1 registered members (Malavita),
92
guests, and 33
spiders. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
Forums21
Topics43,347
Posts1,086,182
Members10,381
|
Most Online1,254 Mar 13th, 2025
|
|
|
Re: What If Batista Had Not Been Overthrown By Castro?
[Re: Skinny_Vinny]
#634475
02/12/12 02:08 PM
02/12/12 02:08 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,272
Mark
Underboss
|
Underboss
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,272
|
In addition to the interest in casinos, wasn't Cuba also a major route for getting heroin into the country? I seem to remember something about after WWII Lucky Luciano facilitating heroin routes from Sicily to the US and Cuba was mentioned as one of the portals... I may be wrong. http://www.drugtext.org/library/books/McCoy/book/09.htmPost Edit - I found this link. Of course, I can't vouch for accuracy but it is at the least pretty interesting.
Last edited by Mark; 02/12/12 02:12 PM.
|
|
|
Re: What If Batista Had Not Been Overthrown By Castro?
[Re: Dwalin2011]
#634498
02/12/12 03:59 PM
02/12/12 03:59 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,296 Throggs Neck
pizzaboy
The Fuckin Doctor
|
The Fuckin Doctor

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,296
Throggs Neck
|
Or did he do this on purpose to send them to the USA to harm the economy? I've been telling everyone it wasn't Obama's fault  .
"I got news for you. If it wasn't for the toilet, there would be no books." --- George Costanza.
|
|
|
Re: What If Batista Had Not Been Overthrown By Castro?
[Re: Sonny_Black]
#634851
02/14/12 01:37 PM
02/14/12 01:37 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,296 Throggs Neck
pizzaboy
The Fuckin Doctor
|
The Fuckin Doctor

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,296
Throggs Neck
|
U.S. citizens are just not allowed to travel there for vacation. But once the U.S. drops that rule, I think you'll see alot of vacation dollars flood that marketplace, causing Cuba to rebuild and bolster it's tourism industry. I think it's time for the US to stop that bullshit. Let go of the past and move on. Cuba isn't the enemy anymore. I agree 100 percent. I have a lot of Cuban friends in Florida that would love to go home again in their lifetime. A lot of the old timers who grew up there before Castro are starting to die off now. It's now or never for a lot of them. It's really kind of sad when you think about it. But speaking of Florida, it's no secret that their Chamber of Commerce would exercise all of their power to prevent the embargo from being lifted. It would cost the state billions in terms of tourism because of Cuba's proximity (only 90 miles from Key West). Not to mention all of the Cubans who would flee the state if they could go home again to live in freedom. Fidel Castro ruined a lot of lives. Even the most die hard socialists will admit this.
"I got news for you. If it wasn't for the toilet, there would be no books." --- George Costanza.
|
|
|
Re: What If Batista Had Not Been Overthrown By Castro?
[Re: pizzaboy]
#634858
02/14/12 02:02 PM
02/14/12 02:02 PM
|
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 3,568
Sonny_Black
Underboss
|
Underboss
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 3,568
|
But speaking of Florida, it's no secret that their Chamber of Commerce would exercise all of their power to prevent the embargo from being lifted. It would cost the state billions in terms of tourism because of Cuba's proximity (only 90 miles from Key West). Not to mention all of the Cubans who would flee the state if they could go home again to live in freedom. That's a good reason for Florida, but they can't go on with this forever. Fidel Castro ruined a lot of lives. Even the most die hard socialists will admit this. True, but the US didn't make it any easier for him too. He was pretty much forced into his position to align with the USSR and become their arch enemy.
"It was between the brothers Kay -- I had nothing to do with it."
|
|
|
Re: What If Batista Had Not Been Overthrown By Castro?
[Re: ScottD]
#634865
02/14/12 02:48 PM
02/14/12 02:48 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,296 Throggs Neck
pizzaboy
The Fuckin Doctor
|
The Fuckin Doctor

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,296
Throggs Neck
|
A Cuba without Castro would have spurred more casino growth, which may have impacted the viability of Las Vegas I agree. I also think that a Cuba without Castro would change the face of American tourism in general. Why go to Aruba or Paradise Island when you can go to a country as beautiful and culture rich as Cuba?
"I got news for you. If it wasn't for the toilet, there would be no books." --- George Costanza.
|
|
|
Re: What If Batista Had Not Been Overthrown By Castro?
[Re: Dwalin2011]
#634927
02/14/12 07:57 PM
02/14/12 07:57 PM
|
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 572
Ivan
Underboss
|
Underboss
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 572
|
It's a pity Castro didn't treat the mobsters he captured according the law of war. I read somewhere that Santo Trafficante complained about being held for just "about a month" in a prisoner camp. Why not just put them away for life? What kind of "communist dictatorship" is that? Actually compared with most of the communist dictators in history Castro is relatively benign. I'm not saying he's a good guy or anything, but he's no Stalin or Mao.
|
|
|
Re: What If Batista Had Not Been Overthrown By Castro?
[Re: ScottD]
#635539
02/19/12 12:45 PM
02/19/12 12:45 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 18,238 The Ravenite Social Club
Don Cardi
OP
Caporegime
|
OP
Caporegime

