EDITOR’S NOTE: DAILY LEADER Editor and Publisher Bill Jacobsvisited Cuba last month with a delegation of American journalist.This final piece wraps up the visit with the political issuesbetween the two countries.

HAVANA, CUBA — In 1960 after attempts at diplomatic relationsbetween the United States and Cuba failed and Fidel Castro declaredCuba a socialist state, the U.S. government imposed a completeembargo of of the island which remains today.

That embargo, or blockade as the Cubans preferred to call it,was the subject of many a discussion we had with governmentofficials, Cuban journalists and party members. They want theembargo lifted so they can get American goods and services but theydo not want the American businessmen who would come withnormalization of relations.

In reality we were told by officials with the U.S. SpecialInterest section (U.S. Embassy), the embargo has had little affecton Cuba before and after the fall of communist Russia in 1991. ManyAmerican products find there way into Cuba via internationalsubsidiaries. We found Coca-Cola, Nabisco cookies, Americancigarettes and even new Chrysler jeeps and Ford vans.

The problem is the average Cuban cannot afford the products.

Today the embargo is used as a propaganda ploy by Castro to stirthe masses and focus their anger away from the real source ofproblems at home — the failures of the socialist system.

The Elian Gonzalez controversy was a perfect example of Castro’spolitical savvy, we were told. He used the incident to appeal tothe emotions of the Cuban people by focusing their personalfrustrations to the emotional issue of a child and his father. Tothe people of Cuba, he played the controversy like a well tunedfiddle.

In a country that is full of national heroes, the young Elian isnow a symbol of Cuba’s defiance to the American imperialists. Aplaza has been built in his honor — conveniently in front of theU.S. Special Interest Building — where regular protestdemonstrations are held against the United States.

While we did not get to meet with Castro himself we werereceived by Ricardo Alacon, the President of the National Assemblyand the Cuban representative to the United Nations. His position isequivalent to the Speaker of the House of Representatives in theUnited States, making him a very powerful man in Castro’sgovernment.

A skilled politician, he quickly and sternly chastised us forall of his country’s economic woes, lecturing us, but with afriendly smile as he put on the charm to appeal to our sense offriendship. He deftly side-stepped questions which suggested thatCastro might be using the embargo for personal political purposesand refused to engage in any conversation about George Bush who wasbeing inaugurated as President in the next few days.

We found that the Castro government was very nervous aboutCuban-American relations as George Bush was coming to power andBill Clinton was leaving. They fear Bush for his close ties to theCuban-Americans in Florida and particularly fear he will tightentensions in the coming months.

For Cubans, the solution to all of their economic woes comesfrom the lifting of the American embargo. “Will it ever happen,” wewere repeatedly asked. For many of us in the group, our answer wasthat they should be careful what they ask, for it might not be whatthey really seek.

For Castro the ending of the embargo may be the end to hisrevolution and he knows it. For the average Cuban it would mean acomplete culture change and changes they might not be prepared tosee.