Cuba, whose official name is República de Cuba, is an island located in the Caribbean Sea.
The country played a crucial geopolitical role in the 20th century, as it was the only socialist state geographically closest to the United States.
General data
- Name: Republic of Cuba
- capital: Havana
- Coin: cuban peso
- government regime: Unitarian Leninist-Marxist Socialist Republic
- president: Miguel Diaz Canel (since April 19, 2018)
- Language: Spanish
- Population: 11 million (2017)
- Area: 110,861 km2
- Demographic density: 102 inhabitants per km2.
- CitiesAttractions: Havana, Santiago de Cuba, Santa Clara, Varadero.
Flag
The Cuban flag is made up of five horizontal bands: three blue and two white. On the left is a red triangle with a white star.
It was created in 1849 by General Narciso López (1797-1851) and has Masonic origins. However, it was only adopted as the country's official flag in 1902 when Cuba became an independent country.
The colors blue, white and red are associated with the ideals of freedom, equality and fraternity and have inspired countless national pavilions around the world.
The triangle, on the other hand, was inspired by the same geometric shape that the Freemasons use to represent the deity. The star, in turn, would represent the loneliness of an independent country as the great ideals of humanity.
Map
Cuba is located in the Caribbean Sea. The island of Cuba is the main one, followed by the Isle of Youth and more than 350 islets are part of the republic.
To the north is the United States; to the south, Jamaica; to the east, Mexico; and to the west, islands such as Turko and Caicos.
Climate
Cuba's climate is tropical, humid and with temperatures ranging from 18º to 31º throughout the year. It has two seasons: dry from November to April and rainy season from May to September.
Due to its location, the country is a victim of hurricanes, especially from August to October, when Caribbean storms are more frequent.
History
Cuba was inhabited by Taínos and Ciboney Indians, like most Caribbean islands. After the arrival of the Spaniards, due to diseases and wars, the indigenous population practically disappeared.
In this way, the Spaniards imported enslaved Africans to work on the sugar mills and tobacco plantations, the two great products of the island.
In addition, it was an important port for the redistribution of enslaved blacks and a stopover for Spanish galleons crossing the Atlantic.
For this reason, Cuba was considered the "Pearl of the Caribbean", the "Crown Jewel" and was one of the most prosperous colonies of the Spanish Empire.
Its economy was so prosperous that Cuba opened the first railway line in 1837, thirteen years before Spain.
Independence
Unlike the Spanish colonies in South and Central America, Cuba would not become independent until the end of the 19th century.
The Cuban process would also have strong US influence through arms, politics and money.
This was due to several factors. First, the Spanish Crown managed to quell any attempt at revolt, either by arms or by economic concessions. Second, the island's small size made surveillance more efficient.
For its part, the American government had declared in 1823 the Monroe Doctrine, which warned that the American continent would be for Americans only, not accepting the interference of European powers.
Likewise, in 1852, the American government makes a proposal to buy Cuba from the Spanish government, but the offer is refused. Later, the US would come back to insist on the acquisition of the island twice more, but Spain never accepted.
In 1868, a group of Cuban revolutionaries carried out a series of uprisings and asked for the recognition of independence by Spain. The result is sending more soldiers to the island.
In 1895, led by José Martí (1853-1895), a new attempt at separation was made, without success. Meanwhile, the Americans were campaigning in the press against Spain and welcoming Cuban exiles. This would all help to prepare public opinion for an imminent war against the European country.
Hispanic-American War
The pretext would come on January 25, 1898 when an explosion occurs on the American ship "Maine", anchored in the port of Havana, killing 16 Americans.
The American government quickly accused the Spaniards of being responsible for the attack and declared war on the country. At the same time, they take advantage of attacking the Philippines and other Spanish possessions in the Pacific.
Without being able to face a more powerful enemy and sustain two battle fronts, the Spaniards lost their territories to the United States in the Caribbean and the Pacific
American Protectorate
After the end of the war, the United States forces the Cuban government to accept the Platt Amendment in the 1903 Constitution.
The Platt Amendment provided:
- assignment of land to the United States;
- American military intervention in Cuba when its sovereignty was threatened;
- prohibition of treaties with other countries;
- limitation of public debt and foreign borrowing.
The United States began to control the island's economic activities, in addition to obtaining the concession for the Guantanamo region. The Platt Amendment would not be revoked until 1934.
Cuban revolution
The Cuban Revolution, led by Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, Camilo Cienfuegos, among others, set the world on fire during the Cold War.
A group of Cubans, who opposed the government of the dictator Fulgencio Batista, managed to overthrow him and take power in 1959. The United States arms dissidents and tries to invade the island through the Bay of Pigs, but is defeated.
Without its main buyer and investor, Cuba accepts the help offered to it by the Soviet Union. In this way the socialism on the Caribbean island.
