Cuba Secured Its Independence on May 20, 1902, but the Island Doesn't Celebrate It. Here's Why
- On May 20, 1902, the Republic of Cuba was born, yet the government refuses to recognize the date, favoring January 1, 1959, as their true Independence Day instead.
- Cuba's 1902 independence was tied to the Platt Agreement, an annex to the Constitution allowing U.S. intervention; the government views this as continued colonization rather than true sovereignty.
- The White House issued a statement commemorating the date on Wednesday, and Secretary State Marco Rubio released a video message, sparking criticism from officials in Havana.
- Cuban Foreign Affairs Minister Bruno Rodrígez called the U.S. messages 'superficial and ill-informed,' adding they were an 'insult,' while Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel condemned the date as 'dispossession.'
- Exiles and those of Cuban ancestry in the U.S. celebrate May 20, with Miami-based federal prosecutor Jason Reding Quiñones calling it 'their 4th of July' to honor freedom's pursuit.
20 Articles
20 Articles
Every May 20, Cuban flags are observed in the streets of the United States, while on the island the date almost goes unnoticed.
At about the same time, on Wednesday morning, the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, spoke from Washington, while the ruler, Miguel Díaz-Canel, was doing so from Havana. Both were going to the people of Cuba. The first highlighted the date, May 20, 1902, as the day when “the Cuban flag waved for the first time over an independent country,” a scene recorded in a photo of the time that kept forever the birth of the republic. The second, however, sai…
Associated Press News
Cuba secured its independence on May 20, 1902, but the island doesn't celebrate it. Here's why
Cuba's independence on May 20, 1902, isn't celebrated by its socialist government. The date is linked to the Platt Agreement, which allowed U.S. intervention in Cuban affairs.
What happened in Cuba on May 20 and why it's censored by the island's government
May 20, 1902, is recognized as the official birth of the Republic of Cuba after centuries of Spanish rule (1511–1898) and a U.S. military occupation (1899–1902) that paved the way for its transition to a sovereign state. That day, the Cuban flag flew on its own—without the U.S. flag alongside it—as had been the case up to that point after Spain’s withdrawal. In this way, buildings such as El Morro Castle, the fortress guarding Havana Bay, or the…
Latin American Summary, May 20, 2026. The President of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, recalled this Wednesday the historical significance of May 20 as a date marked by intervention and imperial interference with our nation, but also as the origin of an anti-imperialist consciousness that has accompanied the Cuban people for generations. “Only one [...] La entrada Cuba. May 20: We do not forget that it is the day of the intervention of the Uni…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 43% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
