Imports And Exports
It’s sad to say, but the Cubans aren’t too famous for their cooking because it’s nothing too special. That doesn’t mean that they don’t import food, because they do, as well as chemicals, oil and machinery. Cuba’s main export amongst other things is fish, coffee, citrus fruits and medical products.
Economic Crash
When the Soviet Union was still strong and running, Cuba received a lot of financial support from them. When the USSR came crashing down, Cuba suffered an economic crisis which they called the “Special Period”. Pretty special, as they legalized the use of the American dollar in business as well as allowed self-employment for some of the population.