
IKnowBreasts | 11 hours ago
just a run of the mill loser then
HumanFromTexas | 9 hours ago
Good ole ad hominem.
void7shade | 8 hours ago
Because they understand that capitalism requires dead children to function and you prefer to be a slave? Is that your point?
Moneyshot_ITF | 8 hours ago
Capitalism sucks
AnAlternator | 4 hours ago
People with jobs have less time to post, people without jobs have plenty of time to be permanently online on Reddit and other social sites.
mydadisyourdad2 | 13 hours ago
Capitalists will stand on your neck and blame you for not being able to breathe
Busterlimes | 13 hours ago
Yes
The_Keg | 12 hours ago
I secretly hope there will be a final stand between capitalists and ANTI capitalists.
See who'll be outnumbered.
luvsads | 10 hours ago
Anti-capitalists will be. At the end of the day, people like freedom of choice and the means to live vs unproven theories riding on the back of proven totalitarianism
Quankers | 10 hours ago
Illusion of choice.
Freud-Network | 10 hours ago
"Cancer is fatal" is probably not the argument you should go with.
HumanFromTexas | 8 hours ago
Idk how people can’t see that there’s clearly a workable middle ground that works.
The_Keg | 8 hours ago
Have you ever heard anyone claim to be "capitalist" irl?
Most people certainly support private ownership of the means of productions but they will never ever call themselves capitalist unless specificly asked.
People like u/mydadisyourdad2 specificly invoked that word because to them there is no middle ground.
The United States is already the middle ground, same with 100s countries in this world.
This is why "capitalism" is usually invoked by right wing and left wing garbages who are economics illiterate.
brumbarosso | an hour ago
100%
CertainCertainties | 11 hours ago
I'm an Australian so don't understand this.
The US has kicked the current regime in Cuba in the nuts for about 70 years. Cuba keeps either regrowing its nuts or has a terrific nut kicking guard. (That could be trademarked.) This is all a mystery to me.
Does this latest nut-growing strategy by Cuba adequately counteract the latest and best US nut kicking offensive?
Sometimes I just don't understand the nuances of nut kicking. Not something that is prevalent in our household but hey.
kamace11 | 7 hours ago
Here's some extra historical info that will help you contextualize Cuba's situation a bit more: they relied heavily on the USSR for support throughout their existence; when the USSR collapsed, support dried up, and the American embargo began to cost them much more seriously than it previously had because of that help. China has been reluctant to provide substantial support to Cuba because the Cuban government has historically refused Chinese conditions (and there is some bad blood bc of Castro's vocal disapproval of Chinese market reforms under Deng Xiaoping).
hardsoft | 11 hours ago
How is it the USs fault Cuba uses citizens as slave labor, dissappears people who illegally start businesses or voice disapproval of the corrupt regime, which doesn't allow for free and fair elections?
Quankers | 9 hours ago
>Cuba uses citizens as slave labor
Source?
Luffy-in-my-cup | 9 hours ago
https://letmegooglethat.com/?q=cuba+medical+slavery
Quankers | 8 hours ago
I don’t know what that was supposed to do, but it just ended in an error. Are you trying to help your friend, because he couldn’t back up his own claim with a single source?
hardsoft | 9 hours ago
Google how they use medical professional services in other countries. Pay 1/10th their labor value, most of which they withhold to locked island accounts to prevent runaways, confiscate passports for the same reason, keep isolated from families and under guard, etc.
Quankers | 9 hours ago
You made the horseshit claim, you back it up.
hardsoft | 9 hours ago
Just did
Quankers | 9 hours ago
By saying google it? Lol. I’m not investigating your claims for you.
hardsoft | 9 hours ago
To be clear, I don't give a fuck if you want to live in ignorance.
And if your claim is I'm lying, the burden is on you to prove it.
Quankers | 9 hours ago
Source your claim or stfu. This very simple concept is how reddit has always worked. The fact that you can’t do it says everything
>I don’t give a fuck
Oh, for sure you don’t, lol
hardsoft | 9 hours ago
Nope. You're claiming multiple government agencies and ex Cuban medical professionals are lying.
The burden is on you to prove that.
DesertSeagle | 4 hours ago
You... You realize the U.S uses it's citizens as slave labor too right?
