A 1989 Portrait Of Cuba We Made For Ted Turner When He Wanted To Engage Fidel Castro

My team and I made this documentary for Ted Turner of Turner Broadcasting in 1988. He wanted to establish his cable system in Cuba. He didn’t tell us what to film or how to film it but it was clear to us that he had somewhat positive view of Fidel Castro and thought that he could do business with him. We got amazing access some of which is shown in this film. Marriages. Farms. ánamo Bay. Prostitution. Housing and more of the life we that saw in Havana Cuba and around the country during the weeks that we were filming. In 1988 the relationship between the USA and Cuba was characterized by tension, hostility and a lack of formal diplomatic ties. This strained relationship can be traced back to the Cuban Revolution in 1959 when Fidel Castro and his communist allies overthrew the dictator Fulgencio Batista. The U.S. had imposed a comprehensive economic embargo against Cuba in the early 1960s. This embargo, which was still in place in 1988, restricted trade and most forms of economic exchange between the two nations. The U.S. aimed to pressure the Castro regime into making political and economic reforms. Throughout the Cold War, Cuba was a close ally of the Soviet Union. This alignment was a major point of contention, given the geopolitical struggle between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Cuba’s alignment with the USSR, and its support for other revolutionary movements in Latin America and Africa, further exacerbated tensions with the U.S. The U.S. government operated Radio Martí since 1985 and started TV Martí in 1990 as broadcasting services directed towards the Cuban people. These were designed to promote American values and counteract Cuban state media. However, the Cuban government considered them propaganda tools. The U.S. frequently criticized Cuba for its human rights record, including the imprisonment of political dissidents. Cuba, in turn, highlighted what it saw as human rights violations in the U.S., such as racial and economic inequality. In 1980, the Mariel boatlift saw over 125,000 Cubans arrive in the U.S. in a mass emigration. The event created both humanitarian and political challenges. By 1988, while the immediate effects of the boatlift had subsided, it remained a symbolic representation of the ongoing tensions and differences between the two nations. Ted Turner, the media mogul and founder of CNN (Cable News Network), visited Cuba and met with Fidel Castro in the late 1980s. During his visit, one of the primary objectives was to build a relationship with the Cuban leader and gain a better understanding of the country and its perspectives. Ted Turner was known for his ability to forge relationships with prominent leaders worldwide, and his meeting with Castro was in line with this reputation. During his visit, Turner did conduct an extensive interview with Castro for CNN (here is that video - which provided a rare, in-depth look at the Cuban leader’s views on various global and regional topics. This interview was significant as it was one of the few times Castro was interviewed by a major U.S. media outlet. As for securing cable rights for Turner Broadcasting in Cuba, while Turner was always looking for opportunities to expand his media empire, there’s no direct evidence to suggest that gaining cable rights in Cuba was a primary objective of his visit. Given the political and economic situation in Cuba, and the U.S. embargo, it would have been a significant challenge to launch such a venture in Cuba during that period. Turner’s visit was emblematic of his broader approach to journalism and business: engaging with global leaders, pushing boundaries, and striving for a more interconnected world. If you found this video of interest, please support my efforts to present more videos from my archive. You can do this by clicking the thanks button below the video screen or by becoming a patron at Thank you David Hoffman Filmmaker