In October, 1960 the United States imposed a partial embargo on Cuba. Two years later, it would be strengthened to a near-total embargo. To help explain the state of Cuba since the start of the 50-year embargo, we talk with Michael Voss, Cuba correspondent for our partner, the BBC.

Small beauty salons, with 3 seats or less are being privatized in Cuba. Fidel Castro nationalized all small businesses in 1968 and now his younger brother, Raul Castro is trying to modernize the system without jumping to full scale capitalism. The move is significant for small business owners who are not accustomed to working for themselves and will now have to pay rent for their locations and pay taxes.

A black-hulled, two-masted replica of a 19^th century slave-carrying schooner called the “Amistad” will sail into Havana harbor today flying both the U.S. and Cuban flags. The ship sails as part of the United Nations commemoration of March 25^th as the global Day of Remembrance for the victims of the Atlantic slave trade.

 

 

A recent ruling that allows U.S. companies to provide Internet services Cuba, despite the embargo. But Cuban officials say this is a direct threat to the Cuban leadership, claiming that the United States aims to "use these services as a tool of subversion and destabilization." 

The leaders of several Latin American nations converged on Havana for a two day summit of the Bolivian Alliance for the Peoples of America (in Spanish, 'ALBA'). BBC's Cuba correspondent Michael Voss joins us with a report on how this Latin American union is dealing with a global economic crisis.

President Obama has lifted restrictions on travel and remittances for Cuban-Americans who wish to visit family or send money to their kin in Cuba. The Takeaway talks to Michael Voss, BBC correspondent in Havana and Joshua Johnson a reporter and anchor with WLRN, Miami Herald News, who has been covering the story from South Florida.

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the Cuban revolution when Fidel Castro established himself as the Cuban leader and began one of the longest and most controversial relationships in U.S. diplomatic history. Now almost an anachronism of the Cold War, how has the country changed over the last fifty years? How will it look fifty years from now? The BBC's Michael Voss joins John and Adaora from Havana.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev arrives in Cuba today after a trip through Latin America that included visits to Venezuela and Brazil. The Takeaway talks to the BBC's correspondent in Havana, Michael Voss.