Cuba–Spain relations

Cuba–Spain relations

Cuba
Spain

Cuba–Spain relations refer to the bilateral relations between the Republic of Cuba and the Kingdom of Spain. Relations date back more than five centuries. Cuba had been a colony from 1492 until 1898 when the United States took over the territory in the Spanish–American War. Spain has an embassy in Havana and Cuba has an embassy in Madrid. Most of Cuba's inhabitants have Spanish ancestry.

Cuba as a colony

  1. Governorate of Cuba (1511–1519)
  2. Viceroyalty of New Spain (1535–1821)
  3. Captaincy General of Cuba (1607–1898)

From 1898

After the Treaty of Paris on December 10, 1898 that ended the Spanish–American War, Spain renounced all claims to sovereignty over Cuba. The loss of both Cuba and Puerto Rico, Spain's last American colonies, would later be a determining factor for the development of nationalism in Spain.[1]

The first consul general, José Felipe Sagrario arrived on the island in July 1899[2] during the US occupation. Consul General Joaquín María Torroja became the chargé d'affaires after the formal establishment of the Cuban Republic in May 1902[3] and then established the first diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of Spain and Cuba.

Between 1902 and 1928, Cuba would receive more than 1.2 million Spanish immigrants.[4] During the Spanish Civil War, the Cuban government showed a neutral stance with inclinations by the rebellious side until 1937. Fulgencio Batista's position towards the Franco regime during the World War II reflected his changing relations with the United States.[4]

Francoist Spain adopted the Mexican Estrada Doctrine (recognition of all regimes, including revolutionary ones with recall of representation according to circumstances) towards Latin America. In spite of Franco's anticommunism, Cuba and Spain held diplomatic relations.[5] However Castro expelled the Spanish ambassador Juan Pablo de Lojendio e Irure in 1960[6] after an argument on TV. Lojendio had managed to counter the Republican moves who asked for the recognition of the exiled Spanish government.[7] The position would remain vacant for 15 years, but relations continued[8] at the level of charge d'affaires. Castro welcomed Spanish Republicans, such as the Communist Dolores Ibárruri, general Enrique Líster and Alberto Bayo, who had taught guerrilla warfare to the Cuban revolutionaries in Mexico.[7] When the United Stated decree an embargo against Cuba in 1960 and 1962, its Latin American and European allies follow suit, but Franco who in 1960 welcomed Dwight D. Eisenhower signed successive trade agreements. During the Cuban missile crisis, the relations dwindled, but Iberia kept joining Cuba and Europe. The American pressure against the Spanish embargo breach was deflected by the renegotiation of the American military bases in Spain in 1963. The Spanish maritime trade with Cuba continued and Spanish diplomacy obtained US Naval escorting after anti-Castrists shot the merchant ship Sierra Aránzazu in 1964, causing three deaths. After the death of Che Guevara in Bolivia in 1967, the US asked Spain to secretly mediate with Cuba. The diplomat Adolfo Martín Gamero took the task.[7]

After Franco's death, Cuba decreed three days of mourning.[7] In contrast, Mao Zedong's death did not received the same treatment.

In 1974, ambassadors were finally exchanged. After the Spanish transition to democracy, the prime minister Adolfo Suárez visited the island in 1978,[9] restoring normalcy. Felipe González visited again in 1986, followed by a cooling.[10] In 1996, Castro visited Spain, including Láncara, the Galician village where his father was born.[7] José María Aznar aligned Spain with the harassment against Castro [11] (1996-2004), the relations reaching a minimum.[12]

Resident diplomatic missions

Spanish embassy to Cuba

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Relations of Cuba and Spain.

References

  1. ↑ Ucelay Da Cal 1997, p. 152.
  2. ↑ Amores & Otero 2001, pp. 83-84.
  3. ↑ Amores & Otero 2001, p. 87.
  4. 1 2 Pardo Sanz 1995.
  5. ↑ Hosoda 2008, pp. 17-18.
  6. ↑ Hosoda 2008, p. 17.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 (Spanish) Franco y Fidel, enemigos cordiales, F. Javier Herrero, 5 June 2014, El País.
  8. ↑ Sotelo 2000, p. 95.
  9. ↑ Sotelo 2000, p. 97.
  10. ↑ Sotelo 2000, p. 99.
  11. ↑ Roy 1999, p. 23.
  12. ↑ Bayo 2006, p. 7.
  13. ↑ Embassy of Cuba in Madrid (in Spanish)
  14. ↑ Consulate-General of Cuba in Barcelona (in Spanish)
  15. ↑ Consulate-General of Cuba in Las Palmas (in Spanish)
  16. ↑ Consulate-General of Cuba in Santiago de Compostela (in Spanish)
  17. ↑ Consulate-General of Cuba in Seville (in Spanish)
  18. ↑ Embassy of Spain in Havana (in Spanish)
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