Ninety Miles

"Together, these three tell a saga played out during a unique age filled with upheaval, sharp divisions, and yet, hope. Spanning nearly five decades of life in Cuba and in exile, this wide-ranging history is also an intimately personal narrative, one that helps explain Cubans' complex and diverse views about the path their country has taken."--BOOK JACKET.

Based on actual events spanning forty years, this story is about the relentless struggle of a family's search for freedom; the "Great Seven," Fidel Castro's inner circle; and an epic adventure driven by a passionate love relationship set in pre- and post-Revolutionary Cuba. The love story is the main impetus of the film. Pepe, the only survivor of the inner circle to escape several assassination attempts, is forced to leave his family and his fiancee (Alicia) in Cuba. Alicia, who is carrying Pepe's unborn son, conceals her pregnancy to ensure his immediate departure to safety. After a harrowing escape to Key West, Pepe receives the news of his fiancee's pregnancy and begins a long and dangerous journey to save Alicia and his unborn child. He seizes the opportunity to return to Cuba as a CIA operative in an ultracovert operation named "90 Miles." This operation was launched just prior to the Bay of Pigs invasion of April 17, 1961. The objective of 90 Miles was to determine the extent of Castro's military capabilities, namely nuclear capability. The so-called Great Seven Inner Circle was a group of men who helped finance the Cuban Revolutionary party. These men organized and provided the financial resources for Castro's revolution (see pictures enclosed). They were instrumental in the overthrow of Batista, the reigning dictator of the island of Cuba. Within eighteen months of Castro's rise to power, six of the Great Seven men had been methodically murdered by unknown assassins. This story also uncovers the truth about the missile crisis. The US government (primarily the Kennedy Administration) ignored reports of Castro's military buildup. Furthermore, senior government officials were aware and had evidence of the existence of nuclear weapons in Cuba long before the infamous Missiles of October and the flyby of the U-2 plane from the US Air Force. There are many facets to this story. A tragic love story with the backdrop of the Cuban Revolution. An amazing adventure and look into a family's search for freedom. And a part of US history never before told. 39 1

Florida Historical Society Samuel Proctor Award Rare accounts of Cuban migration in the words of the exiles themselves Bringing together an unprecedented number of extensive personal stories, this book shares the triumphs and heartbreaking moments experienced by some of the first Cubans to come to the United States after Fidel Castro took power in 1959. Ninety Miles and a Lifetime Away is a moving look inside fifteen years of migration that changed the two countries and transformed the lives of the people who found themselves separated from their homeland. David Powell presents interviews with refugees who left Cuba between 1959 and the 1962 Missile Crisis, as well as those who embarked on the Freedom Flights of the late 1960s and early 1970s. During these years more than 600,000 Cubans migrated to the US, some by way of other countries and many arriving in Miami with only a few clothes and pocket money. In their own words, exiles describe why they left the island, how they prepared for departure, what situations they faced when they arrived in the US, and how they integrated into American life. Offering historical background that illuminates this pivotal period in the context of the Cold War, Powell shows how the US government’s Cuban refugee assistance program had far-reaching effects on refugee policy, bilingual education, and child welfare programs. The testimonies in this book include new information about low-cost “Cuban Loans” that enabled young exiles to attend US colleges, preparing many to be builders and leaders in their adopted country today. A powerful portrayal of the initial effects of a revolution that began a new era in Cuba’s relationship with the world, this book preserves rare accounts of the motivations and struggles of early Cuban exiles in the words of the emigres themselves, adding gripping detail to the history of the modern Cuban diaspora. Publication of this work made possible by a Sustaining the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

When Julian's parents make the heartbreaking decision to send him and his two brothers away from Cuba to Miami via the Pedro Pan operation, the boys are thrust into a new world where bullies run rampant and it's not always clear how best to protect themselves. 90 Miles to Havana is a 2011 Pura Belpre Honor Book for Narrative and a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

90 MILES SOUTH is a story of adventure, culture shock, and ill-advised romance. A young American risks prison and fines by illegally smuggling himself into Cuba. He grows obsessed with the crumbling streets of Havana--the history, the politics, and most of all, the people. But at the same time, he feels a searing pain every time he opens his eyes to the ubiquitous poverty and prostitution. And, of course, there is a girl Our somewhat befuddled hero grows infatuated with a beautiful girl of dubious profession, but he does not seem to be psychologically capable of taking that step from his suburban universe to a relationship with a Magdalene of the third world. But he comes back this time as a reporter covering the pope's historic visit to Cuba in 1998. As he follows both the pope and the lovely Susanna around Havana, he attempts to solve the puzzle of politics, religion, and love on that mysterious island--and he finds himself entrenched in an exhausting wrestling match of values.

Bringing together an unprecedented number of extensive personal stories, this book shares the triumphs and heartbreaking moments experienced by some of the first Cubans to come to the United States after Fidel Castro took power in 1959.