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 18,238
The Ravenite Social Club
|
First off, the Tampa mob had its hand in Cuban politics since Ignazio Antinori in the mid 1930s, due to the large Cuban population in Tampa and ties on the island. Cocaine was flowing from Cuba into to Port of Tampa even earlier, in the 1920s.
Point is, pre-Castro Cuba didn't revolve solely around Lansky/Luciano.
Yes, Cuba did have ties to the mob in the late 20's - early 30's. But is was Lansky who was the real catalyst in taking things a step further by forging relationships with those both already in and rising to power. Pre-Castro Cuba may not have revolved solely around Lansky, but it eventually did evolve as a result of the Little Man's visions, foresight and abilities.
Don Cardi Five - ten years from now, they're gonna wish there was American Cosa Nostra. Five - ten years from now, they're gonna miss John Gotti.
|
|
|
Re: What If Batista Had Not Been Overthrown By Castro?
[Re: Don Cardi]
#635547
02/19/12 01:47 PM
02/19/12 01:47 PM
|
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 19,696 AZ
Turnbull
|

Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 19,696
AZ
|
Batista wouldn't have lasted much longer than 1/1/59, Castro or no:
Cuba before Castro had the third-highest per-capita income in Latin America, after Chile and Argentina. While there were great disparities in wealth between cities and the countryside, Cuba also had a thriving, educated, high-achieving middle class. They were the people who were dissatisfied enough to suppor Castro, at least initially. I think that, without Castro, the middle class would have seen Batista as standing in the way of progress and would have forced him out.
The US would have provided impetus: The Kennedy Administration, only about two years later, declared war on organized crime. The US government always called the shots in Cuba. I think the administration would have leaned on Batista to "retire" (as the US had earlier), forced the gangsters out, and would have supported some "democratically" elected leader. Cuba then might have become something like Vegas in the Seventies--still the playground (and maybe the whorehouse) of the Caribbean, but with somewhat more "respectability."
Ntra la porta tua lu sangu � sparsu, E nun me mporta si ce muoru accisu... E s'iddu muoru e vaju mparadisu Si nun ce truovo a ttia, mancu ce trasu.
|
|
|
Re: What If Batista Had Not Been Overthrown By Castro?
[Re: Turnbull]
#635615
02/19/12 06:15 PM
02/19/12 06:15 PM
|
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 3,568
Sonny_Black
Underboss
|
Underboss
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 3,568
|
Batista wouldn't have lasted much longer than 1/1/59, Castro or no:
Cuba before Castro had the third-highest per-capita income in Latin America, after Chile and Argentina. While there were great disparities in wealth between cities and the countryside, Cuba also had a thriving, educated, high-achieving middle class. They were the people who were dissatisfied enough to suppor Castro, at least initially. I think that, without Castro, the middle class would have seen Batista as standing in the way of progress and would have forced him out.
The US would have provided impetus: The Kennedy Administration, only about two years later, declared war on organized crime. The US government always called the shots in Cuba. I think the administration would have leaned on Batista to "retire" (as the US had earlier), forced the gangsters out, and would have supported some "democratically" elected leader. Cuba then might have become something like Vegas in the Seventies--still the playground (and maybe the whorehouse) of the Caribbean, but with somewhat more "respectability." After Kennedy was killed, the mob pretty much recovered and business continued like before. Wouldn't this also be the case in Cuba if things happened like the way you describe?
"It was between the brothers Kay -- I had nothing to do with it."
|
|
|
Re: What If Batista Had Not Been Overthrown By Castro?
[Re: Sonny_Black]
#635678
02/19/12 11:13 PM
02/19/12 11:13 PM
|
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 19,696 AZ
Turnbull
|

Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 19,696
AZ
|
Well, it's a guess, Sonny, but I'm guessing that the Cuban people would have the last word. If the Mob had been expelled under the Kennedy Administration, I doubt that they'd have been welcomed back, though they might have found ways to be involved in loan sharking, prostitution, night clubs and other activities directly related to gambling--as they are today in Vegas and Atlantic City.
Ntra la porta tua lu sangu � sparsu, E nun me mporta si ce muoru accisu... E s'iddu muoru e vaju mparadisu Si nun ce truovo a ttia, mancu ce trasu.
|
|
|
|