The ad jingle “I’d like to buy the world a Coke and keep it company” has moved one step closer to reality. That’s because the United States decided to open diplomatic relations with Cuba, one of only two countries in the world that cannot import Coca-Cola because of U.S. trade embargoes—the other being North Korea. But if President Barack Obama and big business have their way, Cubans could be sipping the iconic soda and enjoying other banned U.S. products by later this year.
But don’t toast the changes just yet. The Cuba trade issue is layered with deep political and emotional passions, as well as testy legal problems. The legal issues stem from a U.S. law that requires the president to resolve 55-year-old property claims of individuals and businesses before the trade embargo can be lifted.
