Vazquez, Sergio

Period 3
9/23/16
Weekly Vocabulary Response

Lesson 5 - Words Relating to Lessening Pain, Tension and/or Conflict

1. Allay 2. Mediate 3. Alleviate 4. Mitigate 5. Ameliorate 6. Mollify 7. Appease

8. Pacify 9. Assuage 10. Placate 11. Conciliate 12. Quell

The Cuban Embargo Act

It has been more than a year and half since president Barack Obama first expressed his

desires to appease7 relations with Cuba. In his last State of the Union Address, he clearly

delivered his point of view to quell12 the embargo act and pacify8 their correlation to the little

Caribbean island. He has claimed in order to strengthen the countrys leadership and credibility,

they must recognize that the Cold War is over and allay1 the embargo.

Many politicians like Marco Rubio, however, disagree or oppose to alleviate3 any type of

relation with Cuba which is what slows this process down because the final decision comes

down to Congress. In order to mollify6 this strife and disagreement, government officials really

have to mediate2 and analyze the possible positive effects if this embargo act is lifted and not

make stereotypical decisions based on the countrys past. If the United States of America

ameliorate5 or at least make the honest attempt to, a huge trade opportunity is at stake. If

Americans conciliate11 the population of this country, new high demand markets will open just

90 miles off the coast of Florida resulting in not only a better life for Cuban citizens but access to

Cuban goods like rum and sugar. America wants to export and Cuba wants to buy, especially

since for the past five decades Cuba has had to depend on countries like Brazil, Canada and
Argentina for their commodities even though American produce is better quality, cheaper, and

closer.

This past March, president Obama took the initiative to placate10 any tension left between

the two countries by personally travelling to Cuba and meeting with the nations leaders.

Obamas desire to assuage9 the two countries relationship symbolically represents the

professionalism and humbleness of our first African-American president. In deciding to mitigate4

the 55 year old quarrel, a new face in the countrys history is in the process, depositing a leap

forward from the prejudice and stereotypes that are extremely popular in this country.

Sources:

http://www.hpj.com/opinion/lifting-the-u-s-trade-embargo-on-cuba-the-time/article_23ea30b0-8

035-11e6-a799-d742fa1e6ecd.html

http://www.newsweek.com/cuba-embargo-president-obama-state-union-414972