The Legacy of Cuba
by Irfan Ahmed
“Every human being has within him an ideal man, just as every piece of marble contains in a rough state a statue as beautiful as the one that Praxiteles the Greek made of the god Apollo.” - Jose Marti
An island, right off the coast of Florida, with a total area of “110,860 sq km” [1], has been battling the behemoth to the north, the United States. This small, resilient and brave island is known as Cuba. Cuban history, if well researched, would sound like a fictional story, however, that is far from the truth. Fidel Castro, the recently resigned president of Cuba, is the revolutionist that Cuba and Latin America so desperately needed during the United States imperialistic siege. But, to cut midway into the history of Cuba without acknowledging the previous injustices they had to face, would surely be unfair. The Spanish- Cuban American War would certainly play the largest role in America’s involvement in the small island off the coast of Florida. It was late in the nineteenth century when Spain decided to occupy Cuba, but that would not last long as “Cuban forces mounted a determined drive for independence from Spain” [2] But, not before long, the United States would jump aboard the fight against Spain, for it’s own interest of course. “Cuba’s independence from Spain did not mean the independence from the United States. As the hostilities faded, Cuba fell under the direct administration of the U.S War Department” [3]. It was better reiterated by Secretary of State John Quincy Adams who said: “There are laws of political as well as of physical gravitation; and if an apple, severed by the tempest from its native tree, cannot choose but fall to the ground, Cuba, forcibly disjoined from its unnatural connection with Spain and incapable of self-support, can gravitate only towards the North American Union.” [4] Here, John Quincy Adams clearly presented the Caribbean backyard of America.
After freeing itself from the clutches of the Spaniards, Cuba was now to face an even larger foe within it’s proximity, the United States. By 1901, the United States was already a denizen in Cuban politics, issuing “a set of articles as guidelines for future United State Cuban relations. This set of articles became known as the Platt Amendment”. [5] Some of the articles stipulated in the Platt Amendment are completely inconsistent with the virtues and principles of the United States constitution. For example, Article III brought severe damage to the sovereignty of Cuba: “That the government of Cuba consents that the United States may exercise the right to intervene for the preservation of Cuban independence, the maintenance of a government adequate for the protection of life, property, and individual liberty, and for discharging the obligations with respect to Cuba imposed by the treaty of Paris on the United States, now to be assumed and undertaken by the government of Cuba.” [6] Furthering the damage to Cuba’s sovereignty is Article VII: “That to enable the United States to maintain the independence of Cuba, and to protect the people thereof, as well as for its own defense, the government of Cuba will sell or lease to the United States lands necessary for coaling or naval stations at certain specified points to be agreed upon with the President of the United States.” [7]. Cuba became a haven for the United States: “vast tracks of ruined land were gobbled up by U.S investors-so that the United States came to control about three quarters of the Cuban sugar industry, the heart of the economy…Downtown Havana became a high rise outpost of America, and it’s luxury hotels housed vast gambling casino’s. They were run by professional gamblers and gangsters from the United States who operated hand in glove with corrupt Cuban authorities…Havana and Varadero developed into glitzy tourist resorts, awash with casinos, bars, strip clubs, and incessant gangland infighting.” [8]. Clearly imperialism, although seemingly subsided when Spain relieved it’s duty as an occupier, would make it’s mark once again, this time in a more furtive manner.
But nevertheless, Cuba was soon to be endangered as Gerardo Machado y Morales came into power. “In 1931 Machado suspended constitutional guarantees, also shutting down the University of Havanna” [9] But ironically enough, the United States did not fulfill it’s role in the “protection of life, property, and individual liberty” as stipulated in Article III of the Platt Amendment for the Cuban people. In actuality, “protection of life, property, and individual liberty” is “of foreigners only, especially Americans, and not of Anti-Machado Cuban Nationals” [10] Eventually, “in 1933 the US ambassador to Cuba, Sumner Welles, overthrew President Machado, Cuba’s first dictator, with the threat, but not the use, of US force.” [11] However, it was not only his efforts that ended the quandary of the Cuban people under the reign of Machado, but the strikes and the rebellious upheaval by the Cubans themselves.
(Fulgencio Batista)
This was a commendable effort by the United States, but soon enough another brutal tyrant named “Fulgencio Batista, eventually seized the presidency and was recognized by the United States.” [12] The United States always seems to fill in the void of an absent dictator with a fresh new one. But because of this dramatic shift in power, it brought a very unlikely hero to the scene, Fidel Castro. “Until 1940, Batista ruled Cuba through various puppet presidents, including Carlos Mendieta, José A. Barnet, Miguel Mariano Gómez, and Federuco Laredo Brú. Batista had started a ‘thirty-year tradition of corruption.’ ” [13] During his reign Fidel Castro witnessed the pain and suffering of all the poor around him. His empathy towards them was overwhelming and sure enough, he began to take action. 12 years later, “On March 10, 1952 Batista came out of the shadows and engineered a coup.” [14] Fidel had already developed his much needed lawyer skills. Soon enough, Fidel would prove to be quite the savoir faire during the next half of the century. But as corruption and violence began to ravage Cuba, Fidel decided “to appeal to the constitutional court to rule against the seizure of power and called for Batista to be thrown in prison. The court rejected the appeal, perhaps injudiciously declaring that “revolution is the source of law” [15] Hence, the revolutionist was born.
