Doesn't make sense does it? Well it does if you understand that Castro is a communist. People are not allowed to enrich themselves. He takes the wages (in dollars) from foreign companies that the people earn and then pays the workers one-tenth what they earned in local currency. He pockets the rest. This is Castro's communism. He also barters doctors and teachers and trainers and subversives out to other miserable hell-holes either for goods or to shore up alliances. The Cuban people are his property, they belong to him. How will trading with Castro change this?
Castro gives 5 hour speeches, orders large crowds to wherever he wants, runs the state controlled T.V., radio, newspaper and schools. He controls all information, all economy everything. He also provides a better life to those higher up in his communist circle, because after living under communism, people wouldn't choose to live under communism, so you have to have people around you who will forcefully preserve your paradise. Now when Castro dies, don't expect this wonderful event to usher in a wonderful life for the Cuban people. Castro doesn't intend for his dream to die and those close around him aren't about to let that happen either.
If we allow U.S. companies to secure loans to pay for good sent to Cuba (Castro will only give them worthless IOUs which is one reason so few countries will trade with him anymore) and the American people will foot the bill for this. In turn Castro will take the profit from our stupidity and use it to advance his communist agenda and terrorist activities around the world. How will this help the Cuban people? How is their suffering improved? They suffer because of communism and Castro and our trading with Castro will not help, in fact in will strengthen him and send the message to the world we endorse and recognize his communist government. We must not do that.
Castro controls Cuba, just as a man who own 100% of a company would control the direction of everything. Remember in Castro's "company," the "workers" don't have rights or recourse if they don't like something. You're jailed or stripped of everything, if you make trouble and are considered mentally ill if you oppose his communist regime.
Castro uses the embargo to attack us (it's a wrong-headed argument but you can see the media goes with it-I've even seen one reporter called it a blockade) and it confuses those who want to take hits at the U.S. but other countries really know the scam and they don't like to trade with him either. So if we take that away from him he'll just find another thing to rail about. But he won't make life easier for the Cuban people. And it is his to give or hold back.
If we give Castro what he wants, we take away their hope. I can't do that. It is the one thing they hang on to. So you see, the embargo hasn't failed miserably because with or without it, their lives will stay the same, but by keeping it in effect, the United States tells the people held prisoner in Cuba, that we know Castro is wrong and we won't help him in his dirty business of trading in human lives. Which is what he really does. He makes their lives miserable and then holds that over our heads. What kind of sick is that?
We've told Castro to start moving toward a more open society, allow democratic elections and we will gladly start to open up relations with this new government. Now the ball is in Castro's court, where it's been for 40 years and it is he, who needs to change or step out of the way before there is any relief in Cuba. But he won't because no one is making him do it.
Read this article and think about living in a place where you are not allowed
to own property or enrich yourself. Cuba Wages Offensive on 'Over-sized' houses
It's a small window on life under Castro. Here is another. The price of milk (and sex) in Cuba