Surely it isn't necessary to be saying something when you post an article. The poster may just think the info in the article interesting to the group. If Ulhas wanted to say anything presumably it would be clearer what he was saying if he had appended a statement indicating what he thought about the article. I didn't read the article as implying that Cuba is a colony of the USA (or something). All it says is that there is a great deal of food imported from the US in spite of the sanctions. I found this surprising and interesting because I did not expect this to be the case. If it were meant to imply that the US ia colony of or dependent upon the US why would it not just say that. Anyway it is only 1/3 of the import budget that goes to US purchases and nothing is said how much this represents of total food supply so it is not clear if there is even much dependency on the US.
--- Louis Proyect <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > It is always a little difficult to figure out what > Ulhas is trying to say, > but I assume this is meant to prove that Cuba is a > colony of the USA or > something. Socialist governments are not opposed to > trade. When I used to > spend time in Nicaragua, the biggest complaint was > that they couldn't buy > John Deere tractors. Imperialism does not equal the > purchase and sale of > commodities from foreign nations. It is instead an > economic relationship in > which the terms of trade are dictated by a stronger > power, either through > gunboats or through the power of the banks to > control loans, etc. > > > At 11:38 AM 2/28/2006, you wrote: > >Reuters.com > > > >United States now Cuba's biggest food supplier > > > >Fri Nov 4, 2005 > > > >By Marc Frank > > > >HAVANA, Nov 4 (Reuters) - The United States will be > Communist-run Cuba's > >biggest food supplier this year, despite trade > restrictions and onerous > >regulations, the head of the state's food importing > monopoly said on Friday. > > > >Alimport Chairman Pedro Alvarez said in an > interview that about $500 million > >of his $1.5 billion budget this year went to buy > U.S. cereals, grains, > >poultry and other products. That compares with > second place Vietnam at more > >than $150 million, in large part due to its sale of > 600,000 tonnes of rice > >to the Caribbean island. > > > >China, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela and > some European countries were > >important suppliers as well, Alvarez said, with > many at around $100 million. > > > >Food sales to Cuba on a cash basis only were > approved by Congress in 2000 as > >an exception to the U.S. trade embargo enforced > against President Fidel > >Castro's leftist government since 1962. > > > >In five years, Cuba has become the 26th largest > market for American > >agricultural exports, up from 225th, purchasing > more than 6 million tonnes > >of products valued at more than $1 billion, Alvarez > said. > > > >Early this year the Bush administration announced > tougher payment procedures > >that require letters of credit before shipments can > leave U.S. ports. > > > >"The food we buy goes directly to our people and > the measure created delays > >and insecurity, forcing us to divert $150 million > to other suppliers," > >Alvarez said, insisting existing restrictions meant > Cuban food purchases > >were half of what they could be. > > > >Nevertheless, it appears the United States will > once again dominate the > >Cuban market again in 2006, he said. > > > >Alvarez said that during this week's Havana > International Trade Fair, with > >more than 150 U.S. companies in attendance. > Alimport had purchased a million > >tonnes of U.S. products, valued at $180 million, > for delivery next year. > > > >At least half the contracts went to such big > agribusinesses as Archer > >Daniels Midland (ADM.N: Quote, Profile, Research), > Cargill and FC Stone, he > >said. > > > >Cuba has purchased products from more than 100 U.S. > companies in more than > >30 states, but at least 80 percent of the trade is > with around 15 big > >corporations, according to the New York-based > U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic > >Council, which monitors the business. > > > >© Reuters 2005. All Rights Reserved. > > > -- > > www.marxmail.org >
