"Only a Canadian would think that Cuba has a high quality of life.   When the NBA played some exhibition games over there, the universal remarks from players were about proverty and gruesome conditions.   This from people who for the most part grew up in the low income areas, and gettos in the USA. The NBA players couldn't believe how bad the poverty was in Cuba compared to USA"


Nothing to do with a ridiculous set of US sanctions and boycotts over the last 40 years on Cuba, of course. There might have been some reason for them back during the Bay of Pigs era, but the Cold War is over and the rest of the world has moved on, excpet the USA of course, and Cuba, because the USA won't let it. What threat does Fidel pose to the USA now? Answer, in case you didn't know = none (except that lifting sanctions might hurt the ex-pat Miami Cuban vote of any politician who was brave enough to try reconciliation). I guess the other main reason why the sanctions remain in place is that the USA NEEDS Cuba to be poor, to be a disaster. If it was otherwise, it might prove that socialism can sometimes work and that naked unbridled capitalism isn't the only way forward.

[BTW I'm not saying Cuba isn't tightly controlled by an ageing autocrat, but it would be a lot better off if the sanctions were lifted. If anyone out there really professes to be concerned about Cuba and its poor, you might start by lobbying your politicians to lift the sanctions]