We choose to restrict our exports to nations whose leaders don't support a more democratic system of government. The United States imposed sanctions on Cuba in 1961. Nearly 40 years later, Castro is still in power. The Cuban government has maintained its power base and has no intention of changing its current political stance. Cuba used to be one of our biggest export markets, especially for U.S. rice.
Rice is a staple of the Cuban diet.
Cubans are still eating rice, but they're not buying it from the United States, which is 90 miles away. Instead, they are paying more to import a lower quality product from Asia. Seems to me that the only people losing here are the Cuban citizens and U.S. farmers and ranchers. And don't forget the citizens of Libya, Sudan, North Korea and Iran. Denying high quality food and medicine to these people is wrong.