Russia writes off 90% of Cuba's debt ahead of Putin's 'big tour' to L. America

originally posted by: Vovin

originally posted by: MrSpad

originally posted by: links234
a reply to: neo96

Oh God...I just gave you a star for that post. I feel dirty.

a reply to: kwakakev

Because most of the Cuban population in Florida are anti-Castro. So they prefer the blockade to remain to hurt the Cuban government.

Exactly. These are the people who escaped Cuba over the last 50 years and have seen loved ones killed etc. They still see the Cuban goverment as the ones responsible and are hard core pro blockade. Even though pretty much nobody esle is. Everytime either party starts feeling out the idea the Cuban community makes sure they know they swing the vote for the other guy. Florida being a swing state with a huge population is vital to winning any election. The state of Florica itself is chomping that the bit to end the embargo and surge trade/invesment into Cuba. The only way that will happen is if when Castro dies the exiles soften on the idea or as Florida becomes more and more of a blue state the grip the Cuban voting bloc has will become less important. Either way it is just a matter of time before Cuba becomes vacation paradise for American's to spend lots of money in.

I will say that's a pretty good angle that I've never considered before. I guess it is another important example of how Cuba affects American politics.

One thing that the Cuban delegates that I've met had to talk about was Guantanamo Bay. They seem to not be too keen to forced the Americans out of there, because it would further strain relations. They have said that the American forces are hostile to local Cubans there and still act aggressive towards Cuban fishermen, sometimes shooting at their boats while in Cuban waters. The Cubans take pride in never cashing the annual cheques provided by the American government to rent the territory, as per the formal agreement.

Sometimes I wonder if keeping Gitmo open is a deepstate policy to keep The foothold for American forces in Cuba to pressure the Cuban government.

GITMO does not serve any strategic purpose anymore and I would not be suprised once Cuba opens to the world that base will most likely close or be downsized to just a supply depot like you find in Brazil and other nations in the region. The US keeps it simply as a poke in the nose to Cuba. The Caribbean is an American lake full of close friends and allies that allow US ships and aircraft pretty much open access.

a reply to: Vovin

you are pretty much saying that the American global empire strategy of surrounding, blockading and starving non-aligned countries to induce pro-American regime change is an acceptable process. How is that agreeable?

US does not have global empire strategy. Britain used to have one.
US could have been more flexible with Cuban communist regime instead of cold hard economic blockade. That situation became more like Israel vrs Palestine. The more harsh actions Israel takes the more stern and combative Palestinians become. While killing of 3 Israeli teens was "absolutely wrong" but massive retaliation that resulted in killing of more than 100 Palestinians was way beyond excessive. This will give rise at atleast 100 suicide bombers ready to offer themselves for violent causes against Israel. The cycle of violence goes on.

Same with US vrs Cuba. Why would US trade with communist USSR and China while not with Cuba? That was a wrong policy.

What the Cubans did was popular choice, supported by public referendums. It's not like Castro held the country hostage.

You are absolutely wrong here. Trying to misinform and deceive. Go to any communist or hard socialist country, like back in time to 1980s. You will not find the popular choice these. They were like a big prison system where 9/10 would have loved to flee to even free third world nations. Castro and regime surely had Cubans in a hostage like grip. I am not going to discuss on such disinformation and abject lie anymore.

Like I said before, QUIT glorifying a horrible system that was proven impractical and hence got defeated to a natural system better in tune with the human psychology and atleast minimum dignity.

a reply to: victor7

Like I said, I could write about communism all day but it wouldn't mean anything other than wasting my time.

Communism is a socioeconomic ideology that has worked in some instances. The only reason why it was brutal in China and the USSR was because these two countries had to conduct rapid industrialization because they skipped from feudal modes straight to worker-owned production. There was no capitalist era because foreign capitalists controlled what industry they had and these foreign capitalists wanted the feudalist governments in power to keep the people backwards and powerless- hence the communist revolutions.

