Cuba is an island country located 90 miles south of Florida. It has been ruled by a communist government led by Fidel Castro since 1959. The United States maintains an economic embargo on Cuba and operates a naval base at Guantanamo Bay through a lease agreement. There is ongoing debate over whether the U.S. should maintain the embargo or work to normalize relations with Cuba.
3. During his 2008 Presidential campaign, Barack Obama described Guantanamo as a "sad chapter in American history" and promised to close down the prison in 2009. After being elected, Obama reiterated his campaign promise on 60 Minutes and the ABC program "This Week." On January 22, 2009, President Obama stated that he ordered the government to suspend prosecutions of Guantanamo Bay detainees for 120 days in order to review all the detainees cases to determine whether and how each detainee should be prosecuted. A day later, Obama signed an Executive Order stating that Guantanamo Detention Camp would be closed within the year. His plan encountered a setback when a Guantanamo Judge rejected the plan. Our Senate passed an ammendment blocking funds to the camp. As of now 193 prisoners remain.