Only a Few Blocks to Cuba: Cold War Refugee Policy, the Cuban Diaspora, and the Transformations of Miami

Mauricio Castro's book "Only a Few Blocks to Cuba" explores how the U.S. government viewed Cuban migration to Miami as a strategic asset during the Cold War, investing heavily in the city's development and shaping its future as a global metropolis. This investment wrought unintended changes, transforming South Florida and American foreign policy and the calculus of national politics. Miami serves as an example of the lived effects of defense spending in urban spaces and how local communities can shape national politics and international relations.

Format: Hardback
Length: 296 pages
Publication date: 19 March 2024
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press

In a captivating exploration of Miami's history, Mauricio Castro reveals how the U.S. government transformed Cuban migration to the city during the Cold War into a strategic asset. Through substantial investments in its development, the U.S. government played a pivotal role in shaping Miami's future as a global metropolis. When Cuban refugees fleeing the Communist revolution arrived in Miami in 1959, the city faced a humanitarian crisis that it was ill-equipped to handle. Recognizing the geopolitical implications, local politicians sought federal intervention to address what they perceived as a Cold War geopolitical problem. In response, the Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations, along with their successors, provided unprecedented levels of federal largesse and freedom of transit to these refugees. The changes brought about by this investment were profound and enduring, transforming Miami into a vibrant and diverse community. Initially intended as a short-term geopolitical stratagem, the Cuban diaspora and Cold War refugee policy in Miami evolved into a new reality that reshaped South Florida and had far-reaching consequences for American foreign policy and national politics. Castro's extensive archival research in local and national sources showcases how the Cuban diaspora and Cold War refugee policy made South Florida a critical space for understanding the shifting landscape of the late twentieth century. By examining the lived effects of defense spending in urban spaces and the role of local communities in shaping national politics and international relations, Miami serves as a powerful example of the complex interplay between global forces and local realities. This insightful book offers valuable insights into the historical and geopolitical dimensions of Miami's development, shedding light on the enduring legacies of U.S. policies and their impact on the city and its residents.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781512825725