Cuba loves Chevrolets and GM needs sales: What's wrong with this picture?

Here in Cuba, a country of 11 million souls, every one of whom appears to love Chevrolets, any new car you see nowadays is likely a Peugeot or a Geely. Meanwhile, the streets of this proud little island are a-hustle with vintage Chevies -- not to mention Mercuries, Plymouths, Packards and Ramblers lovingly maintained with Bondo, duct tape and Russian knock-off parts. They’re kept running, the Cubans boast, by the world’s best mechanics.

This isn't the doing of either the country's Communist government or wily French and Chinese auto salesmen. It's the Americans shooting themselves in both feet, year after year for more than half a century, as they punish the cheeky Cubans for setting too independent an example to the Third World. It's certainly no objection to Communism, as the hypocritical Americans have little trouble dealing with China or Vietnam.

This punishment takes the form of an embargo -- an act of war. The half-century-long war against Cuba hurts ordinary Cubans without question. They struggle on a shoestring, with a little help from their Canadian and European friends -- plus the Russians, who are back in droves, mostly as tourists, though more than a few have that Spetsnaz look.

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Access to a market of 11 million people who love GM products and paste Chevrolet bowtie logos on decrepit Ladas and Skodas might not save the Detroit Three, but it sure as heck wouldn't hurt!

Fully opening this market to American business would also help the Canadian industrial heartland. After all, GM's most productive and reliable assembly plants are in Ontario. Some are mothballed, and thousands of workers have lost jobs, because of GM's troubles.

http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/djclimenhaga/2010/12/cuba-loves-chevrolets-gm-needs-sales-what%E2%80%99s-wrong-picture

it gets 45-60 MPG and looks great. Only problem.. it won't be available in the USA.. only in Europe and Canada.

I E-mailed Ford.. and they said the reason it won't be available here is that they want to sell full size F-150's in the USA.

As usual.... nothing in this country makes any sense.

http://image.automobilemag.com/f/features/news/1010_2012_ford_ranger_first_look/29280281+w440/2012-ford-ranger-front-view-static.jpg

would cause many to die of heartbreak. They have maintained cars that are durable and repairable by design. New cars are flimsy, filled with tiny wires connecting computers to countless sensors (making troubleshooting and nightmare) and are built with 'planned obsolescence' in mind.

They attacked... well, no they didn't. But they raised the price on oil ripping us off at the pumps?
No, wasn't them. Ok, wise guy, so why is Cuba an enemy then?

public transportation will have a greater priority for Cuba. Keeping the Viazul buses, the "555" taxis and dilapidated train system up and running, or modernizing the existing fleet, that will be needed first.

The tourist market for rental cars would be a different possibility, and it won't be available for the average Cuban worker.

The fact that there is still a US embargo on Cuba.