Actually a free trade agreement might help Cuba by slowly turning it more towards free market economy. This should encourage free enterprise and a better life for many Cubans. The untimate question will be how much control can the government give up without losing control. It may also be a way to try and get around the embargo. Perhaps the more countries that trade with Cuba the sooner the American will end their embargo, that isn't hurting Castro, only the Cuban people, while giving Castro a weapon in his fight against the USA. It give the DR a close market for whatever they can sell to Cuba, should be just about anything because Cubans have almost no capital goods(medicines....etc) The biggest problem : dealing with the devil.