Miami radio show: The Sugar King of Havana - The rise and fall of Julio Lobo

[Billy Burnett]

Lots of interesting details for those interested in Cuba's revolutionary history.

Topical Currents
Mondays through Thursdays, at 1:00 pm on 91.3 WLRN

http://204.13.1.19:81/

Go to the September 1 show. Click on it.

[Judi Lynn]

1. Odd hearing a Cuban with a British accent! His sister's friend was Julio Lobo's daughter.

Julio Lobo's realm would always be totally incapable of grasping how the vast majority of Cubans lived, clearly.

Didn't know before the 2nd revolution, Cuba was the world's largest sugar exporter.

Very interesting. Thanks.

http://media.ft.com.nyud.net:8090/cms/a7ce978e-9f7e-11df-8732-00144feabdc0.jpg http://www.latinamericanstudies.org.nyud.net:8090/economy/julio-lobo.jpg

Julio Lobo

http://thumbnails.truveo.com.nyud.net:8090/0006/62/3A/623A122D6E9AA6278B13E4_Large.jpg

author John Paul Rathbone

[rabs]

2. Question -- what is the state of Cuba's sugar industry now?

(Interesting story about Lobo, listened to the first 25 minutes.)


I remember that after the revolution it was the backbone of the Cuban economy, and before the Special Period urban dwellers flocked to the fields to help at harvest time to meet the quotas set by the government.

Then years ago read that the industry had sort of withered on the vine, so to speak.

I would assume that production now is mainly to supply the internal market?

[Billy Burnett]

4. The US gov created the US sugar subsidy program expressly to kill Cuba's sugar economy.

The anti socialist sugar barons of Cuba are now sucking at the teat of American corporate socialism, and gaining extreme wealth from it.

The Sugar Roulette
http://www.thegully.com/essays/cuba/000305roulette.html

THE SUGAR SULTANS AND BRIBERY
http://www.afrocubaweb.com/SugarSultans.htm

Sweet deal - why are these men smiling ? The reason is in your sugar bowl
http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/time/1998/11/16/sweet.deal.html

[Judi Lynn]

5. Oh, god, Fanjuls! Just glanced at the 3rd link, as a starting point and saw that name.

Unbelievable bunch of slimy Cuban sugarbarons. No respect whatsoever for human life. Too bad Florida didn't throw them out, too.

Have seen photos of their D.R. resort.

_{George H. W. Bush} went there immediately after the failed coup with Cuban/Venezuelan media magnate Gustavo Cisneros, and huddled up for two weeks. Cisneros had been one of the coup plotters.

Looking forward to reading the links you've provided later in the day. Thank you.

Recommending.

[naaman fletcher]

3. I read the book.

It's not that great. a lot of fascinating stuff about Cuba and lobo (an interesting guy, loved by his workes, hated corruption, was fine with castro until castro wanted to take away his land of course), but so much of the book is fluff, about the author relating some story his mother told him.

[Billy Burnett]

6. Loved by some of his workers (at the top end).

The cane cutters? Not so much.

Two TVs in every room of the plantation mansions. ;)

[naaman fletcher]

7. im just telling what the book said.

i have no other knowledge on the subject. nt