Embargo? What Embargo? Oh, I see. You Are Talking About Castro's Embargo on the Cubans.

The so called U.S. embargo of Cuba allegedly was directed against the Castroist system and its supporters, not against the Cuban people. The partial embargo was to limit the spread of "communism," in Latin America, or so they say.

The embargo, however, has proved to be more effective against the Cuban people than against Fidel Castro and his cronies, who have been using it as a scapegoat for their economic blunders and as a sure way to enrich themselves. Granted, Fidel Castro, not the U.S. embargo, is directly responsible for the hardships of the Cuban people. The U.S., however, is indirectly responsible for the hardships of the Cuban people, because it has allowed Castro to justify his mismanaging of the Cuban economy by blaming the embargo.

On the other hand, the halfheartedly imposed embargo has proved to be unable to stop Castro from exporting and buying whatever he wants, provided he has the money to do it. Notwithstanding the embargo, Castro has been capable of exporting several tons of medicine to Peru and sell medicines, made in Cuba, to Nicaragua. Even if it were strictly imposed, the U.S. embargo towards Cuba would account for only 10 to 14 percent of the world's total economy. But Castro conducts business with the rest of the world, and is buying American products through American companies abroad.

A Not-Very-Effective Embargo

Out reporter Sindulfo Vinagreta y Hunga de Vaca took the photos below during a recent trip he made to Cuba. Sindulfo traveled to Cancún, in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula, and the Cubans didn't stamped a visa in his American passport. As you will see, the horror stories of Pastors for Peace and other pro-Castro liars about the damage the U.S. embargo in imposing on Castro's Cuba have been grossly exaggerated.

Supposedly "embargoed goods' that you can buy--provided you have the dollars to do so are shown below. While legalizing U.S. dollars as a parallel currency has widened choices of scarce consumer goods, it has also begun a corrosive retreat from the classless society that Fidel Castro has trumpeted for forty years. Now, access to dollars, via emigre relatives, tourist contacts, government-sanctioned businesses or black market trading is the only way to survive in Castro's sociolist Cuba.

See for yourself.

	Campbell's Soup at a dollar-only market on 70 th Street, Miramar, west of Havana.
	American soda at a Havana's supermercado.
	Hershey's chocolate drinks and Nabisco snacks at the Hotel Commodoro in Miramar.
	Del Monte canned fruits for sale at Havana's dollar-only stores.
	Lots of Pepsi-Cola al Havana's dollar-only markets that bypassed the U.S. embargo.
	Kool-Aid at Hotel Commodoro in Miramar.
	Kraft dairy products, Jell-o pudding, and Nabisco saltines in a Cuban dollar-only supermarket.
	Heinz shrimp coctail sauce (made in Canada) at a Cuban dollar-only supermarket.
	Coke and Sprite for sale in Havana.
	American-made Hormel canned foods available in Havana (if you have U.S. dollars!).

	Coke machine in Havana.
	All major credit cards are accepted in Castro's Cuba under the U.S. embargo. Seeing is believing!

Funneled through Spanish or Canadian operating companies or 'diverted' directly from the U.S., its clear there ain't no boycott here Get your Jell-o, your Ritz crackers and Coca-Cola soft drinks, your Irish Spring deoderant soap or Hormel chili. In fact, you could literally cater an entire meal from soup (Campbells) to nuts (Planters) with several choices at each course. And, of course, an after dinner smoke? Marlboro or Winston-Salem, if you please.

"We hope your embargo continues forever," joked the Canadian our reporter talked to, "more for us." So much for the U.S. "embargo" on Castro's sociolist Cuba.