During the Cold War Era, The Cuban revolution was led by figures such as Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, and Camilo Cienfuegos against the Batista regime. From the perspective of the U.S, the revolution was a move towards discrediting the government in place, which cut off military support to Cuba in return(Dawson,245). With the Batista regime gone, Fidel Castro took place as the leader and made reforms, as well as closer ties with the Soviet Union(Dawson,246). The United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold war era were enemies, and with the U.S not supporting the rebels, the Cuban revolution went forward in painting the U.S as the enemy.“As long as the United States remains the enemy, Cubans must live in the Revolution, which links Cuban nationalism and Socialist revolution so seamlessly that to critique the Revolution is to be a traitor to the Cuban nation. And to do that is to opt for social and economic marginalization, the possibility of jail, and perhaps exile(Dawson,247).” As Dawson describes further relations with the U.S and Cuba “One need not be too cynical to imagine that at critical moments of potential thawing in United States–Cuban relations, Castro actively sought to renew this enmity, as without it he would have no one to blame for Cuba’s problems(Dawson, 247).” With Cuba growing its government towards communism and having high tensions with the U.S, The U.S and CIA worked towards creating covert missions within Cuba to stop Castro’s movements.
The Bay of Pigs fiasco was a failed attempt by the U.S, under the Kennedy administration, to overpower Fidel Castro for his relations with the Soviet Union. “ After the failed invasion at the Playa Girón (Bay of Pigs) on April 17, 1961, he could rightly claim to have repelled an American invasion(Dawson,249).” The Bay of Pigs was a loss for the U.S and in turn gained more supporters for Castro, from the people of Cuba. In the Document labeled Cuban Covert Program Report, it should be noted that this document is listed from October 13, 1961, a few months after the Bay of Pigs fiasco had taken place in April. The U.S was still working with the CIA, after its failed attempt at the Bay of Pigs, to spy on the Castro regime, the document reports infiltration with agents on the field that were being tracked and reporting back intelligence. The document states that 26 agents were in Cuba, and reporting back on opposition groups from within Cuba that were still present and handing out pamphlets to discourage supporters from the Castro regime. The document goes on to further explain the training of agents and for possible plans of sabotage. The document further cautions against major sabotage and more of minor sabotage plans, to avoid detection from Castro supporters. The document provided is a recording in history that indicates the U.S and Cuban polarized relations during the Cold War Era at the time.
Dawson, Alexander. Latin America since Independence: A History with Primary Sources. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge, 2015.
The National Security Archive, nsarchive.gwu.edu/dc.html?doc=6434681-National-Security-Archive-Doc-05-Cuban-Covert.