Cuba and U.S.

RelationsPast and Present

Taylor Holmstrom and Blake
Valentino

Revolution Leader Fidel Castro

Breaks Ties with U.S. and Allies
Himself with the Soviet Union

In the beginning the U.S welcomed Cuba

But later Castro put a lot of people in Jail and created tribunals
Castro broke the Military Pact with the U.S

Continued

Cuba confiscated U.S asset

Then established Soviet-style collective farms
This made the U.S break relations on January 3, 1961
Castro created an alliance with the Soviet union and many Cubans
fled the country

Bay of Pigs Disaster

With the help of the United States, a group of Cuban exiles invaded
Cuba in 1961.
President John Kennedy approved the plan, but provided no air
support for the U.S.

Continued

The project was a failure

Invaders did not receive support from Cuba
Cuban military took action quickly, ending the operations success
Many Cuban exiles were either imprisoned or executed

Soviet-Missile Crisis

The Soviet-Missile crisis held in 1962

Soviets attempted to install medium range missiles in Cuba
The missiles were able to strike the U.S. with nuclear warheads

Continued

The U.S thought that they were going to start a nuclear war
The U.S created a Blockade tom stop the missile delivery
Khrushchev had the missile sites dismantled
The U.S pledged they wouldnt attack Cuba

In Poor
Health Castro Announces His
Retirement

Fidel Castro told the public that he was not healthy enough to
campaign again
Castro had just had surgery seventeen months before
Castro was not actually taken out of the election

Continued

During the 2008 Parliamentary elections both Castro brothers were

reelected to the National Assembly
Castro retired after 49 years of power in February 2008
His brother Raul became the 21st president of Cuba

Cubans Begin to Win Small

Freedoms

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the

International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights
were signed.
Political, civil freedom
Right to work
Fare wages
Social security
Education
Physical and mental health standards high

Continued

Relaxed land restrictions for private farmers

Boost food production
Reduce dependence on food imports
Castro released 52 political prisoners
Activists and journalists working for United States

Cuba Takes Possible Steps Toward

a New Leader Not Named Castro

First non-Castro brother in over 50 years- Jos Ramn Machado

Second highest position in Communist Party
More private enterprise in Cuba
More approved jobs
Buying and selling cars legal since 2011
People have their own businesses

Continued

People allowed to own one home in city and one in country

Government pardoned over 2900 prisoners
86 were foreigners
Alan Gross still imprisoned for distributing satellite cell phone
equipment
His actions caused problems between US and Cuba

Pope Makes Long-Awaited Visit

March 26, 2012 Pope Benedict XVI pays 3 day visit to Cuba
Tension between church and Cuban government
Believed Cuba deserved freedom
Convinced that Cuba was moving towards bigger and better things
for future

Continued

Over 200,000 attended Mass in Santiago de Cuba

People as far as Miami
Many pressured by communists
Anyone who made negative remarks regarded the government was
removed

Exit Visa Requirement is Dropped

October 16, 2012 government announced in early 2013 Cubans

would no longer required to have exit visa to leave country
Cubans longed for this change, promised by President Raul Castro

Continued

Cubans can go wherever they want, for however long they want
Can stay abroad up to two years before the loss of citizenship and
benefits
Stopped only for national security reasons
New, tighter control for political dissidents

Cuba Resumes Diplomatic Relations

with U.S.

December 17, 2014 Alan Gross is released with approval from

humanitarian grounds
President Obama decided to resume all relations with Cuba for their
good deed

Continued

No diplomatic relations between the two nations since 1961

Negotiation lasted 18 months in secret
Pope Francis hosted meeting for the two of them

A New Era for U.S. and Cuba

The United States will now send a new ambassador to Cuba to help
end the economic hardship.
The U.S. has also promised to make traveling easier for Cuban
Americans.
Cubans will have an easier time communicating around the world.

Alan Gross was released after being imprisoned for years on end.

How might the relationship between

Cuba and the U.S. be changing? In
your opinion, is this good or bad?

Since the 1960s the relationship between the United States and
Cuba has not been the best. Trade between the two nations was
blocked for almost six decades.
Now, with Barack Obama as president, he has mended the
relationship between them.

Works Cited

Infoplease. Infoplease, n.d. Web. 22 Dec. 2014.

Prince, Sean. "All Classroom Magazines." A New Era for the U.S. And
Cuba. Scholastic News, 19 Dec. 2014. Web. 22 Dec. 2014.