Caribbean: Region of Global importance: Communist Europe and the Caribbean during the Cold War. Diplomacy, Espionage, Migrations and Other Forms of Mutual Engagement
Abstract
The Caribbean, in its broader meaning, including Mexico, Central America, and Venezuela, had been one of the Cold War hot spots, even before the Cuban Revolution toppled Batista's dictatorship. Even the smaller communist countries were not absent from it.
Already during the coup against Arbenz's government in 1954, arms sold by Czechoslovakia were used as an excuse to topple his regime. After the Cuban revolution and during a long list of crises (Cuban Missile Crisis, Venezuelan guerrilla experience, Jagan's rule in Guyana, Manley's "socialist" government in Jamaica, armed conflicts in Central America, Nicaraguan Revolution, or Grenadan imbroglio), both the alleged communist threat and real activities of European socialist countries, together with the US Cold War paranoia, converted Caribbean into an ardently disputed area.
At the same time, other aspects of mutual relations between the two regions also flourished. Cuban ties to the Eastern bloc were more than close, and the Nicaraguan revolution brought another country into the COMECON's sphere.
Many Caribbean intellectuals, artists, and activists either visited or lived in socialist countries. Refugees from Hungary found their exile in the Dominican Republic etc.
All these topics deserve a deep, complex, detailed and original historical research, which has not been done so far. The main purpose of the conference is to gather specialist from different countries who are working/are willing to work on a collaborative monograph that will be published from the papers whose outlines and plans will be first discussed at the workshop.