PORT ST. LUCIE A Port St. Lucie attorney who recently spent a week in Havana on a cultural exchange trip said he believes Cubans are ready for an end to the 47-year-old embargo on trade between the two nations.
Michael Edwards of Palm City visited the island nation on a week-long cultural exchange trip in late April along with several other attorneys.
"Probably the No. 1 thing on this trip for me was talking to the people and finding out how connected they feel to our country," he said. "Despite the economic effect of the embargo, I believe the Cuban people want a normal relationship with this country."
Although the Obama administration has eased some financial and travel restrictions, formal talks between the two nations about the embargo have yet to begin.
The trip was arranged by Global Exchange, a California-based group that has arranged travel to Cuba and other countries for U.S. citizens. Edwards learned of the trip from a friend.
"My wife and I used to live in Miami, we've traveled to a lot of Latin American countries in the last 29 years, and we've always been interested in Cuban culture," Edwards said. "This seemed like a good opportunity to learn more."
Edwards is a personal injury and business law attorney in Port St. Lucie who enjoys golf and deep-sea fishing. He and his wife Sharon have visited more than 40 Latin American, European and Asian countries.
"Of course I'd like to see a democracy in Cuba. I also think, though, that the Cuban people would like the embargo to be lifted, and that the only way to do that is for the two sides to sit down and begin to have a meaningful dialogue about that and discuss any conditions that there may be."
Travel to Cuba by Cuban-Americans and money transfers to their families in Cuba have been permitted since mid-April, but the U.S.-imposed trade embargo is still in place and travel by non-family members to Cuba is still limited to certain professionals, religious purposes, and journalists.
Cuba today is a country of contrasts, he said.
"Nobody is homeless or starving, the children are very well educated, education is free all the way through college, health care is free, and there is no obesity. Sixty percent of the doctors are women, and 50 percent of the attorneys are women. There is one doctor for every 130 people.
"But the standard of living is low, many buildings in Havana are in need of renovation and repair, most people have no cable television, inadequate air conditioning, and most of the things we take for granted, they don't have."
During the week he was there, his group spent a lot of time meeting with Cuban professionals on topics ranging from Cuban law to health to education and more.
"Everywhere I went, people talked about taking the good from both countries, with an emphasis on fine arts and on meaningful life as opposed to the acquisition of 'things,' " he said.
Art was everywhere, including outdoors.
"There were framed reproductions of old masterpieces that hang in the Louvre in Paris, France displayed on a wrought iron fence where passersby could enjoy them," he said.
They also visited Old Havana with its coral limestone buildings, established in 1519, and the Bay of Havana guarded by 16th century fortresses on its east and west sides.
"I think the Cuban people are ready to enter the 21st century as soon as the embargo is lifted and travel is unrestricted," Edwards said. "There's a real opportunity here and I hope both sides will take advantage of it."
The U.S.-imposed trade embargo is still in place and travel by non-family members to Cuba is still limited.
To learn more about the Global Exchange organization, go to www.globalexchange.org.
On travel to Cuba and while in Cuba, cautions, warnings, and restrictions, see the U.S. Department of State Web site at http://travel.state.gov/travel/
ABOUT CUBA
The capital city of Havana was founded in 1519. Here are important dates since the Castro era began:
1959: Fidel Castro overthrows dictator Fulgencio Batista.
1962: Following the Cuban Missile Crisis, President John F. Kennedy imposes a full trade embargo on Cuba.
1991: The Soviet Union is dismantled, which in turn ends billions of dollars in subsidies to Cuba and leads to recession.
2001-2008: The George W. Bush administration tightens restrictions against Cuba.
2007: Raul Castro, brother of Fidel, becomes acting president.
2008: Raul Castro becomes president.
April, 2009: President Barack Obama loosens restrictions against Cuba.
