In 1961, American President John F. Kennedy signed an embargo against Cuba that restricted all U.S. exports to Cuba. Kennedy signed this Embargo because Cuba agreed with the Soviet Union to let the Soviet Union build a missile base on the island. This Embargo totally destroyed Cuba’s economy; they couldn’t receive any new medicine, resources, technology, car parts, and a lot more. This caused the Cuban people to make their own parts which made more of a loss than a profit. In addition, because they are a communist country, the government made it a lot harder for Cuban people to make a life in the country.

This brings me to why people flee the country of Cuba to Florida or any other country in the vicinity. Since the embargo destroyed Cuba’s economy, many people couldn’t find work that would pay enough to support their family. This economic struggle caused many people to try and flee the country. Some Cuban’s also wanted to flee the country because of political reasons. Many people wanted a different government, some left because of corruption in Cuba’s government, some may have just wanted to live the “American dream.” All in all, Cuba wasn’t a great place to live and raise a family so people left the country altogether.

Even though the United States have now lifted the embargo, the communism in the country still makes it hard to make a life, although it is easier than before. Before you couldn’t buy your own land.  The government had to give you permission to buy it, after which you could make your own business or your farm. Today, this policy has been relaxed and farmers are allowed to grow their own tobacco and sell Cuban cigars for their own profit.

In the video “Breaking Borders”, they asked a few locals from Cuba how they felt about the United States’ Cuban embargo finally being lifted by President Obama. The first respondent said it was like a light at the end of a tunnel, that people can finally grow financially and culturally. People can finally be exposed to the growing world around them and take that and see what they can do for themselves. The people of Cuba are now exposed in a world of new technology, food, and culture.

All in all the lifting of the embargo allowed Cuba’s struggling economy to push up, expand, and grow big. It allows hospitals to get better treatments for virus’ or illnesses. It allows the economy to grow which allows companies to grow, which makes jobs, which betters the lives of Cubans who are struggling to care for their families. The lifting of the United States- Cuba embargo will allow both countries to grow and improve their relationship with each other.