Quote Originally Posted by it-ogo View Post
Maybe but USA undoubtedly always had much more influence on Cuba and its fate than USSR anyway. BTW Cuba is not so bad place now. Many people say that it is much better than it was before Castro's revolution.
Having lived in "North Cuba" (South Florida), I've met people from the Cuban Yacht Club that came to the US on rafts. Something about having to leave a country in such a fashion makes me think things aren't all rosy there. I know people that left during the revolution that hate Castro with every fiber of their being.
They have lovely tourist beaches there, but the locals can't go to them. They have a lot of lovely things the average Cuban never sees but is wonderful window dressing. I can count the number of present Cubans on this board with both hands behind my back (read: no internet). Satellite television is a criminal offense for most people there. Hell, Fidel took his family's farm (his mother never forgave him), and his sister spied for the CIA refusing payment. Cuba si, Castro no.

Central and South America are screwed up because of the Spanish and Portuguese. WAY before the Colonies became the USA.