The exiled Cuban community celebrates May 20th as Cuba’s Independence Day. The Republic of Cuba gained formal independence from Spain on May 20 1902 and went on to ratify a new Cuban Constitution. The current Cuban regime does not celebrate May 20th, but instead October 10th, as the first declaration of independence and also July 26, the date of Castro’s first attack on Moncada Barracks.
The Cuban American National Foundation holds an annual lunch with its members in celebration of May 20 and to honor all Cubans past and present who have fought and continue the fight for a free and independent Cuba. This year, Senator and Presidential candidate Barack Obama has agreed to speak at CANF’s lunch and address Cuba and other important topics in this year’s election.
We will be blogging live from the event so we hope that any of you that are interested in Senator Obama’s stance on Cuba will join us on the blog for updates.
We’re also curious to know how Cuban-Americans celebrate May 20th. Is it recognized in your families as an important date or has its significance dwindled amongst the Cuban-American community?
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7 comments:
I find it extremely interesting that CANF has chosen Senator Obama to speak at their event. What does CANF and the Cuban American community hope to gain from this?
I’m sure a CANF staffer will provide better answers to your questions shortly but in the mean time I’ll do the best I can from the information I’ve heard as a CANF member.
1. I know that CANF issued invitations to address the CANF membership at the May 20 lunch to all of the presidential candidates. Senator Obama is the only candidate that accepted the invitation.
2. As for what we have to gain as a community, our cause for a free Cuba is a nonpartisan cause. And any opportunity that we as Cuban-Americans have to address our concerns and hopefully influence action that will aid our efforts we should take. Having Senator Obama address our cause gives us the opportunity to express our opinions on how to proceed, brings national attention and coverage to our plight, and if you’ve noticed in the media this week has persuaded Senators McCain and Clinton to also broach the subject.
I’m curious to know your take on it?
If Obama wins at least hopefully he will be well informed. The worse thing that can happen is for him to win and for our community to be left out of the discussion as Obama instead listens to the Rangels of the world.
I am hopeful that Obama and the progressive Cuban community are ready to work together for the well being and freedom of Cuba. The failed Cuban foreign policy that has been in place for the past 40 or so years has become irrelevant. It only serves those like the Diaz Balarts and Ileana, the radio talk show hosts of Radio Mambi and the stale journalist who have kept these policies alive because they easily make a living getting paid to irresponsibly and unethically pray on the fears and emotions of elder Cubans. 08 brings us the opportunity to unseat these useless politicians and bring new blood into the Cuban democracy debate. Unlike those so called leaders and media Bush lapdogs who gain from keeping our beautiful Island in bondage the new leadership under Barack Obama, Joe Garcia, Annette and Raul will strive to achieve an intelligent and realistic foreign policy towards Cubita Linda. I am hopeful today!!!
Si yo hubiera sabido que la libertad de Cuba se produciría viajando libremente a la isla, lo cual no trajo cambio alguno, ya que antes de las "sanciones" del 2004 viajaban desde Miami a Cuba llevando dinero,vestidos para los quince y cazuelas en la cabeza, me hubiera ahorrado incesantes horas de trabajo, dedicación, lucha y sacrificio en la Fundación y basado en esa filosofía y en ese espíritu ni siquiera cuando murió mi padre viajé a Cuba. Ciertamente, para esto, no fue creada la Fundación y por cierto la nueva modalidad de Pepe Hernández y Jorge Mas Santos de reirse de lo mismo que ellos dicen en las entrevistas al estilo de Joe García, lo único que demuestra es falta de seriedad y respeto a la lucha del pueblo cubano por su libertad.
Si se cansaron de esa lucha, retírense.
CASTRO ACTUALLY HAD UNITED NATIONS CHANGED CUBA'S INDEPENDENCE DAY TO JANUARY 1ST ,1959 ,THE DAY HE BEGAN RULLING CUBA
THIS IS SOMETHING ALL CUBAN SHOULD BE FIGHTING TO FIX!
VIVA CUBA LIBRE!
VIVA EL 20 DE MAYO OUR TRUE INDEPENDENCE DAY!
Wikipedia lists three dates for Cuban independence:
Independence from Spain - Declared October 10, 1868
Republic declared May 20, 1902 Independence from United States
Cuban Revolution January 1, 1959
According to Wikipedia, "Spain relinquished all claim of sovereignty over the title to Cuba" in 1898, giving it to the United States. May 20, 1902 is the date that Theodore Roosevelt signed Cuba's independence from the United States. This is not the date that Cuba gained independence from Spain, as CubaLibre claims.
The reason that May 20 is not considered Cuba's independence day is the United States "retained the right to intervene in Cuban affairs and to supervise its finances and foreign relations."
Cuba became a fully independent nation on January 1, 1959.
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