Cuba history

The recorded history of Cuba began on 28 OctoberCuban politics, whose government tolerated their
1492, when Christopher Columbus sighted the islandactivities in exchange for bribes and kickbacks.
during his first voyage of discovery and claimed it forIn 1956 a party of rebels, including Fidel Castro,
Spain. (This is still not certain and is an unresolvedlanded in a boat from Mexico and tried to start an
topic.)The island had been inhabited by Amerindianarmed resistance movement in the Sierra Maestra.
peoples known as the Taíno and Ciboney(Castro had gone to Mexico after being released
whose ancestors had come from South Americafrom prison, where he was serving a sentence for
several centuries before. The Taíno werehis part in a 1953 rebel attack on the Moncada
farmers and the Ciboney (also written SiboneyBarracks in Santiago de Cuba.) Batista’s
neo-Taino nations) were both farmers andforces killed most of the rebels, but enough survived
hunter-gatherers; some have suggested that copperto maintain a low-level insurgency in the mountains. In
trade was significant and mainland artifacts haveresponse, Batista made the mistake of launching a
been found in proximal Taino cultures.campaign of repression against the opposition, which
The coast of Cuba was fully mapped byonly served to increase support for the insurgency.
Sebastián de Ocampo in 1511, and in that yearThrough 1957 and 1958, opposition to Batista grew,
the first Spanish settlement was founded by Diegoamong the middle class and the students, in the
Velázquez de Cuéllar at Baracoa. OtherCatholic Church and in the rural areas. The United
towns, including Havana (founded in 1515), soonStates government imposed an arms embargo on
followed. The Spanish, as they did throughout thethe Cuban government on March 14, 1958. By late
Americas, oppressed and enslaved the approximately1958, the rebels had succeeded in breaking out of
100,000 indigenous people that resisted conversion tothe Sierra Maestra and launched a general
Christianity on the island. Within a century they had allinsurrection, joined by hundreds of students and
but disappeared as a distinct nation as a result of theothers fleeing Batista’s crackdown on
combined effects of European introduced disease,dissent in the cities. When the rebels captured Santa
forced labor and genocide, though aspects of theClara, east of Havana, Batista decided the struggle
region's aboriginal heritage has survived in part via thewas futile and fled the country to exile in Portugal
rise of a significant Mestizo population.[7][8] Withand later Spain. Castro’s rebel forces
destruction of aboriginal society, the settlers beganentered the capital on January 1, 1959.
to exploit abducted African slaves, with moreCuba following revolution
resistance to the diseases from the old world, andFidel Castro became Prime Minister of Cuba in
who soon made up a significant proportion of theFebruary 1959, and has held effective power in the
inhabitants.country until temporarily handing it over to his brother
Colonial Cubafor medical reasons in July 2006. During 1959,
Cuba was a Spanish possession for 388 years, ruledCastro’s government carried out
by a governor in Havana, with an economy based onmeasures such as land reform, the nationalization of
plantation agriculture and the export of sugar, coffeepublic utilities, and the suppression of the widespread
and tobacco to Europe and later to North America. Itcorruption that had developed under Batista, including
was seized by the British in 1762, but restored toclosing down the gambling industry and evicting the
Spain the following year. The Spanish population wasmany Florida-based American mobsters operating on
boosted by settlers leaving Haiti when that territorythe island.
was ceded to France. As in other parts of theCastro flew to Washington, DC, but was not met by
Spanish Empire, a small land-owning elite ofPresident Eisenhower, who decided to attend a golf
Spanish-descended settlers held social and economictournament rather than meet with Castro.[3]
power, supported by a population of plebian creoles,Summary executions of suspected Batista
mixed-race small farmers, laborers andcollaborators, coupled with the seizure of
African-descended slaves.Cuban-owned businesses and the rapid demise of the
In the 1820s, when the other parts ofindependent press, nominally attributed to the
Spain’s empire in Latin America rebelledpowerful pro-revolution printing unions, raised
and formed independent states, Cuba remained loyal,questions about the nature of the new government.
