Prostitution in Bitter Sugar Literature & Language Essay

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Prostitution in Bitter Sugar
Azúcar Amarga (Translated Bitter Sugar) (1996) is an American-Dominican co-production by Leon Ichaso. The film was shot in black and white and starred a cast of Cuban-American acts who had emigrated for political reasons. There is no doubt that Ichaso’s experience as a director is remarkable. Some of the films Ichaso had directed included Miami Vice, The Equalizer, and Crime Story. In Bitter Sugar, Ichaso used a budget of $700,000. The movie was filmed in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. The few scenes done in Havana were under pretenses since the crew was allowed to proceed with the filming because they indicated they were making an architectural documentary. Cuban Americans applauded the film with the video being widely circulated in Cuba. In 1996, the film went ahead to win the Best Picture Award at the Chicago International Film Festival. The lack of economic activities drives Yolanda into the life of prostitution.
In Cuba, jineterismo is a means for women to make ends meet. A better understanding of the term “jineterismo” entails looking at the history of tourism in Cuba. In the early 20th Century, Americans claimed Cuba as their recreational backyard. They saw Cuba as an avenue for drinking, gambling and engaging in sexual pleasures. Havana, for instance, became “tourist Mecca” for the U.S. citizens who wanted to engage in the outlined practices. The Cuban government implemented initiatives meant to promote tourism on the island like portraying it as a place with “romantic moonlight, country clubs, and sensuous women” (Schwartz 10). During what the Cuban government referred to as the “Special Period,” the Cuban peso was devalued. According to Barrueto (105), “…the dollar began to replace the peso Cubano as the preferred currency.” The move led to the growing economic gap among the Cuban population. The individuals working in the tourism industry got access to foreign currency. The rest who were paid in pesos earned much lower compared to their counterparts in contact with foreigners. Despite the growth of the tourism sector, a majority of the Cubans did not benefit and instead lived in abject poverty. Those who did not get part of the dollar pie were the prostitutes. Although prostitution was not new in Havana’s port area, tourism led to its increase. Over time, Cuba became increasingly associated with sex. Although the government organized a crackdown on prostitution, the action did not deter prostitution. As a result, women like Yolanda find it more attractive to engage in the vice. While it is illegal for women to prostitute themselves, this does not stop Yolanda from being involved with men for financial gain.
Prostitutes earn more money than the average Cuban doctors. The old Cuban expression, “the almighty dollar” demonstrates how money drives women to engage in prostitution to earn a living. In the country, “Whereas the average Cuban doctor, paid in pesos, earns the equivalent of $3 a month, a prostitute can earn $50 a night” (Holden). For instance, Tomás is a psychiatrist but makes $3-4 a month. He quits his job to play piano at a tourist hotel. Tomás informs Gustavo that his former intern Gladys makes $300 weekly in tips she gets at the hotel. With prostitution earning more than some professions, it makes some sense for women to engage in prostitution. Yolanda, like other women in the city, is drawn into the life of prostitution to increase her earnings. Since being a prostitute pays more than some professions, engaging in the vice is more economically viable than looking for formal employment.
Yolanda is uncertain about his future with Gustavo and hence turns to prostitution which appears to have a promising future. Gustavo has recently graduated from the Lenin High School with high marks (Ichaso). He waits to get a state scholarship to study engineering in Prague. However, Gustavo realizes the hypocrisy of the Castro regime when he notices how the state forces the citizens into a state of social apartheid that caters to its puppets. He witnesses how the state makes the lives of the people difficult, including those of his family members. Eventually, the scholarship is canceled and Gustavo is helpless. With the future of Gustavo at stake, Yolanda has to find other ways to make a living. Engaging in prostitution appears as an effective way of securing her uncertain future.
While jineterismo is criminal in Cuba, the police show leniency to the culprits. Women like Yolanda prostitute themselves under the watch of the police. The state pol...