American Embargo of Cuba Criticized as Just a Charade

In Karl Schoenberger’s article, “U.S. Firms Cautious on Viet Trade” (Dec. 16), he quotes Douglas Pike, a former State Department official, as saying: “President Bush believes a hard line on Hanoi is the best way to promote reforms . . . .”

Indeed, this has been the long-standing policy of the Reagan/Bush Administrations, not only in dealing with Hanoi, but with other foreign governments as well who are not willing to dance to Washington’s tune. I am referring to the U.S. embargo of Cuba.

I recently returned from a 12-day visit to Havana for the 14th International Latin American Film Festival, where I experienced first hand that island nation’s frightful situation under the U.S. embargo.

This embargo, however effective it might be in promoting hoped-for reforms--and our government assures us it does--is really hurting no one but the everyday Cuban people. Those who are connected directly with the Communists do not feel the embargo’s effects. These privileged Cubans live on their estates in Cubanacan (where Fidel Castro resides), dine in special “dollar-only” restaurants and shop in stores and supermarkets where the shelves are overflowing with choice items, mostly coming from the United States through third-party countries.

The everyday Cuban, who we not so long ago called our good Latin friend, is forced to live on dwindling rations, endure power blackouts nightly and skip any shopping as we know it. (Most stores are closed because there is nothing to sell.) As for dining out, all restaurants other than the “dollar-only” ones--which tourists, incidentally, may go to as well--are likewise closed. The average two-week ration per person for these “nonconnected” Cubans is four eggs, a pound of ground beef mixed with soybeans and, hopefully, a few vegetables. Milk is reserved for children and pregnant women.

What is being accomplished by this misdirected economic embargo? If anything, it gives Castro and the Communists an opportunity to lambaste the United States publicly for being a bully in an increasingly Castro-sympathizing world.

The United States has used as its pretext for the embargo alleged human rights violations in Cuba. It is a strange stone to be throwing for a government that has been in bed with the likes of Ferdinand Marcos, Anastasio Somoza and Papa Doc Duvalier.

Forget for a moment the injustices and humiliations the everyday Cuban is having to put up with. What does it matter to the average American that more than 7 million Cubans are suffering daily in inhuman conditions caused directly or indirectly by the Reagan/Bush polices?

The focus of Schoenberger’s article regarding Hanoi is on commerce. He quotes Richard Stober, spokesman for the heavy-equipment maker Caterpillar, as saying, “Japan has been selling there (Vietnam) for several years, while we’re being denied immediate opportunities.”

Well, the same is true of Cuba. The commercial ventures that are being denied U.S. firms under the embargo put our business community at a great disadvantage with other foreign investors, not unlike what Stober is referring to in Hanoi.

This should very much concern the American people. We are living today in a global economy, and we are quickly losing the economic edge. Cuba is in the process of building up its promising tourist industry with heavy investment from such countries as Mexico, Venezuela and Spain. U.S. investors are simply being shut out of this potentially lucrative market.

Can we afford to continue this charade in foreign policy against Cuba that is really serving no one, is unfair to U.S. investors and is causing a great deal of unnecessary suffering for so many?

The Cuban-Americans in Miami would have us believe we can, and should. This wealthy community has lobbied for years to continue a policy that should have ended with the embarrassing Bay of Pigs incident more than 30 years ago. Instead, the policy continues to this day.

And, in fact, this same group has given its hearty support to President-elect Bill Clinton in hopes that the new Democratic Administration will continue to side with them. They pray that the U.S. embargo will eventually topple the Castro government and they will be able to return to their homeland and run it themselves.

But despite what we may think of Fidel Castro, most Cubans regard him as a national hero and, in fact, a beloved father figure who has done much good for Cuba and the Cuban people.

Let us for once see the picture, not through a glass darkly, but with a clear vision of the future. If not for any humanitarian reason, then just for good business sense.

But whatever the reason--and there are many--let us work to end this pointless embargo and get on with our “new world order,” where we base our policies on bridges, not blockades, and on friendship, not subservience. Let us show the Cuban people--and they are still very much our friends, believe me--that we are better than that. We, too, can be good friends. A great many of us already are.

CLAUDE BRICKELL

Los Angeles

The writer is an independent film producer in Los Angeles.