The article and interview don’t really make clear what this bind would be. Can someone smarter explain why, from a national interest perspective, this would be worse/different from Venezuela?
Edit: appreciate the replies.
I envision a regime change would install a pro-USA leader and end their relationships with countries adversarial to the USA. From a resource perspective there isn’t anything Cuba is needed for, as I understand it.
Property that was seized from exiled Cubans who are sympathetic to the USA would likely be returned. I imagine foreign investments like those from Canada and other ostensible allies of the USA would not be seized but the partnerships would need to be re-approved.
Tourism would be boosted – development and amenities get brought in and it becomes east coast Hawaii without the votes, in some sense.
RNTMA on
It’ll be a difficult situation, but it’s hard to imagine it not happening. Cuba was always next on the menu once Venezuela fell, and I think we’ll see something by year end.Â
Probably won’t be long until the US puts tariffs on us unless we cut tier with Cuba. Do we decide to maintain an independent foreign policy?
SuarezAndSturridge on
It’s obviously not a completely static situation, but the US has been trying to overthrow the Cuban government on and off since 1959. Feel like there should already be multiple sets of contingency plans to dust off and revise for this, especially when it comes to basics like evacuating tourists
raz_kripta on
What bind?
Canada doesn’t support Cuba’s communist government because it’s not democratic, but overthrow of Cuba’s government by force from a foreign power isn’t democratic either, so Canada doesn’t have to support it.
Both are to be condemned – not really much of a bind.
RiverOaksJays on
Fidel Castro & Pierre Elliot Trudeau had a good relationship. Trudeau visited Cuba & brought Justin there to meet Fidel.
Fidel Castro did come to Ottawa for Trudeau’s funeral.
Canada provides millions of tourists to Cuba every year. They would be swamped by American tourists if the embargo were lifted.
BigGuy4UftCIA on
You shouldn’t be traveling to Cuba. It has been in deterioration for how long and it’s one blackout or unpaid grain vessel away from everything going to shit. If it falls internally or external our bind will only last as long as it takes for some militias, or worse, to “safeguard” tourists.
I tell my in-laws the first point of being one blackout away but it’s really cheap so what can you do.
Canuck-overseas on
The US cannot overthrow Cuba, they’ve been trying for decades. They would have to permanently occupy the island, and there is no way they will bankroll such a ‘nation building’ project.
Lord-Glorfindel on
This is not so much about Cuba as it is about Trump being able to levy tariffs. U.S. law only allows the president to levy a tariff without the approval of Congress in an emergency. Trump has no emergency other than the one he creates domestically, so he has to manufacture one with Cuba. As it turns out, now that Venezuelan oil is not flowing to Cuba, the greatest supplier to Cuba is now Mexico.
The United States could of course attack Cuba like they did with Venezuela, but Cuba is also right next door to Florida.
8 Comments
The article and interview don’t really make clear what this bind would be. Can someone smarter explain why, from a national interest perspective, this would be worse/different from Venezuela?
Edit: appreciate the replies.
I envision a regime change would install a pro-USA leader and end their relationships with countries adversarial to the USA. From a resource perspective there isn’t anything Cuba is needed for, as I understand it.
Property that was seized from exiled Cubans who are sympathetic to the USA would likely be returned. I imagine foreign investments like those from Canada and other ostensible allies of the USA would not be seized but the partnerships would need to be re-approved.
Tourism would be boosted – development and amenities get brought in and it becomes east coast Hawaii without the votes, in some sense.
It’ll be a difficult situation, but it’s hard to imagine it not happening. Cuba was always next on the menu once Venezuela fell, and I think we’ll see something by year end.Â
Probably won’t be long until the US puts tariffs on us unless we cut tier with Cuba. Do we decide to maintain an independent foreign policy?
It’s obviously not a completely static situation, but the US has been trying to overthrow the Cuban government on and off since 1959. Feel like there should already be multiple sets of contingency plans to dust off and revise for this, especially when it comes to basics like evacuating tourists
What bind?
Canada doesn’t support Cuba’s communist government because it’s not democratic, but overthrow of Cuba’s government by force from a foreign power isn’t democratic either, so Canada doesn’t have to support it.
Both are to be condemned – not really much of a bind.
Fidel Castro & Pierre Elliot Trudeau had a good relationship. Trudeau visited Cuba & brought Justin there to meet Fidel.
Fidel Castro did come to Ottawa for Trudeau’s funeral.
Canada provides millions of tourists to Cuba every year. They would be swamped by American tourists if the embargo were lifted.
You shouldn’t be traveling to Cuba. It has been in deterioration for how long and it’s one blackout or unpaid grain vessel away from everything going to shit. If it falls internally or external our bind will only last as long as it takes for some militias, or worse, to “safeguard” tourists.
I tell my in-laws the first point of being one blackout away but it’s really cheap so what can you do.
The US cannot overthrow Cuba, they’ve been trying for decades. They would have to permanently occupy the island, and there is no way they will bankroll such a ‘nation building’ project.
This is not so much about Cuba as it is about Trump being able to levy tariffs. U.S. law only allows the president to levy a tariff without the approval of Congress in an emergency. Trump has no emergency other than the one he creates domestically, so he has to manufacture one with Cuba. As it turns out, now that Venezuelan oil is not flowing to Cuba, the greatest supplier to Cuba is now Mexico.
The United States could of course attack Cuba like they did with Venezuela, but Cuba is also right next door to Florida.