although there was some agitation for independence.Attitudes towards the Cuban revolution in the United
This was partly because the prosperity of the CubanStates were changing rapidly. The nationalization of
settlers depended on their export trade to Europe,U.S.-owned companies (to an estimated value of
partly through fears of a slave rebellion (as hadUS$1 billion[citation needed]) aroused immediate
happened in Haiti) if the Spanish withdrew and partlyhostility within the Eisenhower administration. Cuban
because the Cubans feared the rising power of theexiles formed a burgeoning expatriate community in
United States more than they disliked Spanish colonialMiami. Many were angry at the revolutionary
rule.government due to its seizure of their property in
Cuba’s proximity to the U.S. has been aCuba and the deaths of friends and relatives and
powerful influence on its history. Throughout the 19ththey soon formed a powerful political lobbying group
century, Southern politicians in the U.S. plotted thein the United States. The United States government
island’s annexation as a means ofbecame increasingly hostile towards Cuba throughout
strengthening the pro-slavery forces in the U.S., and1959. This, in turn, may have influenced Castro's
there was usually a party in Cuba which supportedmovement away from the liberal elements of his
such a policy. In 1848, a pro-annexationist rebellionrevolutionary movement and increase the power of
was defeated and there were several attempts byhardline Marxist figures in the government, notably
annexationist forces to invade the island from Florida.Che Guevara.
There were also regular proposals in the U.S. to buyIn October 1959, Castro openly declared himself to
Cuba from Spain. During the summer of 1848,be friendly towards Communism, though he did not
President James Knox Polk quietly authorized hisyet claim to be a Communist himself, and the liberal
ambassador to Spain, Romulus Mitchell Saunders, toand other anti-Communist elements of the
negotiate the purchase of Cuba and offer Spain upgovernment were purged, with many who had initially
to $100 million, an astonishing sum of money at thesupported the revolution fleeing the country to join
time for one territory. Spain, however, refused tothe growing exile community in Miami. In March 1960,
consider ceding one of its last possessions in thethe first aid agreements were signed with the Soviet
Americas.Union. In the context of the Cold War, the U.S. saw
After the American Civil War apparently ended thethe establishment of a Soviet base of influence in the
threat of pro-slavery annexationism, agitation forAmericas as a threat and plans were approved to
Cuban independence from Spain revived, leading to aremove Castro from power (see The Cuban
rebellion in 1868. This resulted in a prolonged conflictProject). In late 1960, a trade embargo was imposed,
known as the Ten Years' War betweenwhich strengthened Castro's ties with the Soviet
pro-independence forces and the Spanish, allied withUnion. At the same time, the administration
their local supporters. There was much sympathy inauthorized plans for an invasion of Cuba by
the U.S. for the independence cause, and someFlorida-based exiles, taking advantage of anti-Castro
unofficial aid was sent, but the U.S. declined touprisings which were repressed (see some details and
intervene militarily. In 1878, the Peace of Zanjonreferences in War Against the Bandits and Bay of
ended the conflict, with Spain promising greaterPigs Invasion). The result was the disastrous Bay of
autonomy to Cuba.Pigs Invasion of April 1961. President John Kennedy
The island was exhausted after this long conflict andwithdrew promised US air support for the invading
pro-independence agitation temporarily died down.force at the last minute and the populist anti-Castro
There was also a prevalent fear that if the Spanishuprising failed to materialize. Kennedy refused direct
withdrew or if there was further civil strife, theAmerican military intervention and the invasion force
increasingly expansionist U.S. would step in and annexwas routed. This prompted Castro to declare Cuba a
the island. Partly in response to U.S. pressure, slaverysocialist republic, and himself a Marxist-Leninist in May
was abolished in 1886, although theof 1961.
African-descended minority remained socially andMarxist-Leninist Cuba
economically oppressed, despite formal civic equalityOne immediate strategic result of the Cuban-Soviet
granted in 1893. During this period, rural poverty inalliance was the decision to place Soviet intermediate
Spain led to a substantial Spanish emigration to Cubarange ballistic missiles in Cuba, which precipitated the
— among those arriving were the parentsCuban missile crisis of 1962, during which U.S.
of Fidel Castro.President John F. Kennedy threatened the Soviet
During the 1890s, pro-independence agitation revived,Union with nuclear war unless the missiles were
fueled by resentment of the restrictions imposed onwithdrawn. Castro urged the Soviets to take an
Cuban trade by Spain and hostility toaggressive stance. Eventually the Soviets backed
Spain’s increasingly oppressive anddown. In the aftermath of this, there was a
incompetent administration of Cuba. In April 1895,resumption of contacts between the U.S. and Castro,
rebellion broke out led by the poet Joséresulting in the release of the anti-Castro fighters
Martí and Tomás Estrada Palma whocaptured at the Bay of Pigs in exchange for a
proclaimed Cuba an independent republic —package of aid. But during 1963, relations deteriorated
Martí was killed shortly thereafter and hasagain as Castro moved Cuba towards a fully-fledged
become Cuba’s undisputed national hero.Communist system modeled on the Soviet Union.
