The importance of the role of Czechoslovakia in the support of the Castro regime after the Cuban revolution
Abstract
Cuba played an important role for both enemy sides during the Cold War. Although it was in the zone of influence of the United States and nobody of the global leaders thought that something could change their political alliances, the year 1959 completely changed this perception.
Only 90 miles from the American coast appeared the regime of Fidel Castro, who from the beginnings showed no sympathy with the northern country. This regime change had global importance, and the geopolitical situation had to be taken into account.
Especially between the years 1959 - 1962 the relations of all involved actors with Cuba were very tense and the culmination was the missile crisis. Czechoslovakia played an important role during the first months and years after the revolution.
In this period Czechoslovakia had stronger contacts with Cuba and also with all Latin American countries than the Soviet Union. Therefore, Moscow decided to take advantage of this opportunity and use these contacts and experiences that Prague had.
This was happening not only in the relationship with Cuba, but with all of Latin America, and the Czechoslovak contacts were very important for Moscow. Czechoslovakia supplied the weapons and other important products for the new regime.
Also, since the first years the growing contacts in the economic and scientific sphere were important. In later decades the role of Czechoslovakia was diminishing because the Soviet Union already had close ties with Cuba and did not need the influence of Prague.
However, until the change of regimes in Central and Eastern Europe Czechoslovakia was an important actor for the regime of Fidel Castro. Between the years 1959 and 1989 the Czechoslovak policy towards Cuba was directed by the opinions of Moscow and any independent step that Prague wanted to take was greatly reduced.