Fifteen (15) – in years, the prison sentence handed down to American citizen Alan Gross on Saturday by a Cuban court. Prosecutors swayed the court with an argument that in distributing satellite phones in Havana, Gross was plotting to destroy the revolution, working on a “subversive” program paid for by the United States that aimed to bring down the Cuban government. Washington argues that Gross should be released immediately and unconditionally.
Twelve and a half (12.5) – in years, the period spent in prison thus far by the Cuban Five, known in Cuba as “Los Cinco Héroes“, who are serving life sentences in Miami for espionage (in other words, working for Cuba as spies with the aim to—you guessed it—bring down the U.S. government). Havana argues that the Five should be released immediately and unconditionally.
1,696,141 – the number of Cuban Americans in the United States.
0.55 – the percent of the total U.S. population that identifies as Cuban American.
250,000 – the number of Cubans abroad that visited the island in 2009.
Forty-nine (49) – in years, the time since Cuba and the United States have had normal diplomatic relations. Today, Havana holds a U.S. Interests Section and Washington holds a Cuban Interests Section, but these are very different from the Embassies that would otherwise exist.
Fifty and a half (50.5) – in years, the time some form of the U.S. embargo against Cuba (el bloqueo) has existed. The embargo was partially enacted in 1960, later solidified in 1960, and officially codified into law in 1992 with the Cuban Democracy Act. The U.S. embargo against Cuba is the most enduring trade embargo in modern history.
6.87 – the percent of total Cuban imports provided by the United States. This is despite the embargo, of course, and makes the United States Cuba’s fourth largest supplier of imports, after Venezuela, China and Spain.
Fifty-two (52) – in years, the period that the Castros have been in power in Cuba.
One hundred sixty-three (163) – the combined age of the Castro brothers, who are, respectively, 84 (Fidel) and 79 (Raúl) years of age.
677 – days until the end of President Obama’s term. The history of the neuralgic US-Cuba relationship is long and the years are daunting, particularly when compared to a short four-year term that’s already more than half over.
