Cuba

Cuba is an island located in the Caribbean Sea, 90 miles south of Florida. It is the only Communist country in the American continent.

As a Territory (History)

For many years, Cuba was an United States territory. During this time, Cuba relied on slavery longer than any other nation or colony in the Western Hemisphere. Cuba had a slave trade from 1521 to the late 1870s, including the famous triangular trade. In 1868, a Creole farmer started a revolution for racial equality, freedom of speech and association. It was then a colony of Spain, which put down the insurgency after a ten-year struggle. In 1880, the Spanish Cortes approved the abolition law, which provided for an eight-year period of patronato (tutelage) for all slaves liberated according to the law. This only amounted to indentured servitude as slaves were required to spend those eight years working for their masters at no charge. On October 7, 1886, slavery was finally abolished in Cuba by a royal decree that also made the patronato illegal.

By 1895 it took 200,000 Spanish soldiers to suppress the Cuban independence movement. Americans were shocked at how Spain sent tens of thousands of Cubans to concentration camps, where many died of starvation or disease. However, publisher William Randolph Hearst fabricated a great number of these atrocities in an attempt to sell newspapers. When painter Frederic Remington wrote Hearst that 'there is no trouble (in Cuba) and there will be no war,' Hearst famously replied 'You furnish the pictures, I'll furnish the war.'

Pressure grew in the United States for President William McKinley to intervene, and when the U.S.S. Maine mysteriously blew up in Havana Harbor on February 15, 1898 (probably due to an accident), President McKinley approved this Resolution of Congress:

Whereas the abhorrent conditions which have existed for more than three years in the island of Cuba, so near our own borders, have shocked the moral sense of the people of the United States, have been a disgrace to Christian civilization, culminating, as they have, in the destruction of a United States battle ship, with 266 of its officers and crew, while on a friendly visit in the harbor of Havana, and cannot longer be endured ...

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives ... That the people of the island of Cuba are and of right ought to be free.

In 1952 elections were held, with the leading parties finishing as Roberto Agramonte, Ortodoxos party, followed by Dr. Aurelio Hevia with Batista being a far thrid place. This prompted Batista to stage a coup on 10 March 1952 and led a military Junta for two years. In 1954 he agreed to elections, which were then rigged. His regime proved unpopular with high levels of corruption, poverty and police and violence.

Many American mafia established themselves in Cuba under Batista's rule, notably prominent mob boss Santo Trafficante, Jr. Their operations included legitimate hotels and casinos as well as all manners of illicit businesses. The Cuban Government became closely involved with the mafia, and the USA Governmet were cautious not to interfere, lest a socialist regime take over. This background led to civil unrest, harnessed by FIdel Castro.

Government

Cuba's lone party has been ruled by Fidel Castro since 1959, when, notably, Castro and Che Guevara led a revolution to overthrow Fulgencio Batista. In 1960, Cuba became a communist nation, and the United States and Cuba relationship went into turmoil. When Castro came to power he immediately quelled the severe corruption which was present in the country, including the eviction of several American mobsters effectively removing organised crime from the island.Template:Fact-political Castro's new government also closed down the gambling industry.

Relations between the United States and Cuba have been shaky at best since the revolution. In 1960, after officially declaring themselves communist, the US began a trade-embargo on Cuba that last to this day. Since coming to power, Cuban leader Fidel Castro has been the victim of over 670 CIA assassination attempts^{[Citation Needed]} and one American backed invasion (The Bay of Pigs). This was in an attempt to reinstate the pro-American dictatorial regime of Batista that was previously in charge. (This is similar to the US backing of war criminal General Pinochet over his democratically elected communist opponent).

In part due to Cuba's communist philosophy, many are not allowed to freely travel or move, thus, those who strongly disagree with either one of the communist teachings or Fidel Castro, will risk their life to escape it - often attempting to reach Havana, Florida.

Education and Healthcare

Despite the embargo, the present government has achieved a 97% literacy rate on the island and has one of the best medical and educational systems in Latin America, all provided for by the state and available to any citizen of the island.