Spend your holiday in Cuba

• Cuba history
• Cuba society
• Religion in Cuba
• Tourism in Cuba

Cuba history The recorded history of Cuba began on 28 of Batista in Cuban politics, whose October 1492, when Christopher Columbus government tolerated their activities in sighted the island during his first exchange for bribes and kickbacks. voyage of discovery and claimed it for In 1956 a party of rebels, including Spain. (This is still not certain and is Fidel Castro, landed in a boat from an unresolved topic.)The island had been Mexico and tried to start an armed inhabited by Amerindian peoples known as resistance movement in the Sierra the Taíno and Ciboney whose ancestors Maestra. (Castro had gone to Mexico had come from South America several after being released from prison, where centuries before. The Taíno were he was serving a sentence for his part farmers and the Ciboney (also written in a 1953 rebel attack on the Moncada Siboney neo-Taino nations) were both Barracks in Santiago de Cuba.) farmers and hunter-gatherers; some have Batista’s forces killed most of the suggested that copper trade was rebels, but enough survived to maintain significant and mainland artifacts have a low-level insurgency in the mountains. been found in proximal Taino cultures. In response, Batista made the mistake of The coast of Cuba was fully mapped by launching a campaign of repression Sebastián de Ocampo in 1511, and in against the opposition, which only that year the first Spanish settlement served to increase support for the was founded by Diego Velázquez de insurgency. Cuéllar at Baracoa. Other towns, Through 1957 and 1958, opposition to including Havana (founded in 1515), soon Batista grew, among the middle class and followed. The Spanish, as they did the students, in the Catholic Church and throughout the Americas, oppressed and in the rural areas. The United States enslaved the approximately 100,000 government imposed an arms embargo on indigenous people that resisted the Cuban government on March 14, 1958. conversion to Christianity on the By late 1958, the rebels had succeeded island. Within a century they had all in breaking out of the Sierra Maestra but disappeared as a distinct nation as and launched a general insurrection, a result of the combined effects of joined by hundreds of students and European introduced disease, forced others fleeing Batista’s crackdown on labor and genocide, though aspects of dissent in the cities. When the rebels the region's aboriginal heritage has captured Santa Clara, east of Havana, survived in part via the rise of a Batista decided the struggle was futile significant Mestizo population.[7][8] and fled the country to exile in With destruction of aboriginal society, Portugal and later Spain. Castro’s the settlers began to exploit abducted rebel forces entered the capital on African slaves, with more resistance to January 1, 1959. the diseases from the old world, and who Cuba following revolution soon made up a significant proportion of Fidel Castro became Prime Minister of the inhabitants. Cuba in February 1959, and has held Colonial Cuba effective power in the country until Cuba was a Spanish possession for 388 temporarily handing it over to his years, ruled by a governor in Havana, brother for medical reasons in July with an economy based on plantation 2006. During 1959, Castro’s government agriculture and the export of sugar, carried out measures such as land coffee and tobacco to Europe and later reform, the nationalization of public to North America. It was seized by the utilities, and the suppression of the British in 1762, but restored to Spain widespread corruption that had developed the following year. The Spanish under Batista, including closing down population was boosted by settlers the gambling industry and evicting the leaving Haiti when that territory was many Florida-based American mobsters ceded to France. As in other parts of operating on the island. the Spanish Empire, a small land-owning Castro flew to Washington, DC, but was elite of Spanish-descended settlers held not met by President Eisenhower, who social and economic power, supported by decided to attend a golf tournament a population of plebian creoles, rather than meet with Castro.[3] Summary mixed-race small farmers, laborers and executions of suspected Batista African-descended slaves. collaborators, coupled with the seizure In the 1820s, when the other parts of of Cuban-owned businesses and the rapid Spain’s empire in Latin America demise of the independent press, rebelled and formed independent states, nominally attributed to the powerful Cuba remained loyal, although there was pro-revolution printing unions, raised some agitation for independence. This questions about the nature of the new was partly because the prosperity of the government. Attitudes towards the Cuban Cuban settlers depended on their export revolution in the United States were trade to Europe, partly through fears of changing rapidly. The nationalization of a slave rebellion (as had happened in U.S.