[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 67 (Thursday, May 13, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H2996-H2997]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      CASTRO CLOSES DOLLAR STORES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to discuss a disturbing 
chain of events on the Island of Cuba this week. On Tuesday, Cubans 
awoke to find the Island's dollar stores, stores that accept U.S. 
dollars and provide Cubans with basic hygiene and food items, were 
closed.
  The Castro government called this a reaction to new sanctions placed 
on Cuba by the U.S. Castro said that this was because of new limits 
being placed on remittances given to Cubans from their families in the 
U.S. Cubans were not given a date or time when the stores would reopen, 
simply left to read signs posted on the front door that read ``closed 
until further notice.''
  Mr. Speaker, to explain to the average American what these stores 
mean to the Cuban people, a monthly ration covers eight eggs, about a 
pint of cooking oil, six pounds of rice, a half pound of ground meat/
soy mixture, and other goods each month. Everything else has to be 
purchased for higher prices at either state-run stores, in pesos, or 
the dollar stores, in dollars, obviously.
  Essentially, the Cubans are being told by Castro that the closings 
were the result of a new American policy, keeping Castro clear of any 
responsibility in the matter. So, not surprisingly, there was a run on 
basic necessities at the state-run stores. Mind you, the state-run 
stores carry bare minimum products. Even still, Cubans rushed to buy up 
shampoo and dishwashing detergent, worried that ``closed until further 
notice'' could mean closed for weeks, months, or even years to come.
  Castro has since realized the error in his plans. News was released 
this afternoon that the dollar stores were suddenly reopened this 
morning, and the Castro regime is now saying that the stores were 
simply closed for inventory and to allow for price increases. So now 
the Cubans have regained access to the

[[Page H2997]]

goods they need, but now they will have to pay higher prices, a 
difficult prospect when even doctors only make an average monthly 
salary of $25.
  Mr. Speaker, this is one more example of Castro's attempt to impose 
sanctions on the Cuban people, all while blaming the United States and 
essentially playing the martyr. This should be an example to all of my 
colleagues on why we need to continue the embargo. Opening our markets 
to a regime that uses its people as economic and political pawns and 
has no interest in a market economy, rather, works only to funnel money 
into the government and its wealthy leaders, is not an example of an 
honest business partner.
  This, Mr. Speaker, is how Castro treats the average Cuban citizen. 
Let us not forget the countless situations Castro has committed against 
pro-democracy forces, throwing pro-democracy advocates in prison or 
independent journalists, many of whom have been jailed in the last 
year.
  So I simply ask my colleagues to join with me and take notice of what 
happened with these dollar stores as an example of how Castro treats 
his people. And I think it also should make us reconsider whether we 
want American companies doing business with this kind of a regime. I do 
not think we should.

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