Episode 2 tells the story of how Cuba struggled in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union, their main economic and political supporter. The massive decline in living standards triggered refugee crises, which played havoc with Cuba's already difficult relations with the US and forced the two enemies to negotiate for the first time one-on-one and officially. Infuriated, the Cuban Miami exiles stepped up their operations against what they thought was a weakened regime.
But Cuba's robust self-defence killed 4 Americans and gave no choice to President Clinton but to sign a Congress bill that tightened even further the US embargo on the island. Castro had to find new friends and trading partners. He struck gold in Venezuela. The new President there, Hugo Chavez, was a long-time admirer. Cuba agreed to exchange medical aid for much-needed oil in what became known as Operation Milagro.
This Operation not only helped Cuba's economy, it also won Cuba new allies across all of Latin America and paradoxically led to rapprochement with the US under the Obama administration. But with Trump in the White House and Raúl stepping down last April, Cuba's future remains unclear.
Avec l'effondrement de l'Union soviétique, Cuba perd son principal soutien économique et politique, face à un embargo américain toujours virulent. Le niveau de vie baisse gravement, ce qui conduit plus de 100 000 réfugiés à gagner les côtes de Floride, créant ainsi un afflux difficilement contrôlable. Conscient qu'aucun rapprochement n'est alors envisageable avec les États-Unis, Fidel n'a d'autre choix que de réinventer encore une fois sa politique étrangère. Abandonnant son treillis pour le costume de ville, le Líder Maximo troque la lutte armée pour le soft power. Après le temps des combattants, vient celui des diplomates.