-owned companies (to an estimated Haiti) if the Spanish withdrew and value of US$1 billion[citation needed]) partly because the Cubans feared the aroused immediate hostility within the rising power of the United States more Eisenhower administration. Cuban exiles than they disliked Spanish colonial formed a burgeoning expatriate community rule. in Miami. Many were angry at the Cuba’s proximity to the U.S. has been revolutionary government due to its a powerful influence on its history. seizure of their property in Cuba and Throughout the 19th century, Southern the deaths of friends and relatives and politicians in the U.S. plotted the they soon formed a powerful political island’s annexation as a means of lobbying group in the United States. The strengthening the pro-slavery forces in United States government became the U.S., and there was usually a party increasingly hostile towards Cuba in Cuba which supported such a policy. throughout 1959. This, in turn, may have In 1848, a pro-annexationist rebellion influenced Castro's movement away from was defeated and there were several the liberal elements of his attempts by annexationist forces to revolutionary movement and increase the invade the island from Florida. There power of hardline Marxist figures in the were also regular proposals in the U.S. government, notably Che Guevara. to buy Cuba from Spain. During the In October 1959, Castro openly declared summer of 1848, President James Knox himself to be friendly towards Polk quietly authorized his ambassador Communism, though he did not yet claim to Spain, Romulus Mitchell Saunders, to to be a Communist himself, and the negotiate the purchase of Cuba and offer liberal and other anti-Communist Spain up to $100 million, an astonishing elements of the government were purged, sum of money at the time for one with many who had initially supported territory. Spain, however, refused to the revolution fleeing the country to consider ceding one of its last join the growing exile community in possessions in the Americas. Miami. In March 1960, the first aid After the American Civil War apparently agreements were signed with the Soviet ended the threat of pro-slavery Union. In the context of the Cold War, annexationism, agitation for Cuban the U.S. saw the establishment of a independence from Spain revived, leading Soviet base of influence in the Americas to a rebellion in 1868. This resulted in as a threat and plans were approved to a prolonged conflict known as the Ten remove Castro from power (see The Cuban Years' War between pro-independence Project). In late 1960, a trade embargo forces and the Spanish, allied with was imposed, which strengthened Castro's their local supporters. There was much ties with the Soviet Union. At the same sympathy in the U.S. for the time, the administration authorized independence cause, and some unofficial plans for an invasion of Cuba by aid was sent, but the U.S. declined to Florida-based exiles, taking advantage intervene militarily. In 1878, the Peace of anti-Castro uprisings which were of Zanjon ended the conflict, with Spain repressed (see some details and promising greater autonomy to Cuba. references in War Against the Bandits The island was exhausted after this long and Bay of Pigs Invasion). The result conflict and pro-independence agitation was the disastrous Bay of Pigs Invasion temporarily died down. There was also a of April 1961. President John Kennedy prevalent fear that if the Spanish withdrew promised US air support for the withdrew or if there was further civil invading force at the last minute and strife, the increasingly expansionist the populist anti-Castro uprising failed U.S. would step in and annex the island. to materialize. Kennedy refused direct Partly in response to U.S. pressure, American military intervention and the slavery was abolished in 1886, although invasion force was routed. This prompted the African-descended minority remained Castro to declare Cuba a socialist socially and economically oppressed, republic, and himself a Marxist-Leninist despite formal civic equality granted in in May of 1961. 1893. During this period, rural poverty Marxist-Leninist Cuba in Spain led to a substantial Spanish One immediate strategic result of the emigration to Cuba — among those Cuban-Soviet alliance was the decision arriving were the parents of Fidel to place Soviet intermediate range Castro. ballistic missiles in Cuba, which During the 1890s, pro-independence precipitated the Cuban missile crisis of agitation revived, fueled by resentment 1962, during which U.S. President John of the restrictions imposed on Cuban F. Kennedy threatened the Soviet Union trade by Spain and hostility to with nuclear war unless the missiles Spain’s increasingly oppressive and were withdrawn. Castro urged the Soviets incompetent administration of Cuba. In to take an aggressive stance. Eventually April 1895, rebellion broke out led by the Soviets backed down. In the the poet José Martí and Tomás Estrada aftermath of