I don't think even Fidel would have described Cuba as paradise. Well if he ever did it was only to boost his own people in the face of the embargo. The US badly needed an enemy like him, didn't they? Unless you've never read 1984...

People don't rush off in droves to live in Cuba/Russia/China, etc., because people tend to stay where they were born. What a facile argument, a real throwback to the 60s and 70s. Mind you, while people might not emigrate in droves, a lot of the wealthier ones were hiding their riches from the taxman in those more desirable islands you were "defending" during your Pugwash days. Ah, yes, there's more than one kind of island culture in that part of the world, n'est-ce pas?