Southerners in Congress made multiple attempts before and after 1848 to acquire the sugar-producing island, but met strong Northern opposition and other obstacles that derailed each of their efforts. