Lift the U.S. Embargo on Cuba For Freedom and Prosperity to Cubans

On Wednesday, President Obama authorized the reinstatement of full diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba and the opening of a U.S. embassy in Havana.  Republicans have mistakenly criticized the move as impeding freedom and democracy in Cuba for decades to come. One of them, Senator Marco Rubio, castigated Obama’s decision, claiming “[W]hat the president is saying, by recognizing Cuba's government is that in the 21st century being a Communist, brutal dictatorship is an acceptable form of government.” However, Republicans are nearsighted to assume that existing relations with Cuba has brought democracy and a freer government in Cuba when the last 50 years has shown the opposite.

Furthermore, it’s clear that misguided sanctions and embargoes cannot bring long term regime change as seen in several instances, especially when the U.S. attempted to force Iraq to comply with its demands through an embargo that resulted in the death of 1,200,000 Iraqis from starvation and disease from 1990-1998, and now with a Cuban government that has only become more repressive over time in response to the U.S. embargo that constricts economic growth. It’s time to go further and lift the reckless embargo from Cuba, and allow the people of Cuba to become exposed to the market, Western companies, and weaken the influence of the communist Cuban regime.

In regards to President Obama’s decision, the United States will “ease restrictions on remittances, travel and banking” while “Cuba will allow more Internet access, release 53 Cubans identified as political prisoners by the United States, and Alan Gross, an American contractor”.  This also comes at a time when nearly six in ten Americans support re-establishing relations with Cuba, according to a New York Times poll conducted in October. Indeed, this demonstrates that most Americans have recognized that forcefully isolating a country to create regime change fails to work.  

At last, a possible lift of the U.S. embargo on Cuba will obliterate the common beliefs that the U.S. is the sole party responsible for Cuba’s struggles. Additionally, more interaction with the West will bring freedom to the Cuban people. Therefore, I urge a Republican controlled Congress to observe the proven connection between freer markets and individual freedom, and lift the Cuban embargo once and for all. After all, as President Obama stated, “I do not believe we can keep doing the same thing for over five decades and expect a different result.”