Florida Political and Community Selected Weekly News
Embargo Against the Cuban People:
A Mistake that we need to stop now
by Gabriel Ferrer
The time to open Cuba is now. There is a time to hate, a time to forgive. Our time as Cuban-Americans is now.
At the insistence of my youngest son and after more than a 50-year absence, I visited Cuba. He assured me that it would be safe but I expected to be arrested and put in jail the minute that I landed. To my surprise, was welcomed home.
After my first visit became a missionary and for the last 4 years have been installing safe water systems in Cuban churches. They provide potable water to 300 to 2,000 people per day. Private individuals in the United States donate the funds to buy the water equipment and the missionaries are all volunteers. We have 60 operational safe water systems on the island and 12 in transit from the US.
Learned a lot, but most importantly that after more than 50 years of Communism the Cuban Sprit has survived. There is no spirit of Revolution on the people. The Cubans battle cry is “Hay que inventar y resolver” (you must figure out a way to get what you need). They love their families, are friendly, hardworking, educated, love music, make fun at that which they can’t change or dislike and look forward to achieving economic and political reform without violence.
But my most startling and heart-breaking discovery has been that that for which we, the Cuban-Americans, have worked so hard to maintain in place has kept the Castro faction in power for the last 25 years.
“When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade”. Fidel Castro made lemonade out of the Embargo because it is the scapegoat for all his economic and political problems in Cuba. It is also the threat that is used against factions in the Cuban government seeking reform.
Personally, have the same goal as those Cuban-Americans seeking to maintain the Embargo: a free and democratic Cuba. But the Embargo is the problem not the solution. It did not stop Fidel from colonizing Venezuela despite the loss of subsidies from the Soviet Union and the Embargo being in full force. But it did provide him with an excuse for his failed economy and lack of liberty.
Can’t stand idle while our families suffer because a few politicians whose apparent obsession with the failed Cuban Embargo mean more money in donations to their campaigns from special interests. The obnubilation of their follower's masquerade that they, after decades in Washington DC, don’t bring a penny of federal money, that we are entitled, to benefit our Districts in Florida.
It’s the time to become Ambassadors of Hope and give the Cuban families the tools to build a free and prosperous future for all.
Cuban-American Engineer Gabriel (Gabe) Ferrer, Republican, is candidate to the United States Congress House of Representatives in Florida’s 27th District: www.electgabeferrer.com
December 10th, 2017
