The U. S. and Cuba: A History of Tensions and Triumphs

In the small Cuban town of Playa Girón, the past is always present. This quiet place, known for its beautiful turquoise waters and simple homes, was once the stage for a significant historical event. In 1961, it was here that a U. S. -backed invasion aimed at overthrowing Fidel Castro's young government took place and failed. The Girón Museum, led by director Dulce María Limonta del Pozo, displays the tanks and artillery used by Cuban forces to defend their country. The plan behind the invasion was to establish a beachhead and form a transitional government. However, the attempt ended in failure, marking a pivotal moment in the history of the Monroe Doctrine. The Monroe Doctrine, a nearly 200-year-old political idea, asserts that the Western Hemisphere falls within the United States' exclusive sphere of influence. Few countries understand the consequences of this doctrine more intimately than Cuba. After Washington's dramatic intervention in Venezuela, the island is once again in the U. S. crosshairs. To Limonta del Pozo, the attempted invasion in Cuba in 1961 showed that the people should not fear an empire. This lesson still shapes how Cuba views Washington. The Cuban government sees American expansionism as embedded in U. S. history, beginning shortly after independence with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. President Trump has openly revived these ambitions. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump predicted that Cuba's communist government could soon collapse. However, he dismissed the idea that U. S. troops would intervene directly. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, has also echoed these sentiments, warning Havana over the weekend.Venezuela and Cuba have long been close allies, with Venezuela supplying Cuba with subsidized oil for decades. In return, Cuba has provided medical workers and security personnel. Following the U. S. operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, the Cuban government said 32 of its nationals were killed while protecting Maduro and his wife, prompting two days of national mourning on the island. Raúl Rodríguez, a researcher at the Center for Hemispheric and U. S. Studies, points to Trump's past calls to retake control of the Panama Canal and to annex Greenland. From this perspective, the Caribbean was the next frontier once the U. S. expanded west to California. Rodríguez argues that the deeper target could be Cuba, a country that has resisted American intervention since 1959. On the streets of Playa Girón, the pressures of U. S. sanctions and economic mismanagement are already being felt. Fabiana Hernández Ortega waits for a truck delivering milk, a basic staple that has become increasingly scarce. Her father was detained by invading forces during the Bay of Pigs, and she grew up knowing people who fought. Today, she says, they are facing a different struggle. Because of U. S. sanctions and economic mismanagement, the government is often forced to choose between keeping the lights on and importing food or medicine. Hernández says she can no longer reliably find the medicine she needs. The subsidized milk, flour, and sugar once provided by the government have grown scarce. "Right now, we are fighting for our lives, " Hernández says. Still, she shrugs, a gesture common across the island. "These are the cards we were dealt, so we keep going. What else can we do? "