The first cohort of Cuban immigrants is sometimes referred to as the “Golden Exiles” cohort because they were composed primarily of the Cuban elite (Olson, 53). This label not only portrayed the exiles as the best of Cuban society, but also stood in stark contrast to the label gusanos (worms) that Fidel preferred to use (Garcia, 2). The first to make the decision to migrate to Miami were those that had ties to the old political regime of Batista. These had the economics means to arrange a quick and safe departure and had the greatest urgency to do so because they feared that Castro would persecute or arrest them for their political ties to Batista (Levine and Asis, 22). They had been able to store their wealth in foreign banks so their resettlement
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Almost 82 percent of those that left in the early 1960s were white (Olson, 61). This was not due to direct discrimination, but the result of the demographics that supported Fidel Castro. Castro had garnished plenty of support among Afro-Cubans who resented the inequalities that persisted along racial lines. They were the base that turned the revolution from an intellectual/student movement into a more popular fight of the Cuban people (Olson, 49). In turn, those that had left were predominantly white because they were a disproportionate percentage of the elite that viewed Castro as an oppressor for imprisoning those that challenged his ideas and robbing them of their assets for the benefit of others. This is an important element that is sometimes overlooked. The racial tensions in the United States were rising during this time, so it was a plus to be a white Cuban immigrant and not of Afro or mixed …show more content…
This is one the first reasons as to why they insisted on not receiving the label “immigrants” but rather be called “political exiles” (Garcia, 15). Previous political exiles had also settled in Miami and had used it as an operating base to develop their schemes to overthrow the political powers that exiled that. Fidel Castro, for example, received economic aid from exiles that wanted the Batista regime destroyed (Levine & Asis, 19). The United States also had its record of intervention in Cuban affairs, so some Cubans hoped that the anti-Communist sentiments of Cold War politics would inspire US intervention and help establish a more democratic and more conservative government (Garcia, 14). This expectation to return home made Miami a more suitable location to settle; many did not want to complicate their return home by settling in other US cities (Garcia,
Almost 82 percent of those that left in the early 1960s were white (Olson, 61). This was not due to direct discrimination, but the result of the demographics that supported Fidel Castro. Castro had garnished plenty of support among Afro-Cubans who resented the inequalities that persisted along racial lines. They were the base that turned the revolution from an intellectual/student movement into a more popular fight of the Cuban people (Olson, 49). In turn, those that had left were predominantly white because they were a disproportionate percentage of the elite that viewed Castro as an oppressor for imprisoning those that challenged his ideas and robbing them of their assets for the benefit of others. This is an important element that is sometimes overlooked. The racial tensions in the United States were rising during this time, so it was a plus to be a white Cuban immigrant and not of Afro or mixed …show more content…
This is one the first reasons as to why they insisted on not receiving the label “immigrants” but rather be called “political exiles” (Garcia, 15). Previous political exiles had also settled in Miami and had used it as an operating base to develop their schemes to overthrow the political powers that exiled that. Fidel Castro, for example, received economic aid from exiles that wanted the Batista regime destroyed (Levine & Asis, 19). The United States also had its record of intervention in Cuban affairs, so some Cubans hoped that the anti-Communist sentiments of Cold War politics would inspire US intervention and help establish a more democratic and more conservative government (Garcia, 14). This expectation to return home made Miami a more suitable location to settle; many did not want to complicate their return home by settling in other US cities (Garcia,