Cuba and the U.

S
By: Casey Marshall and Gillian Bogle

Fidel Castro Breaks Ties with U.S

With Cuba looking to be a democratic country, the United States welcomed friendship to them with
opened arms. However, within the next few months, Castro (the leader of Cuba) changed everything.
He jailed hundreds, and created a large and powerful military tribunals. He also got rid of all United
States assets to their culture, and started Soviet-styled collective farms. They showed the United
States disloyalty also when Castro disavowed the 1952 military pact it had with the United States.

Fidel Castro Breaks Ties with U.S #2

The United States officially broke all relations with Cuba on January 3, 1961. After this occurred, Cuba
grew better and stronger relations with the Soviet Union. They operated very similar to the Soviet
Union as well. Many unhappy people were a result of this, and hundreds fled the country via
waterways to the United States to escape this.

Bay of Pigs Disaster

This incident occurred in 1961, and was when a United States backed group of
Cuban exiles invaded Cuba under president John Kennedy's rule. He gave
them the go-ahead or permission, but refused to support what they were
doing through U.S air support. The invasion/landing at the Bay of Pigs was on
April 17, 1961, and it ultimately failed.

Bay of Pigs Disaster #2

The Bay of Pigs invasion was ultimately in order to make a beachhead, form of
provisional government and find support from the OAS and international
community recognition. However, those who invaded did the complete opposite
of what they wanted; they gained little Cuban support, and in fact, were looked
at in disgust from the Cuban military forces.

Soviet-Missile Crisis
This crisis was provoked all due to the Soviets multiple attempts to in install
medium-range missiles in Cuba, in which could strike the United States with
nuclear warheads. President Kennedy reacted by promising his citizens that
blockade of Cuba would be put in place in order to stop all missile delivery. Six
days later, the Kennedy got what he was wanting when the Soviet leader
ordered missile sites back into their own land when the United States promised
to not attack Cuba. After this, small and limited diplomatic ties with Cuba and
the United States became possible on September 1, 1977.

Soviet Missile Crisis #2

When the refugees began to arrive, it was shown that ranks were overwhelmed with prisoners,
homosexuals, mental patients, and many other unwanted by the Cuban government. Russian aid,
which had really supported Cubas failing economy came to an end when Communism collapsed in
eastern Europe in 1990.Economic crisis occurred, and foreign trade went down to a minimum. On top
of all this, christmas became a national holiday in the year 1997 when Pope John Paul II visited the
country, creating more religious freedom.

Castro Announces His Retirement

In late years of his life (81 years old), Castro was having intestinal problems which required
emergency surgery. This surgery made him very ill and weak, and Castro came to the conclusion that
he was not in well enough shape to campaign in the coming parliamentary elections. However, he
never actually withdrew from the election, and it seemed as though he was lying when a meeting of
Castro and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil where he told him that he was feeling very
well. In this election of 2008, both of these presidents were re elected to the National Assembly.

Castro Announces His Retirement #2

After his re election, on February 2008, Fidel Castro announced he was ending
his 49 years of work and power, and proceeded with his retirement. He was
eighty one years old by this time, and had been ruling Cuba since the
revolution in 1959. He then placed his brother into his position of power, whose
name was Raul Castro, where he became the 21st president of the country.

Cubans Began to Win Small Freedoms

Although the country had been ruled by communism for decades at this point, the people start to look
up as they receive small freedoms. In February 2008, Felipe Perez Roque (a foreign prime minister)
signed a deal for civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights. This ensures the citizens political
and civil freedom, with the right to work, fair pay, social security, education, and high standards of
physical and mental health.

Cubans Began to Win Small Freedoms #2

Some other benefits to the people and their freedoms were also the government's relaxation of land
restrictions for private farmers, due to the failing food production of the country and way too high
demand on food imports. The United States is also putting efforts to have a friendlier relationship with
Cuba, and restrictions on Cuban-Americans have been somewhat repealed by the U.S congress.
Many prisoners are also said to be released in Cuba, who were political activist and journalists who
were taken on a 2003 crackdown of dissents in the region.

