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Before Fidel Castro took power on January 1, 1959, Cuba ranked third in per capita income among Latin American nations, behind Argentina and Venezuela. The island's economy was agriculturally based, with sugar, tobacco and citrus as the principal crops. Before Ca ....

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.... major structural changes to adapt its trade and industry to the new relationship. By 1987 CMEA countries accounted for over 85% of Cuban trade despite new bilateral accords signed with many countries including Colombia, Mexico, Spain and Venezuela. Although Cuba's revolutionary leaders had intended to pursue a policy of economic diversification, they quickly had to abandon this approach. Instead, the government emphasized increased sugar production to garner essential foreign exchange earnings and Soviet subsidies. Sugar products represented 80% of Cuba's exports between 1920 and 1959 and amounted to 82% of total exports by 1986. Some 78% of Cub ....