ABSTRACT
The Fidel Castro government, which had been in the process of expanding its exportation of human capital via bilateral agreements with multiple countries, found in Chavez the perfect partner to expand its efforts. Concurrently, while the Cuban government has never stopped maligning Cuban exiles, Cuba has no larger source of income and hard currency currently than the remittances that those exiles send to the island each year. These remittances first grew under President Bill Clinton, were then curtailed under President George W. Bush, and have since grown again after President Obama eased remittance and travel restrictions in 2009. The significance of remittances to the island is even more pronounced when one takes into account the fact that remittances represent pure income for the Cuban economy, while other sources of hard currency have significant offsetting expenses that detract from the net income benefit to Cuba's economy.
