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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (July 22, 2020)
Wednesday, July 22, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon 11 Visiting Cuba is an eye-opener By Craig F. Eisenbeis Columnist International relations are always something of a puzzle, but none seems so peculiar as the relationship between the United States and Cuba. These two close neighbor nations, with quite a bit in common, have been awkwardly estranged for more than 60 years. When the Trump Administration announced that the Obama-era easing of Cuba restrictions was about to end, my wife, Kathi, and I decided that if we wanted to see Cuba, we had better do something about it. So, before the changes could go into effect, we arrived in Havana. Under the rules of our visit, U.S. citizens were per- mitted entry to Cuba only for certain activities. In our case, the trip was contingent on participating in at least one <educational= activ- ity. To comply with that requirement, on our first day we selected a promising excursion to Las Terrazas, a kibbutz-like eco-commu- nity about 50 miles west of Havana. Cuba has a tropical cli- mate, with similar veg- etation to what might be expected in Hawaii. What we encountered at La Terrazas was a small, sce- nic, bucolic community sur- rounded by a beautiful, lush, tropical forest. To explain what happened there, how- ever, requires a little histori- cal context. Prior to the Communist takeover in 1959, Cuba was under the dictatorial Batista regime. Fulgencio Batista had variously con- trolled or manipulated the Cuban government since the 1930s; but, faced with cer- tain election defeat in 1952, he negated the election by simply seizing power in a military coup. With the support of the U.S. government, U.S. businesses, and the Mafia, Batista9s principal goal was increasing his own wealth; and the gap between Cuba9s poor and the wealthy became ever greater. In the process of lining his own pockets in a quagmire of corruption, Batista horri- bly exploited Cuba9s natu- ral resources, including the logging of vast forests, like those in what would become Las Terrazas. Batista9s exploitation left thousands of acres of com- pletely denuded, clearcut landscape. Photos that we saw of the desolation resem- bled lunar landscapes. In 1968, the Cubans launched a reforestation project, which began with the establish- ment of a small commune in the area. The first phase of the forest rehabilitation was completed in 1971. The terraces (las terrazas), for which the community was named, were cut into the hills to limit erosion and speed reforestation. Today, this dense, diverse tropi- cal forest is part of a desig- nated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, artist community, and tourist destination. Generally, the people of Cuba are quite poor. Housing that we saw in Havana and elsewhere is often barely habitable, and many buildings are literally crumbling. Façades are fall- ing away, with bare, broken concrete and rebar showing. People often live in apart- ments built deeper into the disintegrating structures. The average wage here is about $30 per month, and food rations are likely to last for only half of each month; so extra income is necessary, with the tourist trade being the brightest option. On the plus side, all medical care and education are provided. Cubans blame the extreme poverty and lack of an econ- omy on the U.S. embargo of the island. Cuba9s people desperately want better rela- tions with the U.S., not only for economic reasons; but it is estimated that 90% of Cubans have relatives in the U.S. The people we encoun- tered were very friendly. Gender and race appear not to be issues in this nation, and 55 percent of the cur- rent National Assembly is female. The Communist govern- ment drastically altered the country9s for-profit health care system, eventually cre- ating free health care for all its citizens. Life expectancy in Cuba is actually slightly higher than in the U.S., as is the literacy rate. The Cuban govern- ment touts its health care as among the best in the world. Because of the trade embargoes, a primary export is health care. Tens of thou- sands of Cuban-educated physicians now work abroad, with their salaries reciprocated by host coun- tries in the form of cash and trade goods for the Cuban government. C u b a 9s e c o n o m y i s dominated by state-owned summer at suttle lodge WEDNESDAY COOKOUTS EROTIC CITY… A tribute to Prince Sat., Aug. 1, 8 p.m. Online tickets only at Bendticket.com (Ticket quantity limited) rotating breweries & BBQ SPECIALS every Wednesday 5-7 PM FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED ALL AGES PHOTO BY KATHLEEN EISENBEIS Although clean and hospitable, downtown Havana has an infrastructure that is literally crumbling. enterprises, which employ most of the work force. Prices, wages, and rations are regulated by the govern- ment. Cuba9s human rights record is not good; but, as recent events have shown us, they are not alone. Casinos and the Mafia were eliminated after the revolution, U.S. owned JUL 22 WED JUL 23 THUR Black Butte Ranch Live Music with The Anvil Blasters 6 to 8 p.m. Socially distant on the lawn near The Lakeside Bistro. For information call 541-595-1282 or go online to www.blackbutteranch.com. Paulina Springs Books Virtual Event Books In Common Regional Literary Event Series with Erica C. Barnett and David Schmader 6:30 p.m. A conversation about Barnett’s new book “Quitter.” For more info call 541-549-0866 or go to BooksinCommonNW.com. The Suttle Lodge Thursday on the Deck Summer Wine Series Seatings every 30 minutes from 1 to 4 p.m. Wine paired with small-plates from the chef. Reservations required at www.thesuttlelodge.com/happenings. Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Trivia Night 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. Family-friendly trivia. Socially-distant. Free. For additional information call Eurosports at 541-549-2471. JUL Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Friday Car Show 5-6:30 p.m. Bring your cool or vintage car for the free Friday car show. For more information call Eurosports at 541-549-2471. JUL Hardtails Bar & Grill Live Music with Gold Dust 8 to 10 p.m. Tickets online at www.bendticket.com. For more information call 541-549-6114 or go to hardtailsoregon.com. 24 FRI 25 SAT JUL 29 WED 175 N. Larch St. 541-549-6114 See CUBA on page 14 Entertainment & Events JUly 22 Son of Man JULY 29 Stormbreaker Open 11 a.m. to midnight businesses were national- ized, and the corruption- based economy was ended. Those factors, coupled with the adoption of a communist economy, led to the sweep- ing economic restrictions the U.S. placed on Cuba. Upon examination, the hardtailsoregon.com ? Black Butte Ranch Live Music with Julie Southwell and Friends 6 to 8 p.m. Socially distant on the lawn near The Lakeside Bistro. For information call 541-595-1282 or go online to www.blackbutteranch.com. Facebook darcymacey Gypsy Wind Clothing SUNDRESSES, SUN TOPS & COTTONS! HOURS: WED.-SAT., 10 A.M.- 4 P.M. JUL 30 THUR THURSDAYS ON THE DECK Every Thursday, different wines from the Willamette Valley & PAIRED small-plates SEATINGS 1-4 PM RSVP REQUIRED AT SUTTLELODGE.COM/HAPPENINGS july 23 brick house wines JULY 30 SASS WINERY 13300 HWY 20, SISTERS JUL 31 FRI Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Trivia Night 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. Family-friendly trivia. Socially-distant. Free. For additional information call Eurosports at 541-549-2471. The Suttle Lodge Thursday on the Deck Summer Wine Series Seatings every 30 minutes from 1 to 4 p.m. Wine paired with small-plates from the chef. Reservations required at www.thesuttlelodge.com/happenings. Paulina Springs Books Virtual Event Books In Common Regional Literary Event Series with Steve Olson and Sharma Shields 6:30 p.m. A conversation about their new books. For more info call 541-549-0866 or go to BooksinCommonNW.com. Food Cart Garden at Eurosports Friday Car Show 5-6:30 p.m. Bring your cool or vintage car for the free Friday car show. For more information call Eurosports at 541-549-2471. ?