One year later, on July 26th, the day which inevitably provided the name for his revolutionary group, “M-26-7″, Fidel was to dissemble the Potemkin village created by the United States. “Fidel’s small band, divided into three units, approached the barracks in the center of Santiago de Cuba” [16] and the assault began. Just before it, Fidel, with his utmost sense of morality, stated: “Treat them humanely. Don’t insult them. And remember that the life of an unarmed man has to be sacred” [17], this certainly was not the rules of engagement Batista followed when his army captured Fidel and his comrades. The entire assault turned into a bloodbath, where “Ninety guerrillas were killed. Of those captured, 30 were executed on the first night. On the outskirts of the city of Santiago, 21 prisoners were murdered, many forced to dig their own graves.” [18]. Fidel had been dealt a terrible blow to his revolution.
Several months after Fidel and his comrades were captured, a trial was opened, and Fidel delivered probably the most riveting speeches of the 20th century, “History will absolve me”. In his revolutionary elongated speech, he began to unravel the injustices facing Cuba and his reasons for fighting against the Batista regime: “in the very presence of the Court, during the first and second hearings, a praetorian guard was stationed beside me to totally prevent me from speaking to anyone, even among the brief recesses. In other words, not only in prison, but also in the courtroom and in your presence, they ignored your decrees…. ‘Yes, we set out to fight for Cuba’s freedom and we are not ashamed of having done so,’” [19] He went on further with more intense and riveting remarks: “I warn you, I am just beginning! If there is in your hearts a vestige of love for your country, love for humanity, love for justice, listen carefully. I know that I will be silenced for many years; I know that the regime will try to suppress the truth by all possible means; I know that there will be a conspiracy to bury me in oblivion. But my voice will not be stifled – it will rise from my breast even when I feel most alone, and my heart will give it all the fire that callous cowards deny it.” [20]. Fidel also described the scene of his comrades’ inhumane punishment under the “democratic regime” of Cuba:”They crushed their testicles and they tore out their eyes. But no one yielded. No complaint was heard nor a favor asked. Even when they had been deprived of their vital organs, our men were still a thousand times more men than all their tormentors together. Photographs, which do not lie, show the bodies torn to pieces, Other methods were used. Frustrated by the valor of the men, they tried to break the spirit of our women. With a bleeding eye in their hands, a sergeant and several other men went to the cell where our comrades Melba Hernández and Haydée Santamaría were held.” [21] The punishment his fellow compatriots endured would ultimately deter Fidel from ever using torture. He finally ended with an awe-inspiring grandiose touch to his epic and memorable speech: “I know that imprisonment will be harder for me than it has ever been for anyone, filled with cowardly threats and hideous cruelty. But I do not fear prison, as I do not fear the fury of the miserable tyrant who took the lives of 70 of my comrades. Condemn me. It does not matter. History will absolve me.” [22]
It was on “May 15th Fidel and his comrades were released.” [23] . Fidel then headed off to Mexico and began another revolutionary movement, this time, it would be far more supererogatory than all his attempts. By “July 1957 Castro released his “Sierra Maestra Manifesto”. Focusing largely on questions of political reform, his movement steadily gained popular support. Through 1958 the Batista government came apart at the seams; on January 1, 1959 Fidel Castro and his M-26 took the reins of power.” [24]
Immediately after Fidel took power, he assured his people economic reforms would be delivered: “economic reforms brought a fall in unemployment, a rise on living standards and a consumer boom” [25] Such examples of reform was the “National Agrarian Reform Institute (INRA), which from May oversaw implementation of the land redistribution.” [26] Fidel was trying to ensure the removal of the capitalistic system by draining the power of rich, upper-class elites, who had private ownership of most agricultural land throughout Cuba. Clearly, Fidel’s vision of Cuba was to ensure that the poor had equal and fair involvement in the economical system of Cuba, despite their misfortunes. A striking similarity of Fidel’s animosity towards rich totalitarian control of the economy, was the belief’s of Adam Smith, who wrote in the 1776 Wealth of Nations: ” Wherever there is great property there is great inequality. Civil government, so far as it is instituted for the security of property, is in reality, instituted for the defense of the rich against the poor, or of those who have some property against those who have none at all.” [27] This is exactly what Fidel wanted to prevent. Nevertheless, as the years progressed, the United States saw the Cubans becoming a city upon a hill for Latin America, something which was completely blasphemous in their eyes. They had to act. “On April 14th they embarked on ships for Cuba…Throughout this operation, the United States was not only undertaking an intervention against a revolutionary regime in the Caribbean; it was also tightening links to right-wing dictatorships in Central America” [28] The Bay of Pigs Invasion would begin. “ On April 17, 1961, about 1,400 exiles invaded southern Cuba at the Bahia de los Cochinos (Bay of Pigs), but were totally defeated by the Cuban army by April 20; most of the invaders were killed or taken prisoner.” [29] The Cuban revolution was certainly not going be undermined.