The Spanish retaliated with a campaign ofThe U.S. imposed a complete diplomatic and
suppression, herding the rural population into whatcommercial embargo on Cuba. At this time U.S.
were described by international observers asinfluence in Latin America was strong enough to
"fortified towns". Estimates that between 200,000make the embargo very effective and Cuba was
and 400,000 Cubans died from emaciation andforced to direct virtually all its trade to the Soviet
disease during this period. These numbers wereUnion and its allies.
verified by both the Red Cross and the U.S. Senator,In 1965, Castro merged his revolutionary
and former War Secretary, Redfield Proctor. U.S. andorganizations with the Communist Party, of which he
European protests against Spanish conduct on thebecame First Secretary, with Blas Roca as Second
island followed.[9]Secretary — later to be succeeded by
In 1897, fearing U.S. intervention, Spain moved to aRaúl Castro, who as Defense Minister and
more conciliatory policy, promising home rule with anFidel’s closest confidant became and has
elected legislature. The rebels rejected this offer andremained the second most powerful figure in the
the war for independence continued. Shortlygovernment. Raúl Castro’s position
afterwards, on 15 February 1898, the U.S. battleshipwas strengthened by the departure of Che Guevara
Maine was mysteriously blown up in Havana harbor,to launch unsuccessful attempts at insurrectionary
killing 266 men. Forces in the U.S. favoring interventionmovements in Congo, and then Bolivia, where he was
in Cuba seized on this incident to accuse Spain ofkilled in 1967. Osvaldo Dorticós Torrado,
blowing up the ship (although Spain had no motive forPresident of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, was a
doing so and there was no evidence of Spanishfigurehead of little importance. Castro introduced a
culpability). Swept along on a wave of nationalistnew constitution in 1976 under which he became
sentiment, the U.S. Congress passed a resolutionPresident himself, while remaining chairman of the
calling for intervention and President William McKinleyCouncil of Ministers.
was quick to comply.During the 1970s, Castro moved onto the world
The result was the Spanish-American War, in whichstage as a leading spokesperson for Third World
U.S. forces landed in Cuba in June 1898 and quickly“anti-imperialist” governments. On
overcame Spanish resistance. In August a peacea more concrete level, he provided invaluable military
treaty was signed under which Spain agreed toassistance to pro-Soviet forces in Angola, Ethiopia,
withdraw from Cuba. Some advocates in the U.S.Yemen and other African and Middle Eastern trouble
supported Cuban independence, while others arguedspots. Cuban forces were decisive in helping the
for outright annexation. As a compromise, theMPLA forces win the Angolan Civil War in 1975.
McKinley administration placed Cuba under a 20-yearAlthough the bills for these expeditionary forces
U.S. treatie. The Cuban independence movementwere paid by the Soviets, they placed a considerable
bitterly opposed this arrangement, but unlike thestrain on Cuba’s economy and manpower
Philippines, where events had followed a similarresources. Cuba was also hampered by its continuing
course, there was no outbreak of armed resistance.dependency on sugar exports. The Soviets were
Independenceforced to provide further economic assistance by
Theodore Roosevelt, who had fought in thebuying the entire Cuban sugar crop, even though the
Spanish-American War and had some sympathiesSoviet Union grew enough sugar beet to meet its
with the independence movement, succeededown needs. In exchange the Soviets had to supply
McKinley as President of the United States in 1901Cuba with all its fuel, since it could not import oil from
and abandoned the 20-year treatie proposal. Instead,any other source.
the Republic of Cuba gained formal independence onCuba’s economic dependence on the
20 May 1902, with the independence leaderSoviet Union was deepened by Castro’s
Tomás Estrada Palma becoming thedetermination to build his vision of a socialist society
country’s first president. Under the newin Cuba. This entailed the provision of free health care
Cuban constitution, however, the U.S. retained theand education for the entire population. Through the
right to intervene in Cuban affairs and to supervise1970s and 1980s, the Soviets were prepared to
its finances and foreign relations. Under the Plattsubsidise all this in exchange for the strategic asset
Amendment, Cuba also agreed to lease to the U.S.of an ally under the noses of the United States and
the naval base at Guantánamo Bay.the undoubted propaganda value of
Independent Cuba soon ran into difficulties as a resultCastro’s considerable prestige in the
of factional disputes and corruption among the smalldeveloping world.
