These conditions determined an economic impasse characterized by a complete dependence from the north, controller of our producing industries of exportation (mainly sugar and nickel); which originated an agricultural economic estructure, since it made us mono-producers (sugar),industry that used to be one of the most significant ones.

On january 1st, 1959, begins the developmnet of the democratic, popular, agrarian and anti-imperialist revolution, characterized by the adoption of different measures that respond to the same interests of the people.

The first laws established by the revolutionary government, were focused in the state intervention in the activity of a series of Yankee enterprises and the checking of the agreements signed by the previous pro-imperialist governments, mainly in the field of the concessions to the extraction industries, particularly mining and fuel.

In May 1959, took place one of the first actions of the blockade when the American companies ESSO STANDARD OIL and TEXACO OIL, together with the British SHELL, following orders from USA government, abandoned the refining and importation of fuel, in an attempt to stop our economy.

Because of that in July 1960, the legal basis for the expropiation of the Yankee monopolies in our lands were established, which caused an open economic aggression against our nation.

Supported by some exceptional powers given by the American congress, President Eisenhower ordered the abrupt reduction of the Cuban sugar exported to USA, to 700 000 tons, which represented a significant diminishing of our fundamental incomes source.

But the revolution did not surrendered, from that moment on it began a process in which Cuba gave a dignified answer to the measures of the USA governments, answers that represented a decisive step in the extermination of the imperialist control over our economy, until they officially established the economic blockade to our country with the complete elimmination of the Cuban sugar of their markets.

Due to the restablishment of the diplomatic relations between both countries, it is posible that the future will still be difficult, in the letter written by Raul Castro to Barack Obama in July 1st, he points out that “...is very important the developmnet of friendship relations among nations based on the respect to the principle of equality of rigths and of the free determination of the countries, and the cooperation in solving international problems and in the development and the support to the respect to human beings and to everybody´s fundamental freedoms...”
 
The State Department of USA ensured this Wednesday that it will continue to support human rigths activists in Cuba. In addition, he also announced that it is not planned to abandon the illegal naval base of Guantanamo, and the ending of the blockade is not a reality yet.

Translated by Dámaris Hernández Arística, English Language student

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