Cuba, Castro, and the Mob

When I first went to Cuba in 1975 and met with Fidel Castro, our city of Madison delegation argued well into the night with our hosts.  Our central point was that Cuba should have a free press and free elections. They responded that that was not the way of Communism and that we had no right to inflict our form of government on another nation.

Invariably the discussion would get around to the United States embargo of Cuba and the impact on the island nation.  The Cuban argument, with which we concurred, focused on the rationale of our foreign policy.  The justification of the embargo was:

Cuba did not have free and open elections.  Well neither did most of the Middle East, Africa, and the other Communist nations we recognized.

Cuba did not tolerate free speech. Ditto as to the elections.

The Fidelistas had expropriated millions of dollars of private property.  The Castro government took control of the assets of US companies without compensation. Funny thing, is that all of the right wing political moralists forget that the United States government perfected the art of confiscation when the assets of the Neisei were seized in 1942.

Which then raises the question, what was it that made Cuba stand apart?  We know the harangue that starts with national security ,and the fact that the island is less than one hundred miles from our shores. 

Cuba has not been even a remote threat to the U.S. since the mid 1970's when we negotiated the anti-hijacking treaties and the Soviet military presence all but vanished. Since the Berlin War came down, the Republican Party, with its designer wars,  poses greater threats to national security than the ice cream parlors in  Havana.

What makes Cuba stand apart is gambling, the Mob and crime. Not only did Castro nationalize Cuban industry, but he threw out the gangsters and the gambling outfits.  After all, it was the Mob that arranged for the Bay of Pigs invasion, spied where the CIA could not go, and led the attack. It is the Mob that keeps up the ferment in Miami. And it will be the Mob on the first boat back to Havana when we resume trade with Cuba.

Comments

[George Reyes]

It is often overlooked that Castro fervently wanted Kruschev to launch the nuclear missles that had been assembled in Cuba in the 1960's and aimed at the U.S.
Much sounder minds among the Russian military took control of the situtation and removed the missles. A year later they removed Kruschev.

Througout the former Soviet Union the people now have elections and are moving forward with democracy and free press. Not so bad.

Of course only the elite members of the C-Party in Cuba have decent living conditions, jobs, and can travel abroad. If things are so wonderful there we wouldn't so many of the common people trying to flee northward at great risk.

As for the casinos, they're opening up already in Havana. This time the profits go to the government, i.e.the C-Party. Once Castro is gone you'll see the floodgate open of U.S. tourists, and dollars into the Cuban economy. It will be a much needed infusion for a people who have suffered under Castro. Many have never known the days of Batista but know the poverty of their coutry under Castro and his lies.

Good riddance!

[Walter Lippmann]

Hi, Paul -

Thanks for this commentary

Back when you were active in student government, I was an activist there, too. It's been over 40 years, but you might remember me. Way back then I studied history not terribly seriously, but mostly was a campus left-wing activist.

Well, I left Madison, moved to Los Angeles, had a career as a social worker for Los Angeles Country, stayed politically active for all these years and managed to retire in 1999. I took up yoga, and went to Cuba for the first ever meeting of Cuban and U.S. yoga students and teachers. After that I got involved in the whole Elian Gonzalez thing.

One thing led to another and now I'm running a Yahoo news group with over a thousand subscribers.

Roundabout way to say "hi", but it hadn't occurred until I accidentally ran into this.

Good luck to you!

Walter Lippmann
Los Angeles, California

Jon Lepie used to be the business agent of my union. Andy Stern abolished the local a couple of years ago, long after my retirement.