By Khalida Sarwari
The distance from Miami, Fla., to Havana, Cuba, is about 230 miles–or less than an hour by plane. That equates to roughly the same distance between San Francisco and San Luis Obispo. But with economic sanctions against Cuba still in place, the communist island country in the Caribbean remains a “forbidden country” to many in the U.S.
It appears, though, that the tide may be turning in favor of ending the trade embargo, or as it’s known in Cuba, el bloqueo.
A 2012 public opinion poll showed 57 percent of Americans called for ending the travel ban to Cuba, with 27 percent disagreeing and 16 percent saying they were unsure.
President Barack Obama himself has hinted he is considering rethinking Cuba policy. Last December, Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro engaged in a handshake at Nelson Mandela’s funeral in what journalists widely dubbed as “the handshake heard ’round the world.” Later, the Obama administration downplayed the handshake, but according to a White House official, it was the first such incident between a U.S. and Cuban president in more than a decade.
The historic handshake aside, Obama has taken other measures that some have taken to mean he could be leaning toward a policy shift. One such measure is easing restrictions on travel. In 2009, the Obama administration passed legislation allowing people of Cuban descent and people with family members in Cuba to be able to visit the island via direct chartered flights from several U.S. airports.
Still, in order to visit the island, U.S. residents must first jump through a few hoops. To qualify for travel, they must prove that they are affiliated with a religious, humanitarian, governmental, athletic, academic or news organization. A visa and medical insurance for the duration of the trip are also required.
Driven by his long-held curiosity about the island, Dennis Augustine, a retired podiatrist from Saratoga, took a 10-day trip in January on a religious license to tour a country that’s been off limits to Americans for more than half a century.
Augustine was accompanied by his brother-in-law, Joseph McAllister, from Rutherford, N.J. The two are regular travel partners who like to extend “goodwill and cheer” to each country they visit. On this trip, they took with them soccer balls, school and art supplies, New York Yankees hats and harmonicas. They also donated funds to a senior and children’s center.
One of Augustine’s favorite experiences was an excursion to Las Terrazas Cuba, an eco-community center and coffee plantation which Augustine described as “a paradise for nature lovers and activity enthusiasts alike.” Las Terrazas is a national park in west Cuba comprised of 5,000 hectares of unspoiled countryside, complete with ponds, waterfalls, remains of old tobacco plantations and sulfurous springs. There, Augustine and his group spent the day eating at the La Casa del Campesino, which translates to “the peasant’s house,” listening to a local band perform classic Cuban folk songs, swimming in the Rio San Juan Basin and learning about the region’s history.
For Augustine, the trip was also an opportunity to see the Buena Vista Social Club, a band of Cuban musicians that became an International success in the late 1990s.
The arts are a big part of the Cuban culture. Augustine noted that Afro-Cuban murals, sculpture, music and dance are commonly found in barrios. In the town of Jaimanitas, Jose Fuster decorates the exterior of homes in a style reminiscent of Pablo Picasso and Jean Dubuffet. More than 80 residents have allowed Fuster to use their homes as his canvas. Augustine described the neighborhoods as a “Disneyland of art.”
Literacy is also a priority for Cubans, Augustine said. More than 95 percent of Cubans are literate. As part of the country’s literacy campaign, young girls and boys are summoned to go to rural areas of the country where the literacy rate is at its worst and teach people how to read and write.
Augustine spent most of his time in Havana, where he witnessed street dancers in bright costumes and face paint on stilts performing in the city square. People on the street, and particularly the youth, were happy to strike up a conversation with American tourists, Augustine said.
“I was deeply moved by the beauty of the country and the spirit of its people, who clearly love Americans and engaged us throughout our stay,” he said.
Their constant guide, Jorge, led the group on a walking tour of old town Havana where they witnessed more than 900 buildings dating back to colonial times and reflecting a variety of architectural styles, from ornamental baroque to extravagant Art Deco. As they visited UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Augustine learned about the history, politics and culture that has helped shape the nation’s capital–home to 2 million people, each with a unique story.
For example, Jorge, the tour guide, is a 27-year-old architecture student who Augustine found to be articulate, smart and skillful.
“You would think he’d be like a Cuban who lives in Miami,” Augustine said. “He knew everything about American life.”
Jorge’s mother is a business attorney and his father is a university professor, said Augustine. His parents were initially upset when they learned that he’d decided to defer studying architecture to become a tour guide. The upshot, however, is that he makes more money than both of them. Augustine noted that in Cuba it’s not uncommon for people in the service industries to make more than their white-collar counterparts.
On average, doctors make about $500 a month, according to Augustine. They are one of the biggest exports in Cuba. The government will often send them to other Latin American countries, such as Venezuela, in exchange for oil.
Like many Cubans, Jorge appeared to be “partial to the system,” according to Augustine.
“He has fond memories growing up and he has family members who fought alongside [Fidel] Castro actually,” he said. One of those family members, Augustine said, is an uncle whose photo hangs in one of the museums they visited.
On a visit to an organic farm, Augustine said he learned the importance of sustainable farming to Cubans. Vivero Alamar is one of the more well-known farms, both in Cuba and around the world. Originally a modest vegetable garden, the farm has grown to more than 25 acres and includes animals, fruits, herbs and products like vinegars and spices. The farm employs more than 160 people and sells its produce to nearly 50,000 people every year. Augustine said that before the advent of organic urban farms (organoponicos) such as Vivero Alamar, fresh produce was much more difficult to obtain. It took the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba’s primary economic partner, for the island to reinvent itself and embrace this new way of farming.
Farmers in America could benefit from doing business with Cuban farmers, but that would require dropping the embargo, Augustine said.
He sees other benefits to lifting the sanctions, for both Cubans and Americans. Cuba would be given access to the capital market, allowing them to invest in the restoration of its cities. The U.S. could cut off the drug smuggling route going around Cuba and into Miami.
“There are so many things we can do jointly with them that we haven’t been able to do and I think they would be open to do as long as each side gives,” Augustine said.
For Augustine, the trip reinforced his belief that the embargo imposed on Cuba since 1960 is no longer viable and, in fact, harms the Cuban people. He argued that it’s time for the U.S. to leave behind outdated policies and try a new approach.
“You can’t keep fighting old wars,” he said.