this, there was a Palma who proclaimed Cuba an independent resumption of contacts between the U.S. republic — Martí was killed shortly and Castro, resulting in the release of thereafter and has become Cuba’s the anti-Castro fighters captured at the undisputed national hero. The Spanish Bay of Pigs in exchange for a package of retaliated with a campaign of aid. But during 1963, relations suppression, herding the rural deteriorated again as Castro moved Cuba population into what were described by towards a fully-fledged Communist system international observers as "fortified modeled on the Soviet Union. The U.S. towns". Estimates that between 200,000 imposed a complete diplomatic and and 400,000 Cubans died from emaciation commercial embargo on Cuba. At this time and disease during this period. These U.S. influence in Latin America was numbers were verified by both the Red strong enough to make the embargo very Cross and the U.S. Senator, and former effective and Cuba was forced to direct War Secretary, Redfield Proctor. U.S. virtually all its trade to the Soviet and European protests against Spanish Union and its allies. conduct on the island followed.[9] In 1965, Castro merged his revolutionary In 1897, fearing U.S. intervention, organizations with the Communist Party, Spain moved to a more conciliatory of which he became First Secretary, with policy, promising home rule with an Blas Roca as Second Secretary — later elected legislature. The rebels rejected to be succeeded by Raúl Castro, who as this offer and the war for independence Defense Minister and Fidel’s closest continued. Shortly afterwards, on 15 confidant became and has remained the February 1898, the U.S. battleship Maine second most powerful figure in the was mysteriously blown up in Havana government. Raúl Castro’s position harbor, killing 266 men. Forces in the was strengthened by the departure of Che U.S. favoring intervention in Cuba Guevara to launch unsuccessful attempts seized on this incident to accuse Spain at insurrectionary movements in Congo, of blowing up the ship (although Spain and then Bolivia, where he was killed in had no motive for doing so and there was 1967. Osvaldo Dorticós Torrado, no evidence of Spanish culpability). President of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, was Swept along on a wave of nationalist a figurehead of little importance. sentiment, the U.S. Congress passed a Castro introduced a new constitution in resolution calling for intervention and 1976 under which he became President President William McKinley was quick to himself, while remaining chairman of the comply. Council of Ministers. The result was the Spanish-American War, During the 1970s, Castro moved onto the in which U.S. forces landed in Cuba in world stage as a leading spokesperson June 1898 and quickly overcame Spanish for Third World “anti-imperialist” resistance. In August a peace treaty was governments. On a more concrete level, signed under which Spain agreed to he provided invaluable military withdraw from Cuba. Some advocates in assistance to pro-Soviet forces in the U.S. supported Cuban independence, Angola, Ethiopia, Yemen and other while others argued for outright African and Middle Eastern trouble annexation. As a compromise, the spots. Cuban forces were decisive in McKinley administration placed Cuba helping the MPLA forces win the Angolan under a 20-year U.S. treatie. The Cuban Civil War in 1975. Although the bills independence movement bitterly opposed for these expeditionary forces were paid this arrangement, but unlike the by the Soviets, they placed a Philippines, where events had followed a considerable strain on Cuba’s economy similar course, there was no outbreak of and manpower resources. Cuba was also armed resistance. hampered by its continuing dependency on Independence sugar exports. The Soviets were forced Theodore Roosevelt, who had fought in to provide further economic assistance the Spanish-American War and had some by buying the entire Cuban sugar crop, sympathies with the independence even though the Soviet Union grew enough movement, succeeded McKinley as sugar beet to meet its own needs. In President of the United States in 1901 exchange the Soviets had to supply Cuba and abandoned the 20-year treatie with all its fuel, since it could not proposal. Instead, the Republic of Cuba import oil from any other source. gained formal independence on 20 May Cuba’s economic dependence on the 1902, with the independence leader Soviet Union was deepened by Castro’s Tomás Estrada Palma becoming the determination to build his vision of a country’s first president. Under the socialist society in Cuba. This entailed new Cuban constitution, however, the the provision of free health care and U.S. retained the right to intervene in education for the entire population. Cuban affairs and to supervise its Through the 1970s and 1980s, the Soviets finances and foreign relations. Under were prepared to subsidise all this in the Platt Amendment, Cuba also agreed to exchange