Cubas Relations with Latin America Essay -- Cuban Revolution Foreign

Cuba's Relations with Latin America Introduction The Cuban Revolution of 1959 not only affected Cuba itself, it also had a strong impact on the island’s international relations. This was particularly the case with its relationships with Latin America. In the forty years since the revolution, the response to Cuba from Latin American nations has ranged from the severing of diplomatic ties with the island, to the reestablishment of relations at a later period. Fear of the spreading of similar insurrections, as well as feelings of Latin American solidarity, are examples of factors that have contributed to these shifts. Revolutionary Leaders Define Cuba’s Place in the Americas Even before the success of the revolution, Castro and his supporters had outlined their expectations for Cuba’s position in the Americas. Revolutionary leaders wanted to maintain strong ties with Cuba’s Latin American neighbors, with whom the nation shared cultural and historical similarities. In addition, as Castro proclaimed in his 1953 defense speech, Cuba was to be the land in which "those politically persecuted by bloody tyrants oppressing our sister nations would find generous asylum, brotherhood and bread in the land of Martà ­" (Castro 3). This desire to aid those whom it considered to be victims of oppressive regimes was used by Castro’s administration to justify its involvement in uprisings throughout Latin America. Castro’s 26th of July Movement also called for Cuba’s position in the Americas to be one of a sovereign nation allied with its neighbors who shared its democratic ideology. In its Program Manifesto, the movement stated that "the common ideals and interests which necessarily unite the republics of the hemisphere are a reality ... ...City, NJ. 1972. 113-140. Falcoff, Mark. "Why The Latins Still Love Fidel". The American Enterprise November-December 1990: v1 n6 42-49. Falk, Pamela S. Cuban Foreign Policy: Caribbean Tempest. Lexington, MA: D.C. Heath and Company, 1986. Kline, Michael. "Castro and the New Thinking in Latin America". Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs Spring 1990: 32:1 83-118. Nazario, Olga. "Brazil’s Rapprochement With Cuba: The Process and the Prospects". Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs 1986: 28(3) 67-86. Pà ©rez-Stable, Marifeli. The Cuban Revolution: Origins, Course, and Legacy. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. Wright, Thomas C. Latin America in the Era of the Cuban Revolution. New York: Praeger Publishers, 1991. World Marxist Review. "Latin America: New Chapter in International Relations". Canada. 1972: 15(1) 90-100.