Guantanamo Bay Naval Base Rental Agreement
In 1903, the United States leased 45 square miles of land and established a naval base at Guantanamo Bay. The U.S. has been paying Cuba $4,085 monthly rent for Guantanamo Bay; however, these rental checks have remained uncashed since 1959. Fidel Castro underscored the "illegal" occupation by refusing to cash these checks.
During a televised interview years ago, he famously revealed the checks, tucked away in a desk drawer in his office. The U.S. maintains control over 46.8 square miles (121 square kilometers) of land at the entrance to Guantanamo Bay in eastern Cuba for its naval base.
