What Began the US Embargo Versus Cuba?

The United States embargo against Cuba began because Cuba refused to make moves toward a more democratized government and towards greater respect for greater human rights.

Here are a few more specific details on what began the US embargo vs Cuba:

• The embargo was enacted in October of 1960 and stated that United State’s businesses could not do business with any company in Cuba either commercially, economically, or financially.
• However, when the embargo was first employed against Cuba, it was only a partial embargo.
• It was not until February 7, 1962 that the embargo was fully imposed on the country.
• The total embargo occurred because Cuba took steps to nationalize the property of the United States and the corporations within the company.

Cuban Democracy Act

The Cuban embargo is actually titled the Cuban Democracy Act and the embargo became a code of law in 1992. This step was taken to further ensure that trade with Cuba would be prevented.

Four years later, in 1996, the United States passed the Helms-Burton Act in order to further restrict trade with Cuba. The Act required that the Cuban government would need to meet certain requirements before the trade sanctions would be lifted against the country.

Continuing Changes in the Embargo

The Cuban embargo is known to be the longest embargo in United States history, but it has changed over time:

• The embargo began in October of 1960 due to the government’s refusal to move towards democracy.
• The embargo has been further enhanced by also preventing subsidiaries of US companies operating overseas from doing business with Cuba as well.
• Changes have been made that permit the trade or sale of certain humanitarian products (like medicines) to the country.
• It remains in effect and, as of September of 2010, Barack Obama extended the embargo.

US Trade with Cuba

Despite the restrictions of the embargo preventing all trade with Cuba, the United States is actually the fifth largest exporter to the country of Cuba.

• Products made in the United States account for approximately 6.6% of the imports in the country.
• The country is able to do this by paying cash for all of its imports because they are unable to receive credit from the United States.

The embargo does have its opponents and proponents. Many Cuban Americans who live in the United States argue that lifting the embargo and allowing free trade with Cuba would be beneficial to both countries. However, the US government has yet to be convinced by citizens and business owners alike that free trade would benefit the US unless the country of Cuba makes the moves necessary to allow the embargo to be lifted.

So, now you know what started the US embargo against Cuba, as well as some of the politics behind it and some of the changes that have been made over the years.