Like its literally right there in the 13th amendment;
"Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a PUNISHMENT for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."
hardsoft | 4 hours ago
Sure, the Cuban government treats upstanding citizens like the US government treats prisoners.
gingerfreddy | 4 hours ago
Oh look the autocracies are fighting
Supremedingus420 | 3 hours ago
Jesus Christ they were slaves when they were a US colony under Bautista. God forbid they ever have any autonomy or sovereignty. The US will never forgive Cuba for daring to live outside of US imperial hegemony. It’s truly shameful.
hardsoft | 3 hours ago
Jesus, this level of bootlicking for a tyrannical anti democratic government is disgusting
Supremedingus420 | 3 hours ago
Your disdain for the Cuban people’s right to sovereignty is what’s disgusting.
hardsoft | 3 hours ago
I'd love for the Cuban people to have free speech and a democratic voice
Moneyshot_ITF | 8 hours ago
Wow this is some slop
jnordwick | 10 hours ago
China Isn't spelled "Australia".
Another one. Top 1% commenter x82, top 10% x182. 700 day steak. Flag planter x102. And numerous first few commenter and repeat poster awards.
I'm sure reddit will turn off awards soon so you can't be found out so easily.
CertainCertainties | 10 hours ago
I'm going to blush. So any redditors with a terrific record are Chinese bots, huh?
You seriously have kangaroos in your top paddock, that is so nutty.
jnordwick | 10 hours ago
Or just a run if the mill pro communist dsa idiot.
CertainCertainties | 10 hours ago
You seppos love your acronyms, don't you? What the hell is dsa? Disability Services Australia? Digital Subscriptions Angiography? Even Google Gemini doesn't know that one.
EnglishBrekkie_1604 | 10 hours ago
Democratic Socialists of America. He’s calling you a tankie because you asked how the hell Cuba has managed to survive under crushing sanctions for over half a century. What a muppet, he is truly john america.
Anyways to answer your question: no, almost certainly not. Just to use Venezuela as an example, the US was never actually interested in any type of negotiation that’d allow for them to change economic policy in exchange for sanctions relief. No. Trump wanted to get a big victory, so he kidnapped their president. Then when he did that, they actually came to the table, and now the Venezuelan government is a US puppet, even though the government hasn’t actually changed at all. Cuba is almost certainly the same situation, because Marco Rubio has made it essentially his lifelong goal to get rid of the Cuban government, so that’s what he’ll do, it doesn’t matter what they actually do or if they try their hardest to cooperate, he just wants them out.
WindHero | 11 hours ago
So now the communist party will forfeit their totalitarian hold onto political power since their supposed legitimacy was the need to enforce an economic system that has proven to be a failure? Right?
Gvillegator | 11 hours ago
It’s happened in a vacuum with no embargoes or international interference, right??? Surely the failures couldn’t have been caused by a decades long embargo, right???
Legitimate_Name9694 | 2 hours ago
the chinese wanted these reforms too because the cubans were literally using marxist econcomics to run there economy. and i mean like the 19th century scientific marxism which has been plagued with problems and been superceded by the markets.
the government will probably just enter into a chinese style state capitalism.
Historical_Air_8997 | 3 hours ago
It’s not the only example of socialism/communism failing. Also is it that hard to believe the US would embargo a country that has continually sided and aided their enemies?
Also Cuba wasn’t on their own, they’ve been very close to Russia, China and Venezuela, some of the largest economies in the world. Yet couldn’t use their friendship to any sort of economic benefit for their country and people? Even with the embargo other countries like Canada and most of Europe were friendly and had a lot of tourism and trade with Cuba. So why exactly is the failure of Cuba on the US and not on their government? The US is under no obligation to assist a country that allies against them and was a legitimate threat to them for decades. What the US did do was welcome any Cubans that escaped Cuba into the country and allowed them to flourish here. Roughly 25% of Cubans now live in the US vs in Cuba, that’s ought to say something.
WindHero | 10 hours ago
That's a separate argument (which is also wrong btw, if communism is superior, why wasn't the communist block strong enough to pressure the capitalist block, while the opposite happened).
But ignoring that, what's the argument for the communist party to remain a monopoly on power at this stage? If they're not using their totalitarian power to impose communism, what's their legitimacy? Please explain to me.
Freud-Network | 10 hours ago
"Why wasn't the island nation able to pressure the global superpower hegemony?" The fuck, what? Also, it's a Bloc, not a fucking lego set.
FlicBourreDu95 | 2 hours ago
Have you seen US embargoes and predatory capitalism bringing democracy in a lot of country lately?
The answer is probably there