Communism, in its most basic definition, is taking the power over the mode of production away from aristocracy and bourgeoisie and putting it directly in the hands of the working classes. It is part of an socioeconomic evolutionary process. When capitalism reaches the breaking point on the global level, you will see a resurgence of communist ideology working to re-establish social order. Sorry if that hurts your world view, but it is inevitable according to socioeconomic laws of motion, as evidenced by previous socioeconomic paradigm shifts throughout history.

Every socioeconomic paradigm hits a breaking point where the dominant ideology becomes arbitrary and obsolete due to spatiotemporal realities and philosophical and technological progression. Capitalism has formed the global economy, which is a necessary and predicted step.

However, the world capitalist order has led to such great disparity and overproduction of resources that it's intertwined neoliberal pact complex will surely collapse from a serious economic crisis (one that would be imminent and not just mere "market speculation"). With the first world moving most of their industrial production to third world nations that are industrializing, it would only be a matter of time before this production is nationalized by the third world while the first world scrambles to regain control with the only industry they have left: finance, based entirely on imaginary credit transactions. It nobody got time for that.

originally posted by: kwakakev
a reply to: victor7

Instead of writing off the Cuban debt, Russia should have bought out some bankrupt and inefficiently run industries or companies and turned these around.

While I am not sure, I would not be surprised to find that these debts have been paid off with Russia's pile of US notes.

I wonder what type of people are advising Kremlin these days. Russia threw in $50B in Sochi, while money was spent inside Russia but now these assets are sitting idle in the Ghost town. Stadiums, hotels, hostels etc. are all empty. No really big rise in tourism as was loudly cheered on by Moscow.

Merely exchanging land for debt in Cuba would have yielded results. Cuba is taking baby steps towards market reforms. In 10 years, the land gained would have easily appreciated in value given Cuba is merely 90 kms from Florida. Many other factors for Cuban land to appreciate. Then Russia could have sold off this land for profit and come out with 100% debt return plus decent profits. $32B is not a pocket change even for USA and for country like Russia the purchasing power of this amount is good $100B.

Sometimes I wonder if Putin is merely stroking his ego with the Russian money. First Sochi, then 2018 World Cup planned, $10B debt write off of North Korea, now $32B of Cuba, many other countries like Libya, Algeria, Syria have already gained $5B each from Russian write off. What the hell is going on??

Did Russia dissolve local communism just to adopt the global communism instead??

Go to Russia and merely 50 kms outside Moscow, you come back in time by good 15-20 years in terms of economic development. But Putin is bent on wanting to face off the US and have Russia be called a SuperPower again !!

Even USSR was not a superpower in comprehensive terms of: Economics, Political and Military. Economy wise it has no standing vrs US. Military wise it was mostly 1-2 grades lower and hiding behind the nukes. Only Political terms it had global standing and matching given the aggressive commie expansion agenda which was much cheaper to implement and fool the uneducated third world people with sweet talk of "glorious socialism".

I will not reply to any answers that go on to defend any godless system that starves and deprives the human race of minimum needs and thus basic dignity.

a reply to: victor7

As for what Russia is doing throwing money around like a mad man? Looks like he is leading the challenge against US global reserve currency status. Like it or not 2008 showed the world just how interconnected everything is and how problems can quickly move around. For the world to be dependent on just one currency is a weak link, monetary policy set on national interests fails to meet the global interest. As for some of what is going on has big transnational links with both sides getting played. Does not matter who is fighting, fear is good for profits.

a reply to: kwakakev
I think Putin might be a drug dealer, this is just payment for tons of coc aine sent to Russia over the years. Hey it's a viable theory.

cuba, a country that was illegally sanctioned by USA for reasons so bad it is embarassing for american who think they are the bringer of liberty and freedom.

im glad russian close this debt. Cuba as a small nation heroically withstand illegal onvasion by USA , i find it hilarious that USA the great superpower is powerless against cuba..