Relationship between Michael Manley and Fidel Castro during the 80's - Essay Example

Manley became suspicious of the United States utilizing political terrorism to undermine his government, and, as a result, began to openly oppose the United States in the 1980s, in addition to forming a close personal relationship with the notorious Cuban prime minister. Fidel Castro is an infamous figure in American minds, primarily due to vestigial hatred and dread directed toward Communist principles that threatened to undermine American life throughout the mid-20th century. Castro came to power as a popular figure in Cuban politics, starting with his critiques of then-president Batista and of foreign involvement in the Cuban state (Castro and Ramonet).

From Mexico, Castro prepared for an invasion/overthrow of Batista. After the Cuban revolution that toppled the US-supported Batista administration, Castro became the Prime Minister of the Cuban state, instituting the Communist theory he believed in as the first Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba. After this point, Castro continued to be inimical to the United States, which he directed his rhetoric even before the revolution. His open opposition to the United States created a political rift between the two countries that has lasted even through today.

For this reason, Castros name is still not trusted by most Americans, who have a largely negative view of the figure (Castro and Ramonet). Michael Manley is known in contemporary political science for what he called his “democratic socialist experiment” (Payne and Sutton). The Manley administration came to power at the beginning of the 1970s in a chaotic political environment in Jamaica, primarily due to the collapse of sugar culture. Stagnant domestic agriculture created widespread poverty, yet these agricultural resources were still owned by British and American interests.

In this context of extensive external