Mexican Union against Cuba Blockade

[Mika]

Source: Prensa Latina

Mexico, Oct 22 (Prensa Latina) The Single Union of Workers of the Mexican Nuclear Industry demanded on Monday that the UN adopted firm actions to end the US blockade against Cuba.

Delfin Loya, general secretary of that entity, pointed out that the union's members reject the measure imposed over 40 years ago against the island.

In addition to difficulties in health and food sectors, the measure has tried to curb the Cuban scientific and technological development, because the United States knows that when a nation has sovereignty in that aspect, it develops its own natural resources, Loya said.

Delfin Loya, also secretary of the International Workers Union of Energy and teacher in nuclear sciences, stated that the US objective is to impoverish Cuba and impose its own conditions.

Working link here.

Read more: DU's software butchers Prensa Latina links

[nightrider767]

1. The Blockade Can't be ended

The only reason we have a blockade is because it's demanded by Cuban-Americans in Miami. It's their policy.

The reason they have authority over this issue is because if you want to win the presidency you typically always have to win Florida. To win Florida you have to win S. Florida. To win S. Florida you have to win the Cuban Vote.

So they cary a huge amount of influence and really bring the Republican vote in...

I think the blockade is a horrible idea. But I don't decide.

[ngant17]

4. simplistic thinking, doesn't work in long run

Pres. Kennedy was working toward normalization with Cuba before his sudden demise.

Pres. Carter broke thru the prohibitions against Cuba, which were immediately reversed under Reagan.

Pres. Clinton made some progress in spite of Cuban-American rightwing. All that was reversed under the _Bush regime, who stacked his Cabinet with right-wing Cuban-Americans.

All Repugs in the White House will obey the dictates of CANF, most but not all Dems in White House will follow suit.

A post-Castro era in Cuba will not change the socialist government on the island, but it will give more momentum to the cowardly Dems to actually stand up for what is right in the world. Mainly to end the restrictions and embargo against Cuba.

[Mika]

6. The CANF founder, Jorge Mas Canosa, was a Miami-Dade fundraiser for Clinton.

[nightrider767]

12. Simple Yes,,,

But seems like you pretty well agree with me. My point is that S. Florida is the key to winning Florida for either party. So we can expect S. Florida special interests to continue to control that policy. Much to the detriment of US exporters and many Cubans Americans.

Cuban politics are certainly difficult to understand.

[Mika]

16. Status quo yields large campaign contributions for pols on for both sides.

Its a mixed bag of repugs and dems on both sides of the US/Cuba debate.

Hardliner politicians seek (and receive) contributions from exiles, the tourism industries, gaming industries, etc.. The pro normalization politicians seek (and receive) contributions from big AG, manufacturing & export, shipping, airlines, construction, etc..

If the issue were to be resolved, then this major cash cow for campaigns would dry up. So, considering the financing necessities of US political campaigns, the status quo is most likely to remain.

The politicking around US/Cuba relations is a great example of how the US political system needs to change campaign financing in the interests of a more representative democracy here at home.


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[ngant17]

19. Unfortunately this is probably true to some extent

However there has been a recent shift by younger Cuban-Americans to vote outside the Repug box.

BTW when former Attorney General Janet Reno was running for governor of Florida, I went to one of her campaign rallies in S. Florida and met a a lively "Cubans for Reno" group, they all had these buttons on their shirt. But all you heard about in the mainstream press was about how all the Cuban-Americans detested Janet.

Cuban politics are pretty transparent to me, it's the Cuban-American politics in the US which might be a little confusing. These are often, but not always, the children and grandchildren of the former privledged-classes of Cuba, some had relatives who where shot or imprisoned during and after the Revolution, (I know a young Cuban-American at work who has stated that his grandfather was executed), but sooner or later they will have to realize that they can't change the socialist system in Cuba, even less so with a force of arms by a US-financed military assault, but they could possibly by peaceful means contribute to a more open society which would have more tolerance for alternate viewpoints in the long run, i.e. the Varela Project.

