As we left the airport, I first noticed the vintage 1950’s American car making a left turn. Next, in the upper right, I saw a Soviet-era Lada car approaching. It was only then that I became aware of the propaganda billboard. Loosely translated, it says “Embargo – the longest genocide in history.” And yes, that’s a noose around the island of Cuba.
Imagine if humans had colonized a planet 60 years ago. They left an assortment of their fellow human beings there, along with vehicles that were state of the art at the time, then suddenly abandoned them to fend for themselves. They also told their allies that if they tried to help them they couldn't be friends any longer.
60 years later, as relations slowly began to thaw between the two now very different people, the government that had evolved on the colonized planet has become tougher, stricter, and more determined than ever, largely because of the sanctions which were designed to do the exact opposite. Things finally start to look a little brighter for the colonists when the progressive leader of the colonial power reopened a dialogue with their government, re-established diplomatic relations, and even went for a visit, encouraging others from the colonizing planet to visit as well.
One day things finally started to look a little brighter for the colonists when the progressive leader of the colonial power reopened a dialogue with their government, re-established diplomatic relations, and even went for a visit, encouraging others from the colonizing planet to visit as well.
Then, and only because he's trying to undo everything his successor did in the name of progress, the colonial power's new "leader" begins to back away from the promises of better dialogue, leaving the colonists bitter at the government and the new "ruler" but still very welcoming towards the colonial power's people, who still find a way to travel to the planet to learn, help, and show them that they're actually not such bad people after all.
In a nutshell, this is what I experienced during our visit to Cuba last week.
To be continued...
Charles Chan Massey is the Founder and CEO of SYNAXIS Meetings & Events. Reach him at .">.