(Bay of Pigs speech)
The humiliating defeat of the United States by Cuba was certainly going to irritate the war hawks in Washington. But needless to say, the United States would certainly answer back. Cuba’s alignment with Soviet Union and the United States contempt for Communists sparked the fears of a nuclear holocaust as nuclear weapons were piling up. As a response to Cuba’s drastic move, the United States initiated their first embargo against them: “the embargo was first imposed in 1960 at the height of the Cold War after the young newly formed Cuban government expropriated US corporate assets and established ties with the Soviet Union.” [30] Such examples was the Foreign Assistance Act, which “reorganized the U.S. foreign assistance programs including separating military and non-military aid. The Act mandated the creation of an agency to administer economic assistance programs.” [31] Unfortunately, this idea was not meant for Cuba, it was however, a cessation of all economic assistance against other nation if they did not “enforce the blockade on Cuba.” [32] President Johnson ensured that Cuba would suffer by not only their hands, but from the hands of nations all around the world. Furthermore, the United States “prohibits most Cubans from visiting the US and restricts diplomats from Cuba to only visiting New York City and Washington DC. Along with the ban on American citizens traveling to Cuba, the imposed embargo seeks to cut off communication between Americans and Cuba. A good number of websites from Cuba are blocked on the Internet. This economic, trade and financial embargo imposed on Cuba by the US is the longest in recorded history.” [33] At the United Nations, “In 2000, 166 out of 189 member-states voted alongside Cuba and against the embargo. The only one states to vote with the U.S in positively upholding it were Israel and the ever dependable, and dependent, Marshall Islands.” [34]
Yet, Cuba strived on with the El Comandante in power. There is no doubt throughout entire time Fidel Castro was in power, many assassination attempts were carried out on Castro’s life, but they completely failed. Cuba has managed to undergo the most difficult process in relieving itself from the imperialistic beast, but sadly, with it, came an economic cost. On the contrary, Cuba has managed to have “provided Cubans with free housing, health care and education and a small, but guaranteed, income. Using these measuring sticks, Cubans fare better than many of their Latin American neighbors. The island is among the 20 nations in the world with the lowest infant mortality, and among Third World nations it has the highest literacy rate, the highest doctor-patient ratio and the longest life expectancy.” [35] This is an accomplishment which is yet to be seen in most third world countries, however, Cuba remains a city on a hill for all of Latin America and possibly all other imperial-preyed nations, despite Fidel’s resignation. The legacy of Cuba which is stitched in the hearts of every proud Cuban, will serve as the perfect contemporary example of David vs Goliath.
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References:
[1] https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cu.html
[2] Smith, Peter H. Talons of the Eagle. New York: Oxford UP, 1999. 3-377. pg. 34
[3] Ibid, pg. 36
[4] http://www.marxists.org/history/etol/newspape/isr/vol24/no1/guantanamo.htm
[5] http://www.classbrain.com/artteenst/publish/article_64.shtml
[6] Ibid
[7] Ibid
[8] Galloway, George. Fidel Castro Handbook. New York City: MQ Publications, 2006. 1-432. pg. 65
[9] Smith, Peter H. Talons of the Eagle. New York: Oxford UP, 1999. 3-377. pg. 69
[10] Ibid
[11] http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=109367
[12] Ibid
[13] http://www.historicaltextarchive.com/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=421
[14] Galloway, George. Fidel Castro Handbook. New York City: MQ Publications, 2006. 1-432. pg. 65
[15] Ibid
[16] Ibid, pg. 80
[17] Ibid, pg. 87
[18] Ibid
[19] http://www.marxists.org/history/cuba/archive/castro/1953/10/16.htm
[20] Ibid
[21] Ibid
[22] Ibid
[23] Galloway, George. Fidel Castro Handbook. New York City: MQ Publications, 2006. 1-432. pg. 105
[24] Smith, Peter H. Talons of the Eagle. New York: Oxford UP, 1999. 3-377. pg. 164
[25] Smith, Peter H. Talons of the Eagle. New York: Oxford UP, 1999. 3-377. pg. 192
[26] Ibid
[27] http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/25/035.html
[28] Smith, Peter H. Talons of the Eagle. New York: Oxford UP, 1999. 3-377. pg. 166
[29] http://onwar.com/aced/chrono/c1900s/yr60/fcuba1961.html
[30] http://newsfromrussia.com/opinion/columnists/105407-0/
[31] http://www.usaid.gov/about_usaid/usaidhist.html
[32] Galloway, George. Fidel Castro Handbook. New York City: MQ Publications, 2006. 1-432. pg. 267
[33] http://english.pravda.ru/opinion/columnists/105407-blockadecubaend-0
[34] Galloway, George. Fidel Castro Handbook. New York City: MQ Publications, 2006. 1-432. pg. 366
[35] Griffin, R. D. (1991, November 29). Cuba in crisis. CQ Researcher, 1, 897-920. Retrieved June 2, 2008, from CQ Researcher Online, http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/cqresrre1991112900.)
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