Revisiting the Cuban Revolution
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I. Chronology of Revolution

- 1960s, "spiritual and moral" goals
- 1970s, "sovietization"
- 1980s, "rectification" of Cuban socialism

 

	1950s	1980s
Sugar exports/total exports	83%	77%
Trade w/ main partner (US/USSR) as % of total sector	68%	66%

 

 

 

II. 1990-today, "Special Period in a Time of Peace"

Immediate response:

Austerity, conservation, rationing
Attempts to protect social services
Mixed economy w/ some private foreign industry; investment in tourism, biotechnology, environmental technology

A chronology:

1992, religious liberty affirmed in new constitution
1993, dollar decriminalized
1998, visit of Pope John Paul II
2002-4, repeated criticisms of Cuba's human rights record by Europe and Latin Am. countries
2003-4, shift towards Euro; convertible peso introduced
2006-08, Fidel Castro steps down, replaced by Raúl Castro
2008, mobile phones and personal computers decriminalized
2008, European Union restores diplomatic ties; trade accords signed with Russia and China
2009, OAS invites Cuba to join (Cuba declines)
2011, private real estate sales decriminalized
2013, convertible peso begins phase out
2009-16, Obama normalizes relations
2016, Fidel Castro dies
2017, Trump re-restricts some travel and trade
2019, constitutional revision approved (87%)
2019-21, Raúl Castro replaced by Miguel Díaz-Canel