for the strategic asset of an lease to the U.S. the naval base at ally under the noses of the United Guantánamo Bay. States and the undoubted propaganda Independent Cuba soon ran into value of Castro’s considerable difficulties as a result of factional prestige in the developing world. disputes and corruption among the small By the 1970s, the ability of the U.S. to educated elite and the failure of the keep Cuba isolated was declining. Cuba government to deal with the deep social had been expelled from the Organization problems left behind by the Spanish. In of American States in 1962 and the OAS 1906, following disputed elections to had cooperated with the U.S. trade choose Estrada Palma’s successor, an boycott for the next decade, but, in armed revolt broke out and the U.S. 1975, the OAS lifted all sanctions exercised its right of intervention. The against Cuba and both Mexico and Canada country was placed under U.S. occupation defied the U.S. by developing closer and a U.S. governor took charge for relations with Cuba. Both countries said three years. In 1908 self-government was that they hoped to foster liberalization restored when José Miguel Gómez was in Cuba by allowing trade, cultural and elected President, but the U.S. retained diplomatic contacts to resume — in its supervision of Cuban affairs. this they were disappointed, since there Despite frequent outbreaks of disorder, was no appreciable easing of repression however, constitutional government was against domestic opposition. Castro did maintained until 1925, when Gerardo stop openly supporting insurrectionary Machado y Morales, having been elected movements against Latin American President, suspended the constitution. governments, although pro-Castro groups Machado was a Cuban nationalist and his continued to fight the military regime had considerable local support dictatorships which then controlled most despite its violent suppression of Latin American countries. critics. During his tenure, Cubans The Cuban exile community in the U.S. gained greater control over their own grew in size, wealth and power and economy and some important national politicized elements effectively opposed development projects were undertaken. liberalization of U.S. policy towards His hold on power was weakened by the Cuba. However, the efforts of the exiles Great Depression, which drove down the to foment an anti-Castro movement inside price of Cuba’s agricultural exports Cuba, let alone a revolution there, met and caused widespread poverty. In August limited success. On Sunday, April 6, 1933, elements of the Cuban army staged 1980, 7,000 Cubans stormed the Peruvian a coup which deposed Machado and embassy in Havana seeking political installed Carlos Manuel de Céspedes asylum. On Monday, April 7, Fidel Castro (whose father was instrumental in granted permission for the emigration of initiating the Ten Years War of Cubans seeking refuge in the Peruvian independence) as President. In embassy.[12] On April 16 500 Cuban September, however, a second coup led by citizens left the Peruvian Embassy for Sergeant Fulgencio Batista overthrew Costa Rica. On April 21 many of those Céspedes leading to the formation of Cubans started arriving in Miami via the first Ramón Grau San Martín private boats and were halted by the government. This government lasted just State Department on April 23. The boat 100 days, but engineered radical liberal lift continued, however, since Castro changes in Cuban society and a rejection allowed anyone who desired to leave the of the Platt amendment. country to do so through the port of In 1934, Batista and the army, who were Mariel and this emigration became known the real center of power in Cuba, as the Mariel boatlift. In all, over replaced Grau with Carlos Mendieta y 125,000 Cubans emigrated to the United Montefur. In 1940, Batista decided to States before the flow of vessels ended run for President himself. The leader of on June 15. the constitutional liberals Ramón Grau Post-Cold War Cuba San Martín refused to support him, so The fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 he turned instead to the Communist Party dealt Cuba a giant economic blow. It led of Cuba, which had grown in size and to another unregulated exodus of asylum influence during the 1930s. seekers to the United States in 1994, With the support of the but was eventually slowed to a trickle Communist-controlled labor unions, of a few thousand a year by the Batista was elected President and his U.S.