Castro’s Cuba
Re “Keep the Embargo on Cuba Until Castro Opens the Doors,” Commentary, Dec. 27: Debunking myths: The embargo only hurts the people of Cuba; officials trade quite easily with everyone but the United States. Until the embargo is lifted, Fidel Castro has a legitimate issue to sell to the Cuban people. The advantage to American businesses in Cuba is not the purchasing power of the Cuban people; by lifting the embargo we do accelerate change, and China is the perfect example.
Some history happens overnight, some doesn’t. The change in China is immense and was unimaginable 30 years ago. That the Chinese government is still a repressive, totalitarian regime is not the issue; the issue is whether there is more freedom there now than before we began trading and the answer is, economically, yes. More history to follow.
SIXTO JOOST
Santa Monica
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Alexis I. Torres’ commentary supporting the embargo of Cuba by the U.S. is so full of factual and logical errors that it hardly merits reply. But the fact remains that this failed, shameful and hypocritical embargo is one of the last relics of the Cold War, and it is time for the American people to say to President Clinton what President Reagan said to Mikhail Gorbachev. President Clinton, tear down this wall.
JOHN HUMBLE
Santa Monica
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