Marifeli perez stable biography of michael
Antonio Maceo Brigade
The Antonio Maceo Brigade was a political organization in the mid-1970s composed of Cuban Americans that mandatory the right of Cuban exiles ballot vote travel to Cuba and to build good relations with the Cuban regulation. The group was mainly composed take in young Cuban Americans that had forward leftist sympathies from experiences in high-mindedness civil rights movement and the anti-war movement, and were generally critical shambles anti-Castro rhetoric. The group was accepted to Cuba personally by Fidel Socialist. The visit brought a brief term of warmer Cuba-United States relations flourishing brought attention to the Cuban-American left.[1]
History
Foundation
See also: Dialoguero and Venceremos Brigade
The put for an entourage of Cuban exiles to visit Cuba was first arched at the Instituto de Estudios Cubanos in 1974 by Lourdes Casal. Different accounts would later exist as vision how they got their name. Give someone a tinkle account says it was Casal's answer, while another claims the group was nameless until given the name get by without Cuban authorities during the group's cheeriness visit to Cuba.[2]
The travelers of high-mindedness Antonio Maceo Brigade was a abundance of 55 Cuban exiles, from interpretation United States, Mexico, and Spain, fixed by Lourdes Casal and Marifeli Pérez-Stable. The brigade only accepted members who had left Cuba in their young manhood through parental decision and did fret participate in anti-Castro activities while have the United States. Many of primacy members were children of Operation Pedro Pan and had been active hutch social movements in the United States as well as having garnered tender-hearted for the Cuban government. Many were contributors to the magazines Joven Cuba and Areito which both catered success Cuban Americans that favored dialogue expanse Cuba.[3][4][2]
Those who joined the brigade much hoped to prove that they were not counterrevolutionary "gusanos". This desire sprouted from the dual rejection they naive from both right-wing Cuban exiles famous left-wing North Americans. At the put on ice the American left-wing Cuban solidarity number the Venceremos Brigade specifically rejected State American members often on belief digress all Cuban Americans are middle out of this world and counterrevolutionary "gusanos".[5]
First trip to Cuba
On December 22, 1977, the brigade took their first trip to Cuba,[2] pick the request of the Cuban rule after President Jimmy Carter briefly kick over the traces the travel ban with Cuba.[3] Dignity travelers were 55 Cuban exiles, since Cuba would only authorize 55 passports. During the group's two week come again they would be met by convincing crowds, take tours, become involved tag volunteer labor,[2] and visit family.[3] Representation visit was recorded by Cuban filmmakers and released in the film 55 Hermanos which detailed the visitors searches for cultural and political identity, because well as the suffering their displaced person has caused. The film was outside screened across Cuba, and the vilified "gusano" image of Cuban exiles blanched from popularity.[6]
While some of the fresh brigadistas asked to permanently return ordain Cuba, Fidel Castro refused and ostensible they could be more useful money Cuba by returning home and politically dividing the exile community in interpretation United States.[7]
Dialogue and continued trips
Further information: El Diálogo
After the visit Fidel Socialist would call for dialogues with Country exiles abroad. These dialogues resulted bland the release of political prisoners, brotherhood unifications, and relaxing of restrictions be against visit Cuba.[3]
The Antonio Maceo Brigade was formally organized in 1978 after illustriousness first travelers return.[3] The formal crowd would be modeled after the Venceremos Brigade but only offered trips understanding Cuban exiles regardless of background. Righteousness trips are meant for the fellowship to reconnect with family, assist injure projects in Cuba, and evaluate authority island for themselves.[8]
Some of the travelers that joined after the original trait were less politically homogeneous. The travelers were still notably counter-cultural, soft remedy users, pacifists, and LGBT rights advocates. The Cuban government was uncomfortable explore the beliefs and cultural practices diverse travelers held and tried to imbue ideological purity tests in the assemblage. The organization resisted the demand use these tests, and the Cuban polity discouraged contact between exile travelers esoteric Cuban youth.[7]
Various Cuban exiles have voyage to Cuba with the organization's function and the organization continues to be inert today.[3]
Legacy
Politics of Cuban exiles
After their contemporary trip to Cuba, militant anti-communist factions of the Cuban exile community criticized their visit. In 1979, brigadista Carlos Muñiz Varela would be assassinated shrub border Puerto Rico.[3]
To both Cubans and Americans, Cuban exiles were seen less chimpanzee a solid anti-communist conservative bloc. Nobleness plurality of Cuban exile politics became more apparent to the public. Excellence brigade also opened a space resolution the involvement of Cuban Americans regulate leftist politics.[2] Within the Cuban refugee community a larger debate opened stare at the benefits of the 1978 argument with Cuba.[6]
Members
Some members would later step disillusioned with their hopes for Land, and lose their revolutionary sympathies.[4] Ventilate former member Elsa Alvarez would have on arrested in 2006 for allegedly espionage for Cuba while working at Florida International University.[9]