educated elite and the failure of the government toBy the 1970s, the ability of the U.S. to keep Cuba
deal with the deep social problems left behind by theisolated was declining. Cuba had been expelled from
Spanish. In 1906, following disputed elections tothe Organization of American States in 1962 and the
choose Estrada Palma’s successor, anOAS had cooperated with the U.S. trade boycott for
armed revolt broke out and the U.S. exercised itsthe next decade, but, in 1975, the OAS lifted all
right of intervention. The country was placed undersanctions against Cuba and both Mexico and Canada
U.S. occupation and a U.S. governor took charge fordefied the U.S. by developing closer relations with
three years. In 1908 self-government was restoredCuba. Both countries said that they hoped to foster
when José Miguel Gómez was electedliberalization in Cuba by allowing trade, cultural and
President, but the U.S. retained its supervision ofdiplomatic contacts to resume — in this
Cuban affairs. Despite frequent outbreaks ofthey were disappointed, since there was no
disorder, however, constitutional government wasappreciable easing of repression against domestic
maintained until 1925, when Gerardo Machado yopposition. Castro did stop openly supporting
Morales, having been elected President, suspendedinsurrectionary movements against Latin American
the constitution.governments, although pro-Castro groups continued
Machado was a Cuban nationalist and his regime hadto fight the military dictatorships which then
considerable local support despite its violentcontrolled most Latin American countries.
suppression of critics. During his tenure, CubansThe Cuban exile community in the U.S. grew in size,
gained greater control over their own economy andwealth and power and politicized elements effectively
some important national development projects wereopposed liberalization of U.S. policy towards Cuba.
undertaken. His hold on power was weakened by theHowever, the efforts of the exiles to foment an
Great Depression, which drove down the price ofanti-Castro movement inside Cuba, let alone a
Cuba’s agricultural exports and causedrevolution there, met limited success. On Sunday,
widespread poverty. In August 1933, elements of theApril 6, 1980, 7,000 Cubans stormed the Peruvian
Cuban army staged a coup which deposed Machadoembassy in Havana seeking political asylum. On
and installed Carlos Manuel de CéspedesMonday, April 7, Fidel Castro granted permission for
(whose father was instrumental in initiating the Tenthe emigration of Cubans seeking refuge in the
Years War of independence) as President. InPeruvian embassy.[12] On April 16 500 Cuban citizens
September, however, a second coup led by Sergeantleft the Peruvian Embassy for Costa Rica. On April 21
Fulgencio Batista overthrew Céspedes leadingmany of those Cubans started arriving in Miami via
to the formation of the first Ramón Grau Sanprivate boats and were halted by the State
Martín government. This government lasted justDepartment on April 23. The boat lift continued,
100 days, but engineered radical liberal changes inhowever, since Castro allowed anyone who desired
Cuban society and a rejection of the Plattto leave the country to do so through the port of
amendment.Mariel and this emigration became known as the
In 1934, Batista and the army, who were the realMariel boatlift. In all, over 125,000 Cubans emigrated
center of power in Cuba, replaced Grau with Carlosto the United States before the flow of vessels
Mendieta y Montefur. In 1940, Batista decided to runended on June 15.
for President himself. The leader of the constitutionalPost-Cold War Cuba
liberals Ramón Grau San Martín refused toThe fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 dealt Cuba a giant
support him, so he turned instead to the Communisteconomic blow. It led to another unregulated exodus
Party of Cuba, which had grown in size and influenceof asylum seekers to the United States in 1994, but
during the 1930s.was eventually slowed to a trickle of a few thousand
With the support of the Communist-controlled labora year by the U.S.-Cuban accords. It again increased
unions, Batista was elected President and hisin 2004-06 although at a far slower rate than before.
