In 1967 Fidel Castro told Playboy magazine, “I believe that all of us ought to retire relatively young.”
Talk about not following your own advice… Cuba, and its enduring chief-comrade have been thorns in the side of American leaders for decades. With Soviet support – Castro could laugh at U-S policy — since the early nineties however – Cubans have struggled to make ends meet. But despite the lack of access to the huge American market — the island holds the rest of the West in its thrall, hosting the world’s playboys and party girls – flying in the face of America’s embargoes.
And for every American president denouncing Castro’s regime, there’s been a wave of Cuban fascination that’s made many Americans wonder what all the fuss is about. The pariah next door – the forbidden Carribbean.
(Hosted by Judy Swallow)
Guests:
Jane Franklin, historian and author of “Cuba and the United States”
Tom Gjelten, National Public Radio National Security Correspondent who has covered Cuba since 1994
Jesus Diaz, author and Cuban dissident.