For decades, the Castro government isolated Cuba from the global economy. Trade with the USSR and Eastern European bloc was emphasized. Commodity exchanges of sugar for oil helped Cuba endure the USA led Embargo. With the repudiation of Communism in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union and the expectation of cash and not commodity exchanges, Cuba has found itself in need of hard currency and moving away from commodity based revenues. Tourism and biotechnology have been pursued with joint ventures with non-USA domiciled companies and G7 nations.

USA companies may not enter into business ventures with the Government of Cuba. However, there are ways to indirectly invest in Cuba by investing in non-USA companies that do not derive a majority of their revenues from business with Cuba. These companies are based in Canada, Spain, and Mexico.