Cuba Takes Possible Steps Toward New Leader

-For the first time in over 50 years, Cuba appointed a new leader to the
Communist Party. His name is Jose Ramon Machado.
This is unheard of, because he is the first person to hold that high of a
power out of the Castro family since 1959.
Jose allowed Cuba to have much freedom since his time in power and to
this day still pushes for more freedom in Cuba.

What freedoms do they have now?

Able to buy and sell cars.
Go into business for themselves.
Allowing real estate to be bought and sold.
The government freed more than 2,900 prisoners.
-All because of the new leader, pushing for the human rights in Cuba. Giving
them what they want, and allowing Cuba to change for the better.

Pope Makes Long-Awaited Visit

-Cuba holds a majority of Christians.
Cuba and the Church have had problems for many years.
The first pope that came to Cuba was Pope John Paul II which was 14
years ago.
-As of March 26, 2012 Pope Benedict XVI went to Cuba, the reason being he
believes that Cuba is trying to change, and they are making a drastic push for
their future.

Effects?
-When Pope Benedict XVI came, over 200,000 people came to see him.
This meeting brought people from as far as Miami.
-Many of the people that came to the event were forced or influenced by their
employers or members from the Communist Party.
Many people were taken away because they were shooting rude
comments about the government.

Exit Visa Requirement is Dropped

On October 16, 2012, the government decided to allow Cubans to leave the premises without a
visa card.
Castro, in 2011 was the main reason for this, he promised the people change, and more
freedom.
-This policy says that Cubans can leave and go on vacation for as long as they want. A Cuban just
needs a valid Passport and a visa card for that destination. Castro says, they can go abroad for long
periods of time, the thing people they are allowed to stay out of the island for up to two years before
they lose their citizenship.
They are also allowed to travel to the U.S

The Peoples Reaction

-One problem this poses is that, the government can still stop people from leaving the island. They can
stop people in there tracks and tell them they are not allowed to go due to, Defense and National
Security reasons. This is so they can keep control but also give people what they want.
One the bright side people are happy because they are allowed to visit family that lives
elsewhere.
They believe that they have more freedom than before and they get what they wanted.
Cuba is making a change, and the people are truly happy for what Castro is doing.

Cuba Resumes Diplomatic Relations

with U.S
The U.S and Cuba have not had any Diplomatic relations since 1961.
Cuba has held one of our people in prison for the last five years, after humanitarian reasons.
-Alan Gross was a U.S government subcontractor for the USAID. He was prosecuted in 2011 for
bringing cell phones, and equipment to Cuba, without a permit. Under the Cuban Law it was illegal and
he was then arrested and held in prison for five years. He was convicted for acts against the
independence of territorial or integrity of the state.
They decided to let him go in November 2014. Alan Gross was finally freed, after 18 months of
discussion
Canada was the host of the negotiation.
This was when Obama decided to resume relations with Cuba.

The Reaction

Obama believed that the conflict between the U.S and Cuba needed to be resolved because it
was an outdated regulation that wasnt helping the island or the U.S in any way.
Obama had a lot of problems from the republicans because Cuba is still a communist island.
-This operation was a secret conversation that lasted for 18 months between Obama and Castro. In
the end they both announced that they will continue Diplomatic relations through televised speeches.
Obama believes that the rules between the two places should be more relaxed and that 50 years
of on going conflict should be resolved.

Cubas Future-Opinion
For the future between Cuba and the United States, I believe that from here, their relationship only
looks as though it will get stronger. They are driving farther and farther away from communism and the
people have more rights, and it seems as though Obama is interested and all in when it comes to
repairing what could become a strong friendship. Their relationship is changing because the way we
use to handle citizens from each country entering the other, there was a zero tolerance for it, when
now it has evolved into the cultures beginning to mix. In our opinion, we think this is a good thing
because the differences between the two nations are different, we have a lot to offer Cuba and vise
versa. This is a big step for both places because we are coming together as one. Families are no
longer broken up, and an outdated rival between the island and us, will soon be over.