Welcome to Cuban Studies at the University of Florida!
Together, the History Department, Smathers Library and the Center for Latin American Studies at UF are committed to uncovering and sharing knowledge of Cuba with the world. Visit this site to learn about and experience Cuba through visual galleries of unique historical photographs and photo essays, filmed oral interviews, and links to specially selected treasures from UF’s vast library collections and private archives on Cuba.
— Professor Lillian Guerra and Miguel Torres Yunda
Ex-Libris
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In this edition of Ex-Libris, Dr. Lillian Guerra interviews PhD candidate and author Elizabeth Mirabal about her newest book of poetry, Cuban Trophy (2026). To find more from Elizabeth Mirabal, visit her website here. Find the book here. Find a review here: ‘Cuban Trophy’ de Elizabeth Mirabal, un libro contra el fetiche de la nostalgia…
Conversatorio Cubano
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In this edition of Conversatorio Cubano, Dr. Lillian Guerra interviews Father Manuel Puga, S.J., discussing the role and experiences of the Catholic Church in pre-1991 Cuba and the aftermath of the Soviet Union’s dissolution in Cuba. First visit to Cuba by a Pope- John Paul II in Santiago de Cuba, 1998. The interview:
Gems of the Archive
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On 16 September 1961, Fidel Castro ordered the forcible deportation of all foreign-born Catholic priests from Cuba. Because the Cuban Church had long relied on Spain rather than training its own nationals for the priesthood, nearly a thousand priests, representing approximately 90% of the total, left on planes for Spain. Armed militias defrocked most of…
