Outside Havana, a less sunny view of new U.S.-Cuba ties

[El Presidente]

Article from USA today

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/01/28/cuba-talks-havana-obama-rural/22348739/

This has always been my concern as to the opening up of Cuba to unfettered investment. While Havana will be the major beneficiary of US dollars, Havana is not Cuba.

The Cuban Government really needs to open up the rural and semi rural areas to low Tax / no Tax Trade zones to encourage investment in manufacturing/agriculture etc. I would make this a first step.

To neglect the building of wealth outside of Havana would see a maelstrom of resentment in those regions. It is similar to what caused Castro's rise to power.

[wabashcr]

Surprised Cuban people agreed to go on record against the regime, and admitting to multiple attempts to defect. Also surprised the publication used these people's names. I read a lot about Cuba, and usually don't see that.

As for the point of the article, I'd hope there would be more than a trickle down effect of US investment for the more remote areas outside of Havana. Ideally the rising tide would lift all boats, but as long as the Castros are in charge, who's to say?

[Baldy]

Interesting development if true and could put a stop to everything.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-31029946

[gcman68]

Interesting development if true and could put a stop to everything.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-31029946

If I were them I would ask for the same and more as part of my negotiating tactics. It could lead to concessions or be the excuse to say the U.S. wasn't really interested. Who knows maybe their ultimate goal is to sell it for the 6 billion supposedly owed.

[Philski]

To neglect the building of wealth outside of Havana would see a maelstrom of resentment in those regions. It is similar to what caused Castro's rise to power.

Interesting, I had a conversation about this precise subject with a Jamaican friend earlier. Cuba is heavily skewed towards the capital, and if my bus trip from there to the town of Trinidad a few years ago is still relevant, there is a really steep drop-off, economically, once you leave the Havana area. Most of the towns and villages we passed through looked very deprived.

I'm not familiar enough with Cuba as a whole, but I find it difficult to see that lifting the embargo would enrich the vast majority of these rural (mostly agricultural, I presume?) communities. Maybe being able to export produce at market rates would be a short-term boon, but long-term I think they are vulnerable to the sort of exploitation that felled Batista.

[cmitch]

Interesting development if true and could put a stop to everything.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-31029946

And it most likely will. Castro has nothing to offer so what makes him think he's in a position to demand anything?

[Philski]

And it most likely will. Castro has nothing to offer so what makes him think he's in a position to demand anything?

Maybe that's precisely the point... they need to use all their bargaining chips to ensure that the tail wags the dog, rather than the seemingly inevitable alternative?