Fidel Castro and Communism in Cuba History Essay Example

Fidel Castro’s communist regime in Cuba began in 1959, bringing huge policy changes, among them being nationalizing the means of production for resources in the country.In October of 1960, he declared the socialist nature of Cuba, causing the United States to enact a trade embargo. His regime also brought fear of imprisonment, violence, or worse, resulting in a large amount of Cubans leaving the country. Many Cuban refugees from the upper and middle classes arrived in the United States to resettle, leaving all possessions behind, because of a belief that Castro would shortly be removed from power. Once that happens, they would return to Cuba to retrieve their abandoned items. 

These people titled themselves “exiles” not immigrants, because of the circumstances forcing them to flee. The United States gave a warm welcome to them while Castro began ridding Cuba of people who were unsupportive of his ideologies. Over 250,000 Refugees escaped from Cuba between Castro’s regime and 1962. From an actual Cuban refugees standpoint, they were so eager to come to the states, they were completely contempt with leaving Cuba. In the words of the past refugee, “once you’re alone in the ocean and can’t see Cuba or anything else to the north, that’s when you start praying to God, ‘What is going to happen with my life?’ ” This experience must have been truly terrifying. 

With a population of about 2 million, Cuban Americans are still growing in population and are the third largest hispanic population group in america. The largest concentration of Cuban Americans is in Florida, which makes sense as Florida is a remarkably short 107 miles from Cuba’s capital Havana. Almost immediately after “exiles” started arriving in the United States, President John F. Kennedy started the Cuban Refugee Assistance Program, which provided massive benefits to Cuban refugees including health and education services. Over the years this decision proved immensely effective as more and more refugees came to the United States due to the huge political instability of Cuba persistent even through the 70’s and 80’s.