As a Cuban American, I am frustrated in what is missing from media coverage regarding the demonstrations in Cuba.  Many of the demonstrators who want government changes are young. Older Cubans are suspicious of changes that could affect their health, job, and education gains.  Older Cubans remember how it was in the early fifties and before Castro: working on the 70% cultivable land that belonged to foreigners, watching the Mafia-controlled casinos make money while those in rural areas were around 40% illiterate, or with little education, (99.9% are now literate), and watching their children die of intestinal worm infestation due to lack of health care. Despite pro embargo demonstrations in Florida, a caravan of Florida Cubans are arriving in Washington D.C., on July 25, 2021 to protest this embargo. The recent U.N. vote to lift the embargo was 191 in favor, 2 opposed (US and Israel). 

The U.S. government has imposed a series of policies that hit the Cuban people economically because of their government, and with the reduction of tourism due to the pandemic it has added to the misery of the people. How would Americans feel if their food and medicines were in short supply due to interference of another country because of what they vote for?  

In 2000 the Cuban government requested the U.S.  pay $121 billion in damages due to its losses (History of Cuba.com). The amount only increases. Segments of these embargo policies change depending on which administration is in Washington.  Trump tightened the screws calling the nation, “a state sponsor of terrorism” (PBS News Hour 1/11/21), and…- remittances to Cuban families on the island are nearly stopped. In 2019 700,000 Cubans sent $1.5 billion in remittances…. that’s gone (IFCO Pastors for Peace 7/16/21).