Rex Rodriguez lounges in a chair of a patio of a sandwich shop in West Tampa, listening to his boss, Mike Mauricio, talk about Cuba and the news that longtime dictator Fidel Castro is stepping down.

The chance to make nice with Cuba is here, the 65-year-old businessman says.

“Fidel Castro ruled as Fidel Castro,” he says. “Raul Castro rules by committee. Now is the opportunity to better relationships and open travel.”

Sagging U.S. markets can be boosted by lifting the trade embargo and the island nation can once again become a friendly neighbor, he says.

“They are absolutely no threat to us,” he says.

The last time he was there, he noticed Chinese and French vehicles, many of which were broken down, littering the streets. The buses that were running were old GMC buses, he said.

The cabs around Havana were French Peugeots, Rodriguez says. “I saw about 18 of them broken down at the airport.”

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