-Cuban accords. It again increased administration carried out major social in 2004-06 although at a far slower rate reforms and introduced a new progressive than before. Castro’s popularity was constitution. Several members of the severely tested by the aftermath of the Communist Party held office under his Soviet collapse, which led to a cut off administration. Batista's administration in aid, the loss of a guaranteed export formally took Cuba into World War II as market for Cuban sugar and the loss of a a U.S. ally, declaring war on Japan on source of cheap imported oil. It also Dec 9, 1941, then on Germany/Italy on caused, as in all Communist countries, a Dec 11, 1941; Cuba, however, did not crisis in confidence for those who significantly participate militarily in believed that the Soviet Union was World War II hostilities. At the end of successfully “building socialism” his term in 1944, in accordance with the and providing a model that other constitution, Batista stood down and countries should follow. In Cuba, Ramón Grau was elected to succeed him. however, these events were not Grau initiated increased government sufficient to persuade Cuban Communists spending on health, education and that they should voluntarily give up housing. But Grau’s liberals were power. bitter enemies of the Communists and By the later 1990s the situation in the Batista opposed most of Grau’s country had stabilized. By then Cuba had program. more or less normal economic relations In 1948, Grau was succeeded by Carlos with most Latin American countries and Prío Socarrás, who had been Grau’s had improved relations with the European minister of labor and was particularly Union, which began providing aid and hated by the Communists. Prío was a loans to the island. China also emerged less principled liberal than Grau and, as a new source of aid and support, even under his administration, corruption though Cuba had sided with the Soviets increased. This was partly a result of during the Sino-Soviet split of the the postwar revival of U.S. wealth and 1960s. Cuba also found new allies in the consequent influx of gambling money President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela and into Havana, which became a center of President Evo Morales of Bolivia, major mafia operations. Nevertheless Prío oil and gas exporters. carried out major reforms such as Temporary transfer of duties founding a National Bank and stabilizing On July 31 2006, Fidel Castro delegated the Cuban currency. The influx of North his duties as President of the Council American money fueled a boom which did of state, President of the Council of much to raise living standards, although Ministers, First Secretary of the Cuban the gap between rich and poor became Communist Party and the post of wider and more obvious. commander in chief of the armed forces From Batista to Castro to his brother and First Vice President, The 1952 election was a three-way race. Raúl Castro. This transfer of duties Roberto Agramonte of the Ortodoxos party has been described as temporary while led in all the polls, followed by Dr. Fidel Castro recovers from surgery Aurelio Hevia of the Auténtico party, undergone after suffering from an "acute and running a distant third was Batista, intestinal crisis with sustained who was seeking a return to office. When bleeding". Fidel Castro was too ill to it became apparent that Batista had attend the nationwide commemoration of little chance of winning, he staged a the 50th anniversary of the Granma boat coup on 10 March 1952 and held power landing on December 2, 2006, which with the backing of a nationalist fuelled speculations that Castro had section of the army as a “provisional stomach cancer, though Spanish doctor president” for the next two years. In Dr. García Sabrido stated that his 1954, under pressure from the U.S., he illness was a digestive problem and not agreed to elections. The Partido terminal, after an examination of the Auténtico put forward ex-President Grau subject on Christmas Day. as their candidate, but he withdrew amid On January 31, 2007, footage of Castro allegations that Batista was rigging the meeting with Venezuelan president Hugo elections in advance. Batista could then Chávez was broadcast, where, according claim to be an elected President. His to international media reports, Castro regime was marked by severe corruption "appeared frail but stronger than three and poverty. Batista's police force was months ago", and the Cuban leader made well-known for their harsh tactics and a lengthy surprise appearance by phone violence against the population. Fidel on Chávez's radio talk show Aló Castro directed failed resistance action Presidente the following month. Though at the Moncada Barracks, in Santiago de Castro loyalists in the Cuban government Cuba, and on the smaller Carlos Manuel have maintained that he will stand in de Cespedes Barracks and on the feast of the 2008 elections to the Cuban National Saint Ann July 26, 1953. Assembly, speculation has continued as Many Florida-based American mafiosi to whether he will ever return to power. established themselves in Cuba under A BBC reporter is among at least three Batista's rule, notably prominent mob international correspondents asked to boss Santo Trafficante, Jr. Their leave At least three foreign operations included legitimate hotels correspondents based in Havana have been and casinos as well as all manners of told they must leave the country because illicit businesses. 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