Havana at 500 still being crushed by US embargo at 60

While visiting Havana two years ago our tour guide informed us a half dozen or so dilapidated buildings collapse daily due to neglect, still largely due to the US embargo begun in 1959. Back then the newly empowered Castro revolution began dismantling the corporate and mafia welfare state benefiting its American protectors the US installed after stealing Cuba away from Spain in 1898. The irony of the building collapses is many were built by US infrastructure investment to make Cuba attractive for US exploitation over a hundred years ago. Another fact stood out: all new infrastructure building equipment trying to shore up impending collapse candidates and build 21st century versions bear company names from Russia, China, UK, France, Sweden, India, South Korea, Italy and others. None bear 'Made in USA'. That is tragic for Cuba and tragic for America, unable to shake off loss of its Cuban gravy train six decades ago.

I'm reminded of this truly sad and unending chapter in US - Cuba relations by Cuba's celebration of Havana's five hundredth birthday tomorrow. The current US president has reversed eight years of US - Cuba detente initiated by his predecessor, limiting the number of Americans who can enjoy the splendor of Havana amid the decay at its half millennium. Another cruel irony of this senseless, bullying policy of 327 million Americans against 11 million Cubans is that the embargo inhibits and degrades Cuba's inexorable march to a market economy initiated after the collapse of its Soviet benefactor in 1991.

With a little effort Americans can still visit Cuba in spite of current US spite. For my wife and I it was a trip of a lifetime. Those who haven't should do so while they still have one.