The False Reality of Cuba

Over the past three months I have had the unique opportunity to study abroad on the largest and most ethnically diverse nations within the Caribbean, Cuba. Many tourists travel to Cuba to experience the rich Spanish culture and colonial influence by visiting its capital of Havana. When visiting Havana many people will notice and experience the bright colors, classic cars, reminiscent Bachata music and dance, intricate cuisine, street festivals and parades, as well as the authentic and friendly Cuban people. However, many tourists only recognize the glamorous scenes of the area that they are inhabiting instead of looking within the deeper picture that they are continuing to paint. A picture where the Cuban citizens are putting on their best faces to create a false image of what Cuba USED to be and not to reflect the Cuba that many citizens are experiencing today.

During my three months on the communist island I thoroughly enjoyed experiencing the vibrant culture that Cuba had to offer, but throughout the duration of my trip I began to refocus my attention from these touristic elements and to look at the deeper picture of the lives who were creating this culture. Due to the fact that the island is currently under extreme economic turmoil and stress, many Cubans cannot afford to take part within the touristic attractions that many foreigners embark on such as going on a classic convertible car ride or even enjoying an authentic Cuban meal at a Paladar (a privately owned restaurant). Instead they live day to day trying to make ends meet by working within the tourism industry to make as much money as possible.

Education is free in Cuba. However, since the nation maintains a dual currency system that stems from the remnants of the Cuban revolution and the collapse of the communist bloc, many Cubans depend on making a living by working as a cab driver or bartender versus becoming a lawyer or doctor which ultimately creates a skewed hierarchy that is unfamiliar to the US. Even though the Cuban government provides free health care and education, which is something that we lack within the US, many Cubans are unable to benefit from the privileges that we maintain.

Privileges such as the right to free enterprise, the ability to own a car, a home or apartment that does not house three generations under one roof, large sums of land, access to Wi-Fi and telecommunication services, or the freedom to buy everyday goods without extreme rationing systems. If Americans were constantly faced with the same issues that the Cuban people were experiencing today, then we would not have such high success and productivity rates which has ultimately allowed us to become a globalized first world nation.

Even though many tourists refer to Cuba as the country frozen in time, the Cuban people have constantly expressed that they are tired of being looked upon as stuck in the past or ancient beings. As globalization continues to penetrate our world system, we must not only stress the importance to uphold cultural preservation, but to also uphold the idea of maintaining basic human rights for all human beings within this world.

With President Trump’s decision to uphold Title III of the Helms Burton Act, cap family remittances from the US to Cuba at $1,000, restrict American tourism to Cuba, and the threat to enforce all titles of the embargo, the state of Cuba’s economic system will go from bad to worse within a couple of months. Therefore, Raúl Castro (who currently serves as the first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba) has began to warn the public that tough times are ahead for the 11 million people who currently inhabit the island, and that there is a high chance that nation will undergo another “Special Period” that resembles the island’s economic and social migration crisis of the 90s.

By reading this article you may be wondering what you can do to help. If you are planning a visit to Cuba (before President Trump fully enforces a ban on American tourism to the island) you should take one day of your trip to volunteer with Cuba’s Give a Day Global project. You can find more information here: https://www.giveadayglobal.org/volunteer/cuba/finca-tungasuk/