With the end of the Cold War and the end of aid from the Soviet Union, the situation in Cuba has become increasingly more desperate. In 1993, the number of Cubans fleeing the island by raft and boat for the United States was up more than 50 percent, to just under 3,500.
The biggest hit to Cuba's economy came when the Soviet Union stopped subsidies in 1989. In addition, the United States widened its trade embargo to include international subsidiaries of U.S. companies. In the past four years, it's estimated the Cuban economy has lost 75 percent of its viability.
Cuban leader Fidel Castro had begun to take measures unthought of just a few years ago. Cubans can now possess U.S. dollars and spend them in tourist shops. He's also encouraged other countries to invest in Cuba. More economic changes are expected. They may include income taxes, greater overtures to outside investment, and a focus on productivity.
During 1993, two Cuban pilots flew their Mig fighters to safety. One flew to Key West Sept. 17, while another flew to the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base on Sept. 23.
Cuban national pride also suffered Nov. 26 when several members of the Cuban national baseball team defected while attending games in Puerto Rico.
Just before Christmas, Castro's daugher, Alina Fernandez Revuelta, fled the island in a disguise and sought asylum in the United States.
