Cuba – U.S. Relations

By Osman N. &Majd N.

Cuba’s Historical Background• Cuba was discovered by Christopher Columbus in

October 27th, 1492 in which he described the scenery as "the loveliest land ever beheld by human eyes."

• Cuba was introduced to slavery in 1522, as colonial landowners brought African slaves to the work field.

• On June 6th, 1762, Great Britain captured Havana (present day capital of Cuba).

• 1886 - Slavery is abolished.• 1925 - Gerardo Machado becomes president. His regime

was one of the most corrupt in the island's political history.

• January 1, 1959 - The Cuban Revolution. Fidel Castro overthrows Batista after months of guerilla warfare.

• On April 17th, 1961, the U.S.S.R, U.S.A. and Cuba had entered the Cold War.

Cuba

Cuban Demographics

Population: 11,087,330 (July 2011 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.3% (male 984,607/female 931,167)

15-64 years: 71.1% (male 3,947,047/female 3,932,128) 65 years and over: 11.7% (male 583,757/female 708,624) (2011 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.104% (2011 est.) Birth rate: 9.99 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) Death rate: 7.47 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) Literacy rate: total population: 99.8%

male: 99.8% female: 99.8% (2002 census)

GDP as of 2010: 9,900

Population Pyramid

Fidel Castro Gains Power& Communism in Cuba Evolves In 1959, the Communist leader Fidel

Castro took power in Cuba. Since Cuba was only 100 miles away from the U.S. (distance to Florida). At the time everyone in the U.S. feared the idea of Communism creeping it’s way into the U.S.. So they immediately tried to distance themselves by physical barriers and trade barriers.

The Cold War and Cuban Missile Crisis

In May of 1962 rumors had emerged that Russia was planning on “placing intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Cuba.” After Castro approved it, Russia had secretly planted nuclear missiles in Cuba. President Kennedy was shown photographs of the nuclear sights in Cuba in October 16th. A week later he had delivered a public announcement informing the country about the installments of nuclear weapons in Cuba. He took actions by imposing a naval quarantine on Cuba to stop nuclear weapons from Russia passing the Atlantic Ocean. Cuba and the U.S. had exchanged many letters threatening to drop a missile on the other side. Eventually they had came up with treaty and it ended the Cold War. Some argue that the Cold War is not yet over.

IssuesWhat’s the issue? During the 50’s, the U.S. was afraid of the idea of

communism entering the U.S. border. With only 100 miles separating Florida and Cuba the U.S. decided to place an embargo from Cuban imports. They also put an end to traveling to Cuba from the U.S.. It was said that Cuba offered 1,300 doctors that spoke English to help with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. The United States rejected the offer.

Who are involved? U.S. and Cuba

U.S Public Opinion on Cuba Isolation

Many supporting U.S districts would like to resume relations. Most Cuban Americans are angered by the Bush Administration’s strict limits on travel and remittances. Though a small group of Cuban exiles, most in Florida, do not want to resume relations with Cuba until the communist regime is over. A general agreement is ascending between Cuban-American immigrants that "current policy has failed and that neither the Cuban nor the U.S. government has any business getting in the way of individuals“.

Ending the Cuban Embargo would require congressional approval and opinions in congress are mixed. Some members like Lincoln Diaz-Balart are strongly anti-Castro while others still favor improving relations with Cuba.

U.S Embargo on Cuba The U.S’s Embargo against Cuba, also called the Cuban Democracy

Act, was made into a law in 1992 but has been in force since March 1958. It’s stated purpose was to maintain as long as the Cuban Government continued to refuse the greater respect for Human Rights.

In 1996, the Helms-Burton act was passed by congress which further restricted doing business in or with Cuba and restricted giving public or private to any successor government in Havana unless some claims against the U.S government are met.

In 1999, President Bill Clinton expanded the embargo even more by ending the practice of U.S companies trading with Cuba.

In 2000, though, Clinton allowed the sale of “humanitarian” products to Cuba.

Presently, the embargo is still in effect and is the most enduring trade embargo in history. But despite the embargo, the U.S is still the largest exporter to Cuba. 6.6% of Cuban imports are from the U.S but Cuba has to pay for all the imports with cash since credit is not allowed.

On sep.13th 2011, President Barack Obama extended the embargo until sep.14th 2012.

Sources Cuba’s Historical Background:http://www.history.ca/content/ContentDetail.aspx?

ContentId=222Cuba Demographics:

http://www.indexmundi.com/cuba/demographics_profile.html

Cuba Communism: http://www.johndclare.net/Basics_ColdWar.htm

COLD WAR: CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS: http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/archives/colc.html