The process began in the summer of 1960 when the Cuban government ordered two U. oil companies, Standard and Texaco, to refine Soviet crude oil at their Cuban refineries, rather than the oil they had been bringing in from their own sources. Not surprisingly, they refused. The Cuban response, on July 1st, was to nationalize both companies' holdings in Cuba. A few days later, the United States retaliated by cutting the Cuban sugar quota, and that led, in August, to Cuba's nationalization of virtually all U.S. property on the island. Since the embargo was issued, almost 40 years ago, it has only brought bigger and bigger problems. Neither country benefits from the effects of the economic embargo; therefore, the United States should lift the embargo on Cuba.

             The Cuban Embargo is harming the poor people of Cuba. Although the embargo is not the main reason for the Cuban people's misery, Cuba"s economy has something to do with it as well. The economy under Castro"s rule and policies is poor. If the embargo has no impact, then all it does it make things worse on the Cuban people. One of the policies of the United States toward Cuba is embodied in the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act, signed into law in March 1996. Popularly known as the Helms-Burton or Libertad Act, this legislation not only targets Cuba but also punishes U.S. allies who trade with and invest in Cuba. The bill enforces the economic embargo against Cuba and seeks, in Title III, to punish foreign-owned companies that engage in the "wrongful trafficking in property confiscated by the Castro regime.".

             The embargo is keeping Fidel Castro in power. In order to regain prosperity and establish democracy, Cuba must make the transition from a state-planned economy under Castro to a market economy under a democratic government. This cannot happen as long as Castro and communism are synonymous with anti-imperialism-and they will remain synonymous as long as the embargo is in place.