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The
United States illegally maintains a
naval base in
Cuba against the will of
its people. This facility is situated at the Guantanamo
Bay, one of the biggest
of
Cuba. It is located 64 kilometres from Santiago of Cuba, the second city in
importance, and 920 kilometres from
Havana. It encompasses an
area of 117.6 km2 (49.4 of mainland and the rest of water and marshes). It
delimits a coastline of 17.5 kilometres. The bay has
good characteristics as far as depth, security and capacity, but at the
present, it lacks of strategic importance.
The Platt Amendment, a U.S. Congress´ Law, was imposed to the first Cuban
Constitution at the beginning of the 20th century. In December, 1903, the
United States took possession,
"until they need it", of the Guantanamo
Bay, by means of a
one-sided treaty. Since then, and for more than half a century, this base was
center to stimulate prostitution, illegal games and drugs.
Since the Cuban Revolution's triumph in 1959, the Base has been source of
provocations and aggressions, from the North Americans troops and the
counter-revolutionary elements that have found refuge there, many of them after
committing crimes and other misdeeds. In 1961, people from the base murdered a
Cuban worker and, less than a year later, a humble
Cuban fisherman was kidnapped, tortured and assassinated. Two Cuban soldiers
were assassinated in 1964 and 1966 respectively, by shootings made from the
Base. The violations of the marine, terrestrial and aerial space committed are
several as well as diverse provocations like firings, launching of stones,
offences and many others.
The North American
troops´ exercises have caused ecological damages to the surroundings; they have
even used nuclear submarines. In 1994, violating the illegal treaty the
United States uses to maintain its
military presence, the base was turned into a refugee camp, and it is still
used, occasionally, for this purposes. Before such
Cuba facts it has assumed
an attitude invariably signs and night love song, has
not been let cause nor intimidate. The soldiers of the Border Brigade, unit of
the Revolutionary Armed Forces in charge of the defense of this artificial
limit, are example of professional preparation, value and discipline.
In many opportunities,
the Cuban authorities have declared they will not accept any other negotiation
concerning this territory illegally occupied unless the unconditional
withdrawal of the foreign troops quartered there against
Cuba's people will. With
equal seriousness, the Cuban government has ratified they will not try to
recover its legitimate rights by force and will patiently wait until justice
prevails. |