3. The sugar industry, which before the revolution was the backbone of the economy, with an annual average production of six million tons, has dropped to two.
4. Tourism is a very promising field. The Island, very beautiful and with dozens of beaches, has at least 14 points on both coasts that are potentially transformable into ideal sites for building tourism poles similar to Puerto Banus in Spain or Casa de Campo in La Romana, Dominican Republic.
5. Considering the number of researchers in the field of medicine, totally under-utilized, the country would potentially be the perfect partner of large international pharmaceutical industries, to both develop new medications and produce them.
6. Given the prestige (today somewhat reduced) of its health system, Cuba is potentially an excellent site for medical tourism and a place to establish links with the North American insurance systems. Havana is much closer to Key West than Miami is to Orlando in Florida.
7. Whenever relations are really normalized and travel is facilitated and multiplies, Cuba will become an ideal place to retire for tens of thousands of Cuban Americans and North Americans who perceive an average of USS1,800 a month.
8. Cuba receives some three million tourists every year, and has eleven million inhabitants. In a few years it could receive eleven million tourists and reach the classification of paradise. A few daring and intelligent developers could transform the Isle of Pines, in Cuba’s south, into the Mallorca of the Caribbean. In the United States there are 300,000 luxury yachts that could visit Cuba and dock in already existing as well as future marinas.
9. If relations between the United States and Cuba continue to deepen, it’s possible to foresee a Free Trade Agreement that would allow the Island unlimited exports to the richest market in the world.
10. Because of its geographical position, Cuba is an ideal hub for the distribution of ocean- going and air cargo to North and South America. 11. Cuban-Americans, as occurred in the case of Taiwan and China, could transfer to Cuba
their business expertise, their relationships, and the capital they've created, which would integrate the Island into the business and trade world of the United States.
12. The country, as happened in post-Communist Europe, would be the paradise of the best- known North American fast-foot franchises such as MacDonalds, Burger King, KFC, etc.. 13. The same thing would occur with department store chains: Zara, Corte Inglés, Macys,
Sears, and the rest of the best known establishments. Weaknesses
1. The government of Raul Castro doesn’t want a regime change but rather an improvement of the Communist model initiated in 1959. According to published and verbal statements, the model foreseen isn’t even the Chinese or Vietnamese model, but rather a Military Capitalism of State, where the government reserves the control of the 2,500 largest enterprises in the country, which it exploits directly through the military apparatus or in partnership with foreign capitalists. Cubans will not have access to the means of production, but rather to small service enterprises (small food businesses, beauty salons, etc.).
2. The government of Raul Castro does not believe, as Deng Xiaoping proclaimed in 1992, that “enriching oneself is glorious.” Raul and Fidel continue to believe that capitalism is an evil expression of the worst human tendencies, and despite those who practice it. In Cuba, entrepreneurs are not encouraged, but discouraged. Capitalists may be
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