The country managed to eradicate illiteracy and make health a universal good. However, he persecuted his opponents, censored newspapers and prohibited its inhabitants from leaving the island.
Economy
When colonized by the Spaniards, the island became a major producer of sugar, rum and tobacco.
After independence, due to the influence of the United States, part of the economy remained agricultural. However, there was a boost in the service sector with the construction of casinos, hotels, and vacation homes for wealthy Americans.
After the Cuban Revolution in 1960, the country secured a share of the Soviet market for its products and received oil, machinery and parts.
According to the US Department of Commerce, in 2016, US exports to Cuba totaled less than 400 million dollars a year. The most exported product is food.
On the other hand, the volume of Cuban exports to the US is not known, because, officially, they do not exist. The ensuing trade embargo by the United States prohibits any American investment.
In 2000, with Hugo Chávez, he starts receiving oil and financial aid from Venezuela. However, in 2013, with the drop in prices, the country is once again suffering from the economic crisis.
Upon taking office in 2006, Raúl Castro, Fidel's brother, is pushing for a series of reforms that include opening up trade. In this way, it is now possible:
- having their own business and 10% of the working population already does it;
- foreign companies invest and hire Cubans in the Mariel Special Economic Development Zone;
- buy and sell real estate, even though there are many restrictions. Despite this, in two years, 40,000 homes were sold.
End of American Embargo?
the american president barack obama tried to end the economic embargo, but the measure was not approved by Congress.
Anyway, Obama visited the island, reopened the American embassy, allowed the reestablishment of commercial flights between both countries, among other measures that would facilitate the approximation of the two countries.
However, with Donald Trump's election to the White House, many of these resolutions have already been undone.
Culture
Because of miscegenation and the meeting of cultures, Cubans developed a culture rich in music, poetry and literature.
Song
Cuban rhythms like the guajira, a parsley, O mambo, The conga, O bolero gained notoriety. Due to the North American influence, several artists took their art to centers like Hollywood and New York and from there to the whole world.
Any list of Cuban musicians will always be incomplete due to the quality, quantity and international fame they have achieved.
From the "queen of salsa" Célia Cruz (1925-2003), to the American rapper of Cuban origin Pitbull (1981), passing by jazz instrumentalists like Mario Bauzá, Cuban musicians conquered the world with their talent and originality.
Let's name just a few:
| Ruben Gonzalez | pianist | Compay Second | singer and guitarist |
| Celia Cruz | singer | Paquito D'Rivera | clarinetist and saxophonist |
| I drink Valdez | composer and pianist | Arturo Sandoval | trumpeter |
| Israel 'Cachao' López | double bass player | Chucho Valdés | pianist |
| Gloria Estefan | singer | Omara Portuguese | singer |
| Jon Dry | singer | Ibrahim Ferrer | singer |
| Ernesto Lecuona | pianist | Leo Bouwer | guitarist |
| Pablo Milanes | composer | Silvio Rodriguez | composer |
In 2004, the Brazilian dance company Grupo Corpo, performed the choreography "Lecuona" based on the work of the Cuban composer.
Literature
The island of Cuba was lavish with writers and poets who sang it in prose and verse. Despite never having been awarded a Nobel Prize, Cuban literature has enriched the Spanish and universal vocabulary.
Some examples are José Martí, Guillermo Cabrera-Infante, Alejo Carpentier, Pedro Juan Gutierrez, etc.
Dance
Dance has developed so much on a popular level with the conga, a parsley, O mambo, O tea Tea Tea on the classic side being the Ballet Nacional de Cuba, one of the great ballet companies in the world.
Since 1959, the company has been directed by dancer Alicia Alonso (1921) and has performed in several countries, including Brazil.
Religion
The majority of the country declares itself a Catholic Christian. However, as happened in Brazil, the religion brought by enslaved people merged with Catholicism, generating the santeria.
As in Candomblé, the orixás were identified with the Catholic saints and in the terreiros one can see the presence of Catholic images along with drums and animal sacrifices.
Although the regime declared itself an atheist and incorporated the communists' criticism of religion, the fact is that Cuba was one of the few countries with a socialist orientation that kept its diplomatic representative in the Vatican.
Currently, neo-Pentecostal religions are also growing in Cuba.
Curiosities
- In 1999, Fidel Castro founded the Latin American School of Medicine with the aim of promoting study in the region. It is estimated that over 500 Brazilian students have already passed through the institution.
- at least two "drinks" of Cuban origin, bars all over the world won: cuba libre and daiquiri.
- Due to the success of the Brazilian soap opera "Anything goes", by Gilberto Braga, in Cuba, the word "palate" has become synonymous with restaurant. This is because the character Raquel, played by actress Regina Duarte, owned an establishment called "Taste".
read more:
- Cold War
- Missile Crisis
- John Kennedy
- North American Imperialism
- Spanish colonization
