To All of Those Who Have Died, and to All of Those Who Have Suffered for the Cause of Freedom and Justice, in Cuba, My Native Homeland
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To all of those who have died, and to all of those who have suffered for the cause of freedom and justice, in Cuba, my native homeland. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation represents the accumulation of several years of research effort involving the help of many persons from its conception to its completion. I would like to acknowledge first of all my most sincere appre ciation for the chairperson of my supervisory committee, Dr. Ruth E. Albrecht. Her unending patience and guidance made possible the conclu sion of this work, which constituted a unique and fruitful learning experience. To Daniel E. Alleger, Associate Professor Emeritus, is extended my deepest appreciation for his guidance and help throughout my academic work at this university. His assistance was invaluable in the completion of this dissertation. Thanks are also due to Dr. T. Lynn Smith for his initial guidance in my doctoral work until his retirement. I also wish to thank Dr. Gerald R. Leslie, Chairman, Sociology Depart ment, for serving as a committee member and for providing financial support through part of my doctoral program. To Dr. William E. Carter, Director, The Center for Latin American Studies, I offer my sincere appreciation for the support he helped provide in the form of an NDFL Title VI Fellowship which was highly instrumental in the completion of my graduate work. Dr. Joseph S. Vandiver and Dr. E. Wilbur Bock, who served on my supervisory committee, deserve my sincere thanks for their cooperation. Many others were extremely helpful in the course of this research effort. The following deserve special mention. To Dr. Carmelo Mesa-Lago iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. of the University of Pittsburgh, I extend my appreciation for his encour agement to work on this subject and for his valuable suggestions. The same is true for Dr. Luis V. Manrara, Dr. Jose I. Lasaga, and Mr. Paul Bethel. Without the assistance of the Cuban Refugee Program this effort would have been incomplete. To its late director, Howard T. Palmatier, as well as to the former Refugee Center director, Errol T. Ballanfonte, my thanks for their cooperation. The collaboration always received from Manuel Rodriguez Fleitas was not only crucial, but highly effective. Considerable help was also rendered by Clifford H. Harpe, Mariano Valle jo, Jean Castle, Josefina Norona and Amalia Ramos of that program. The assistance in interviewing by Carlos de Varona, Frank Diaz Pou, Jose Font and Angel Alvarez will always be appreciated. Roberto Fabricfo and Luis Bueno from The Miami Herald were very cooperative in facilitating my research in the newspaper library, making possible a better perspective on the escapees. Humberto Cruz from The Miami News, and Tomas Regalado and Esteban Lamela of Channel 23, were also helpful sharing data with this researcher. Jean Holzer, Dr. Donald Myers and Dr. Richard L. Sheaffer rendered invaluable assistance in computer programming and statistical analysis. Considerable bibliographical help was given by Dr. Rosa Mesa at this campus, and by Dr. Rosa Abella and Dr. Archie L. McNeal at the University of Miami, which allowed the use of its library, and by Regina Suarez. My appreciation to colleagues and friends Himilce Esteve de Campos, Juan Figueras, Joan Colebrook, Alejandro Portes, Manuel Carvajal, Roberto Hernandez, Maria G. Herrera, Greg Grigoruk, Rafael and Rosita Villaverde, George Welsch, Manuel Mendoza, Eve Sherouse, Manuel Fernandez, Maria Cornelia, Antonio Jorge, Jose Heredia, Fermin Perez, Danilo Mesa, Ofelia v Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Sanchez and Jorge Sosa for their criticism on portions of this manuscript and/or helping in various ways. Special recognition is due to Dr. Alejandro Portes for his permission to use data from the project under his direction, Assimilation of Latin American Minorities in the United States. Dozens of Cuban exiles of all walks of life gave this researcher their minutes or hours that were also crucial in this effort. It is impossible to name them all, but the assistance rendered by Dr. Rene F. Huerta, Dr. Alberto Gonzalez, Rolando Perez Cerezal, Bruno Danenberg, Hector Caraballo, William Prado, Luis Zuniga and Rodolfo Camps has to be acknowledged. The two latter are prisoners in Cuba as a result of returning to rescue their families. To U.S. Coast Guard officials George Johnson, John Zeigler and Cdr. Duanne P. Gatto, as well as to Immigration and Naturalization Service Deputy Commissioner James F. Greene and Ray Brooks, I give my recognition for their cooperation with data pertaining to the escapees and the exiles. Miami Dade Community College, South Campus, was also highly instru mental in the completion of this work through the granting of a study leave. Thanks are also due to Celia Bugallo, Sue Hopkin, Vivian Figueras, Maria C. Pando and Sylvia Whitman for their typing work, and especially to Elizabeth Harvey who struggled effectively with the final version. Bob Knabb and George Gonzalez, and Nilo Couret from this campus, rendered assistance with the graphs. Last, but not least, my family was always helpful and encouraging through these years. To my mother and father, who also assisted in many ways, my deepest appreciation, as well as to my in-laws. And, to my vi Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. wife, Clara, my deepest appreciative recognition, who besides helping as interviewer, codifier and "research assistant" was also encouraging, under standing and patient throughout my years in school, and throughout this writing. Without her support, this dissertation would not have been possible. I hope finally that my sons Johnny and Jose will understand that the time withdrawn from them due to this work was for a worthwhile cause, for which they may feel proud in the future. vii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES ......................................................... xi LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................... xiii ABSTRACT ................................................................ xiv CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ............................................... 1 II. METHODOLOGY .............................................. 3 Objectives ............................................ 3 Research Questions and Hypotheses .................... 4 Research Design ........................................ 5 Survey of the Literature ........................ 6 Analytical procedures ........................... 7 Surveys of Individuals ............................. 8 Basic demographic survey ...................... 9 Survey of Cuban social conditions ............. 12 Survey on arrivals from Spa i n .................. 14 Other surveys ................................... 14 III. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ............. ......... 16 Background of the E x o d u s ............................. 16 Characteristics of the E x o d u s ........................ 30 NOTES ..................................................... 41 IV. SOCIO-HISTORIC BACKGROUND OF THE EXODUS ................ 46 From Discovery to Independence ...................... 46 Castro's Road to P o w e r ............................... 52 From Humanism to Totalitarianism .................... 54 Cuban Opposition and American Intervention ......... 56 Socio-Political Patterns in Revolutionary Cuba . 59 Political Structure ............................... 60 Economic Conditions ............................... 61 The Educational System ............................. 63 Change in the Social Class Structure ............. 64 NOTES ..................................................... 68 viii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHAPTER Page V. THE EXODUS IN P R O C E S S ......................................... 72 The Number of Exiles ...................................... 72 Stages of the Exodus ...................................... 75 The First Seven Years .................................. 76 The Early Departures ............................... 77 Departure m e a n s ............................. 79 Departure restrictions ........................... 79 The Post Missile Crisis L u l l ......................... 82 The Family Reunion Period ............................. 85 The Camarioca Exodus ............................... 86 The Varadero-Miami A i r l i f t ........................... 89 Restriction to leave during the airlift .... 92 The Wane of the Exodus .................................... 96 NOTES .......................................................... 99 VI. RECEPTION AND RESETTLEMENT OF THE CUBAN E X I L E S .......... 106 Precedents of Help to Other Refugees ................... 106 United States as the Main Area of Reception and Resettlement ........................................ 108 Assistance from the Private A g e n c i e s ............... 109 Governmental Role with the Refugees ................. Ill The reception process ........................... Ill Organization of the federal Cuban Refugee P r o g r a m ..........................................114 Welfare assistance ..........................