Most Americans know that they cannot travel to Cuba but few understand why. This article will provide a brief history of the U.S.-Cuba relations, why there is an embargo, who is legally authorized to travel to Cuba and what happens when people illegally visit the island. This article is based on fact and claims no bias with either country’s position.

A Brief History Explaining the Embargo

For about 400 years Cuba was controlled by Spain until the U.S. won the Spanish-American war in 1898. The win gave America four years of control in Cuba, until 1902 when the island was finally given its independence with one stipulation: the protection of U.S. interests in Cuba by military intervention (formally known as The Platt Amendment). However, Fulgencio Batista came to power in 1933 and abolished the aforementioned stipulation. The uprising along with Batista’s new power was largely Communist and therefore not recognized by the U.S. which viewed Communism as a threat to Democracy. U.S. President Eisenhower halted arms supplies to Cuba and Fidel Castro saw this weak point in relations as his chance to oust Batista and assume power which he did on January 1, 1959.

Anger endured over U.S. involvement following their freedom from Spain and Cubans quickly supported Castro’s plan to gain autonomy from America. Castro partnered with the Soviet Union, further straining ties with America. Consequently, the C.I.A. trained and armed the Cuban exiles that landed at “The Bay of Pigs” in an effort to reclaim Cuba from Castro. However, a leak in the C.I.A. informed Castro of the invasion and rather than admit to the planned attack, the Kennedy administration left the exiles on Cuban soil to be shot, imprisoned or otherwise disposed. Many American pilots tried to help the abandoned Cubans and were subsequently shot down.

Seizing this lack of solidarity among the Americans regarding the foiled assault, the Soviet Union decided to plant offensive missiles in Cuba. This further altered the balance of power and increased the likelihood that these missiles could reach the U.S. as opposed to their previous location in Europe. Thus began the Cuban Missile Crisis which served as one of the strongest marks in securing Castro’s power. The United States made a fast enemy of Cuba and deemed the Communist island a threat to democracy, and Castro a threat to Cubans. Therefore, the United States banned trade with and travel to Cuba and considered all countries who do engage in Cuban trade and travel to be an enemy to the U.S.

Currently, America has moved away from the initial reasons of the embargo and maintained the stance that Cuba is a massive violator of human rights, a claim which as of this time, no respectable human rights organization has backed.