[Mika]

20. Not entirely true..

See post #16

charts from opensecrets.org



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[Robbien]

2. What does that mean

"curb the Cuban scientific and technological development. . .it develops its own natural resources"

That Cuba can ignore all global patent laws and develop its own drugs, software and electronics? Interesting thought.

[Mika]

5. Don't think so. Cuba is a member of the WTO

A quick glance will show some stats.

http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/countries_e/cuba_e.htm

[Judi Lynn]

3. I've heard previously Mexico was a country standing against this embargo long ago.

Keep an eye out at the end of the month, or in November for the United Nations General Assembly as it votes once more, this time for the 16th year in a row, to condemn the U.S. embargo on Cuba.

Normally 1 or 2 other countries, 3 at the most vote WITH the US. In the past this has been Israel, Palau, and the Marshall Islands! Every other nation either votes against, or simply abstains.

Last year it was 183 to 4.

[robcon]

7. What blockade?????

There hasn't been a Cuban blockade since 1963. It's an embargo.

[Judi Lynn]

8. Tell the people living under the blockade that!

[robcon]

9. Why tell them that? It's untrue.

They, like you, are just mouthing the propaganda of their Stalinist state. There is no blockade, Mika. None for 44 years. No blockade.

You are making it up, or more likely, you've stopped thinking and are just regurgitating the party line.

[Mika]

10. Better to learn the meaning of words. Re: blockade

http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/blockade

blockade{2 noun}

1: the isolation by a warring nation of an enemy area (as a harbor) by troops or warships to prevent passage of persons or supplies; broadly : a restrictive measure designed to obstruct the commerce and communications of an unfriendly nation

That is why the UN vote every year is overwhelmingly against the US blockade against Cuba.

[Judi Lynn]

11. Apparently a lotta foolish, silly people at the U.N., Mika! You'd think they'd send more responsible

representatives there to do their nation's business, wouldn't you?

(Well, now that one thinks about it, _Bush has sent Negroponte, Mr. Death Squads, and John Bolton to the U.N., whereas John Kennedy sent Adlai Stevenson!)

[SyntaxError]

13. I always thought it was a US-Cuba thing only...

Do we really prevent goods by military force? Either way, I never fully understood the rational for anything of the sort now that the cold war is over... What is the supposed rational for it?

[robcon]

14. There is no blockade, as your definition shows.

Pathetic, Mika.

[Billy Burnett]

17. Why all of the vitriol and personal attacks?

I don't get why you insist upon ad hominem attacks in your posts to Judi and Mika. If you have a point, then argue to the point, but resorting to these personal attacks isn't discussion on your part. It is flaming. (Perhaps to get a thread deleted or locked? :shrug: )

I'm not sure why the mods haven't tombstoned you for your constant personal attacks that I've seen on many of these threads.


-- edit; uh oh... this was post 666. :scared: ;)

[Mika]

18. Oh, c'mon Billy. robcon's posts ad hominem attacks? That's his style..

.. as denoted by their consistency. :crazy:

:toast:

[Mika]

15. Apparently, I need to put relevant part in BOLD.

http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/blockade

blockade{2 noun}

1: the isolation by a warring nation of an enemy area (as a harbor) by troops or warships to prevent passage of persons or supplies; broadly : a restrictive measure designed to obstruct the commerce and communications of an unfriendly nation

The US sanctions on Cuba are intended to "obstruct the commerce and communications" of Cuba. That is defined, above, as a blockade.

If that's not the case, then why is the US's Helms-Burton law, (and a range of other US trade sanctions) in place? They were put in place to cripple the Cuban economy to create impetus for unrest against the government. It hasn't worked to create unrest against the Cuban gov, instead it has created animus against the US gov.


Seems silly to continue to deny something so clearly defined.