Raul Castro Resigns

#32
#32
Because of things my dad did in the early 60’s, I’m probably not going to be allowed to travel to Cuba.
 
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#35
#35
SpaceCoastVol said:
When Zero 'opened up' Cuba, the airlines were falling all over each other for service. American was going to have so many flights to HAV out of MIA that you could walk on the airplanes and never get your feet wet. DAL was gonna fly out of ATL and somewhere else, and I don't remember the others. It was a giant nothing burger. I am not sure any American carrier even goes there any more on a scheduled basis anyway. Communism ruined any chance of Cuba being anything more than curiosity. Can't wait until it's here.
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I worked with the bank in S. FL that had the "deal" with Cuba when this went down. I'm in the merchant services business and got some nice accounts. I had some travel companies out of Canada (which was already allowed) and a Sheraton and Hilton hotel... and even a boutique cruise line. But signed a bunch that never got off the ground. Everyone wanted to get into the travel business.

I was in several meetings that sounded great. Home Depot, Lowe's type operations opening in Cuba. Then one meeting, a very non-impressive meeting on paper, the operator said, "None of these things will ever happen. Cuba is still a Communist country. Just because they agree to things doesn't mean they will happen." Sure enough, that's exactly what happened. All before Trump.

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/cuba/article83936817.html
 
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#36
#36
VolnJC said:
I would love to visit Cuba before developers destroy it and we see Subways and Starbucks on every corner
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Cuba is incredibly poor and rundown. What is heartbreaking is to see beautiful old buildings in ruins - a tribute to socialism. The restored buildings seem to either belong to foreign governments or those places the Cuban government wants seen as showpieces. The Chinese are there "rebuilding infrastructure", and almost any new car you see is Chinese. For US citizens when you could travel to Cuba, you are pretty much restricted to touring with Cuban "tour guides" on Chinese buses - the guides seem to be fairly free with information about living conditions - rationing food, utilities, and other necessities), education, medical care, etc - socialized medicine leaves a lot to be desired, and higher education is based heavily on what the state needs rather than preference. Doctors are farmed out to a host of other countries as income to the Cuban government - doctors themselves are paid basically what they would get in Cuba even though pay for their services is greater.

Even though it's so easy to see the poverty, it's very hard to photograph it because the roads are in shambles - you just can't get a decent picture without being fully stopped. I certainly enjoyed the trip, Cubans themselves are friendly, but the last memories when leaving Cienfuegos was patrols across the runway preventing any chance of stowaways on a departing flight.

Unless industry is brought to Cuba, it's not happening. I get the comment about Subways and Starbucks, but except for ambience they would definitely be upscale - of course, they'd have to import everything they sell because Cuba can't produce what they'd need.

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Most of these places are hulks without doors, windows, interiors, etc


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It would be fascinating to take an old place and do this with it, but you'd have to import virtually everything, and then be faced with importing what you need for subsistance.
 
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#37
#37
Grand Vol said:
Honestly, I can see them transitioning to more of a semi free market system like Vietnam.
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Cuba will more likely be a Chinese base. The Chinese are in the process of building and selling stuff to Cuba. When the Chinese do that in poor undeveloped countries, they build to own - that's just the way the Chinese roll. Better policy here might have been to work with Cuba in hopes of a friendly bond and transition to a stable government where Cuba isn't a proxy or ward of a different totalitarian state.
 
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#38
#38
ETV said:
It's a miracle how they've managed to keep most of them on the road with the lack of parts, salvage cars.
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They do wonders with bodywork and interiors, but the drivetrains and engines are from things like Russian Gaz diesels.
 
#40
#40
Boca Vol said:
I was in several meetings that sounded great. Home Depot, Lowe's type operations opening in Cuba. Then one meeting, a very non-impressive meeting on paper, the operator said, "None of these things will ever happen. Cuba is still a Communist country. Just because they agree to things doesn't mean they will happen." Sure enough, that's exactly what happened. All before Trump.
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Meh, in a way, is that a bad thing? Why should they get polluted with all of the Big Box stores and McDonald-ization? Maybe having organic, homegrown business can have a shot down there.
 
#44
#44
AM64 said:
Cuba will more likely be a Chinese base. The Chinese are in the process of building and selling stuff to Cuba. When the Chinese do that in poor undeveloped countries, they build to own - that's just the way the Chinese roll. Better policy here might have been to work with Cuba in hopes of a friendly bond and transition to a stable government where Cuba isn't a proxy or ward of a different totalitarian state.
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Our Cuba policy has been stupid since JFK.
 
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