No Cubans Allowed! Bahamian Government Decree To Deport Every Arriving Cuban National 1964
Communism and the threat of it spreading into democratic nations, in the West, was to be stopped at all costs. America took the lead in this endeavour, especially after Cuba fell under the control of a communist dictatorship in 1959. The communist became the most dreaded, reviled figure, especially after it was revealed that the assassin Lee Harvey Oswald, who killed President John F. Kennedy, on November 22, 1963, was also a communist sympathiser.
Anti-communist rhetoric and sentiment rose to an ear piercing crescendo in those early years of 1960 in the United States. Everyone, everywhere was shouting anti-communist mantras and propagandas.
(The Times, Saturday, 08 February, 1964)
Anti-communist sentiment spread across the British colonies of the West Indies like wildfire
By September 1964, the quasi colonial/self governing Bahamas had become heatedly embroiled in a fierce diplomatic war of words and intent between America and Cuba. America was relying on its ally Britain to support its stance against communist Cuba and its new dictator leader, a revolutionary, named Fidel Castro. Britain was meant to influence the sentiment in The Bahamas. They didn't need to. Anti-communist sentiment was rife. Anti-communist groups had already formed in the Bahamas to stop any trade or relations with Cuba. Cuban nationals became persona non grata.
However, Cuba and it's leader, Fidel Castro remained undeterred by the anti-communism sentiment. Relying on a 1948, post World War II, but pre-communist dictatorship bilateral agreement, Castro exercised his right to fly his commercial airplanes into British colonies under an old Anglo-Cuban air contract. Castro sent the airline despite the Bahamas government telling them, in no uncertain terms that they were not welcome.
(Star-Phoenix, Saturday 20 March, 1948)
21 September 1964 – THE CIA FLOODS THE BAHAMAS WITH AGENTS TO AWAIT CUBA'S AIRPLANE LANDING IN NASSAU
Agents of the United States Central Intelligence Agency have arrived here to watch the arrival tomorrow of a Cuban Airlines plane on an inaugural flight.
Plans have been made for protest demonstrations at the International Airport when the plane lands.
The protest movement is led by Mr Chuck Hall, a television repair man, who was formed a "Bahamian Anti-Cuban Flight Committee" to protest against the flight being made under a 1948 Anglo-Cuban air agreement.
"We will have between 400 and 500 organised demonstrators at the airport," he said.
"Each of the groups, representing 50 local organisations, will be carrying banners. We will also expect thousands of individuals to protest."
Extra police will be moved to the airport to cope with the demonstrators, a police spokesman said.
The Bahamian government has told Cuba that the flight is not welcome.
It warns that any Cubans arriving on the plane would be considered prohibited immigrants who could be detained pending deportation.
(The Birmingham Post, Monday, September 21, 1964)
22 September 1964 – HUNDREDS OF BAHAMIANS PROTEST CUBAN PLANE LANDING DESPITE BEING TOLD NOT WELCOME IN BAHAMAS
It was perhaps fortuitous that the inaugural commercial flight from Havana, Cuba to Nassau, after Fidel Castro had seized power, arrived empty.
On 22 September 1964, numerous United States CIA agents were on the ground, watching the Bahamas government's response, to the audacity of Fidel Castro, to defy the government's directive not to land on Bahamian soil.
(The Akron Beacon Journal, Friday, September 18, 1964)
1964 – CASTRO GO HOME" Shouts angry Bahamians
(Star Tribune, Tuesday, 22 September 1964)
Posted in: Archive, Bahamian Roots, Foreign Affairs, History, Political Turning PointsTagged : Bahamian Roots,Foreign Affairs,History,political turning points
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