administration carried out major social reforms andCastro’s popularity was severely tested
introduced a new progressive constitution. Severalby the aftermath of the Soviet collapse, which led to
members of the Communist Party held office undera cut off in aid, the loss of a guaranteed export
his administration. Batista's administration formallymarket for Cuban sugar and the loss of a source of
took Cuba into World War II as a U.S. ally, declaringcheap imported oil. It also caused, as in all Communist
war on Japan on Dec 9, 1941, then on Germany/Italycountries, a crisis in confidence for those who
on Dec 11, 1941; Cuba, however, did not significantlybelieved that the Soviet Union was successfully
participate militarily in World War II hostilities. At the“building socialism” and providing a
end of his term in 1944, in accordance with themodel that other countries should follow. In Cuba,
constitution, Batista stood down and Ramónhowever, these events were not sufficient to
Grau was elected to succeed him. Grau initiatedpersuade Cuban Communists that they should
increased government spending on health, educationvoluntarily give up power.
and housing. But Grau’s liberals were bitterBy the later 1990s the situation in the country had
enemies of the Communists and Batista opposedstabilized. By then Cuba had more or less normal
most of Grau’s program.economic relations with most Latin American
In 1948, Grau was succeeded by Carlos Príocountries and had improved relations with the
Socarrás, who had been Grau’sEuropean Union, which began providing aid and loans
minister of labor and was particularly hated by theto the island. China also emerged as a new source of
Communists. Prío was a less principled liberalaid and support, even though Cuba had sided with
than Grau and, under his administration, corruptionthe Soviets during the Sino-Soviet split of the 1960s.
increased. This was partly a result of the postwarCuba also found new allies in President Hugo
revival of U.S. wealth and the consequent influx ofChávez of Venezuela and President Evo Morales
gambling money into Havana, which became a centerof Bolivia, major oil and gas exporters.
of mafia operations. Nevertheless Prío carriedTemporary transfer of duties
out major reforms such as founding a National BankOn July 31 2006, Fidel Castro delegated his duties as
and stabilizing the Cuban currency. The influx of NorthPresident of the Council of state, President of the
American money fueled a boom which did much toCouncil of Ministers, First Secretary of the Cuban
raise living standards, although the gap between richCommunist Party and the post of commander in
and poor became wider and more obvious.chief of the armed forces to his brother and First
From Batista to CastroVice President, Raúl Castro. This transfer of
The 1952 election was a three-way race. Robertoduties has been described as temporary while Fidel
Agramonte of the Ortodoxos party led in all the polls,Castro recovers from surgery undergone after
followed by Dr. Aurelio Hevia of the Auténticosuffering from an "acute intestinal crisis with
party, and running a distant third was Batista, whosustained bleeding". Fidel Castro was too ill to attend
was seeking a return to office. When it becamethe nationwide commemoration of the 50th
apparent that Batista had little chance of winning, heanniversary of the Granma boat landing on December
staged a coup on 10 March 1952 and held power with2, 2006, which fuelled speculations that Castro had
the backing of a nationalist section of the army as astomach cancer, though Spanish doctor Dr.
“provisional president” for theGarcía Sabrido stated that his illness was a
next two years. In 1954, under pressure from thedigestive problem and not terminal, after an
U.S., he agreed to elections. The Partidoexamination of the subject on Christmas Day.
Auténtico put forward ex-President Grau asOn January 31, 2007, footage of Castro meeting with
their candidate, but he withdrew amid allegations thatVenezuelan president Hugo Chávez was
Batista was rigging the elections in advance. Batistabroadcast, where, according to international media
could then claim to be an elected President. Hisreports, Castro "appeared frail but stronger than
regime was marked by severe corruption andthree months ago", and the Cuban leader made a
poverty. Batista's police force was well-known forlengthy surprise appearance by phone on
their harsh tactics and violence against the population.Chávez's radio talk show Aló Presidente the
Fidel Castro directed failed resistance action at thefollowing month. Though Castro loyalists in the Cuban
Moncada Barracks, in Santiago de Cuba, and on thegovernment have maintained that he will stand in the
smaller Carlos Manuel de Cespedes Barracks and on2008 elections to the Cuban National Assembly,
the feast of Saint Ann July 26, 1953.speculation has continued as to whether he will ever
Many Florida-based American mafiosi establishedreturn to power.
themselves in Cuba under Batista's rule, notablyA BBC reporter is among at least three international
prominent mob boss Santo Trafficante, Jr. Theircorrespondents asked to leave At least three foreign
operations included legitimate hotels and casinos ascorrespondents based in Havana have been told they
well as all manners of illicit businesses. The Americanmust leave the country because of their 'negative'
mobsters became influential supporters of Batista inreporting.