Letters

From the December 1994 issue

Market Entrapment

Your article ("Viva La Evolution," Aug./Sept.) was the most accurate portrait of Cuba I have seen. Usually the news media say that the Cuban people are happy and tirelessly working for communism, or that the government is on the verge of collapse. Neither is true.

I have a disagreement with the article, though. Cuba will never try real market reforms. I was in Cuba a few months ago, and my relatives and their friends told me that Fidel uses free-market reforms as entrapment. For example, say selling drugs in the United States became legal, and I decide to sell drugs. After a few months the government could make it illegal to sell drugs again and drag me into jail and demand that I tell them who my suppliers are.

In a communist country the government owns everything. If you are in business for yourself, you have to buy your products from someone. That someone is stealing from the government. Pretty soon the Cuban government will repeal all market laws, haul everyone into jail, and demand that the businessmen turn their suppliers in.

Richard Marin
Weehawken, NJ