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Dow Jones. To Read the Full Story. Subscribe Sign In. Continue reading your article with a WSJ membership. A variety of factors have come into play to make the island nation one of the poorest countries in the world, with a significant portion of the population living in poverty. Here are the top five facts about how many people are adapting to living in poverty in Cuba.
In addition, a significant portion of industrial work goes into processing much of these crops for commercial use, such as turning sugarcane into sugar crystals. The situation is only made worse due to the tropical climate and prevalence of hurricanes during the rainy season, which can cause widespread damage, suffering and loss of life. When Hurricane Irma struck in , the cost of damages reached well over Over 7, acres of plantation farmland were destroyed, causing a brief food shortage and exacerbating poverty in Cuba.
The United States Embargo: After the rise of Fidel Castro in , the United States placed an embargo that suddenly deprived Cuban exporters of a significant majority of their exports. Cuban nationalism grew in the face of Spanish taxation and exploitation, and the late 19th and early 20th century saw the rise of Cuban movements for independence.
In search of strategic trade strongholds to supplement and aid the construction of the Panama Canal, the United States intervened in the movement for Cuban independence and expelled the Spanish government from the island. While U. The answer begins with the installation of U. Prohibiting even trade in medicines , the US embargo led Castro to prioritise investments in medical sciences. The entire industry is state owned, research programmes respond to the needs of the population, and all surpluses are reinvested into the sector.
Without state planning and investment it is unlikely that this could have been achieved in a poor country. Today, it leads in oncology drugs. In Cuba patented the first therapeutic cancer vaccine. The US embargo forces Cuba to source medicines, medical devices and radiology products outside the United States, incurring additional transportation costs.
A great example provided by Cuba is that in its poverty it has known how to share, with all its international programmes. Cuba is the country with the greatest cooperation in relation to its gross domestic product and it is an example for all of us. Their annual report to the United Nations provides a detailed account of that calculation. Castro pointed to these weaknesses in his own speeches to the Cuban people.
Castro almost saw out 11 US presidents since , but he never lived to see the end of the US embargo. New challenges face Cuba, with economic reforms underway and the restoration of relations with the United States. Portsmouth Climate Festival — Portsmouth, Portsmouth.
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