Cuba lifts ban on home computers

[[R_H]]

BBC

The first legalised home computers have gone on sale in Cuba, but a ban remains on internet access.

This is the latest in a series of restrictions on daily life which President Raul Castro has lifted in recent weeks.

Crowds formed at the Carlos III shopping centre in Havana, though most had come just to look.

The desktop computers cost almost $800 (£400), in a country where the average wage is under $20 (£10) a month.

But some Cubans do have access to extra income, much of it from money sent by relatives living abroad.

Since taking over the presidency in February, Raul Castro has ended a range of restrictions and allowed Cubans access to previously banned consumer goods.

In recent weeks thousands of Cubans have snapped up mobile phones and DVD players.

But only now have the first computer stocks arrived.

Internet access remains restricted to certain workplaces, schools and universities on the island.

The government says it is unable to connect to the giant undersea fibre-optic cables because of the US trade embargo. All online connections today are via satellite which has limited bandwidth and is expensive to use.

Cuba's anti-American ally, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, is laying a new cable under the Caribbean.

It remains unclear whether, once the connection is completed, the authorities will then allow unrestricted access to the world wide web.

[K. A. Pital]

If Raul succeeds at bringing First World consumer goods to his nation without ruining it's economy, the Cuban embargo will lose every meaning.

Ultimately, I think the embargo will soon vanish, especially if Barack Obama is elected. Of course, McCain or Clinton mean just 4 more years of nonsense, I think.

[[R_H]]

If Raul succeeds at bringing First World consumer goods to his nation without ruining it's economy, the Cuban embargo will lose every meaning.

Ultimately, I think the embargo will soon vanish, especially if Barack Obama is elected. Of course, McCain or Clinton mean just 4 more years of nonsense, I think.

The until now banned goods, were they just banned because there was no access to them until now? Restricting internet access is understandable, because of the (lack of) infrastructure and ideology, but why restrict mobile phones and DVD players?

[[R_H]]

The until now banned goods, were they just banned because there was no access to them until now? Restricting internet access is understandable, because of the (lack of) infrastructure and ideology, but why restrict mobile phones and DVD players?

Ghettoedit: That should be "were they just banned because there was no access to those goods because of the embargo"

[K. A. Pital]

Well, Cuba needs something to trade to buy the imported consumer goods like computers, DVDs and etc. I think that Jackson-Wenick might have something to do with forbidden trade.

I rememebr passing a SUN Microsystems engineer and sales tests, and they distinctly spoke that the law forbids to sell any electronics to Cuba (also Iran, and some other ME states).

I wonder really now that there's no ban, where do they buy their hardware from, the DVD stuff, cellphones and PCs? From Europe? Or Asia maybe? Or they buy used ones from LA?

[dragon]

There is no ban on sell to cuba from here in Europe. My wife whom is a German citizien has gone to Cuba on more then one vacation.

[Vohu Manah]

The embargo applies only to US citizens and US based companies. I think everyone else openly trades with Cuba.

[K. A. Pital]

The embargo applies only to US citizens and US based companies. I think everyone else openly trades with Cuba.

Indeed. However, as an American electronics company, you can't sell even to another European or any other company if you think the goods might be going to Cuba, Iran or a handful of other anti-American regimes.

[Illuminatus Primus]

If Raul succeeds at bringing First World consumer goods to his nation without ruining it's economy, the Cuban embargo will lose every meaning.

Ultimately, I think the embargo will soon vanish, especially if Barack Obama is elected. Of course, McCain or Clinton mean just 4 more years of nonsense, I think.

Whatever. I have my cigars. Fuck the Batististas!

[Phantasee]

The paper ran a similar article today. They mentioned that the only models of PCs available were made by the Chinese company QTECH.

It also gave the reason for the ban on home electronics/appliances. Apparently, after a deal with Russia for cheap oil for power generation ended a few years ago, Cuba has been hit with blackouts and such, but a recent agreement for cheap oil with Venezuala, along with upgrades to the power generation infrastructure, has allowed Cuba to lift the ban on everything from PCs to pressure cookers. The Internet, however, is still filtered.