Little Known Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Cuba

In 1903, the United States secured a lease for 45 square miles of land at the entrance to Guantanamo Bay in eastern Cuba, eventually expanding its hold to 46.8 square miles (121 square kilometers) for the establishment of a naval base. Under the agreement, the U.S. has continued to pay Cuba a monthly rent of $4,085.

However, since the 1959 revolution, Fidel Castro staunchly refused to recognize the legitimacy of the lease, famously declining to cash the checks in protest of what he deemed an “illegal” occupation. In a televised interview, he once revealed the uncashed checks stored in his desk drawer.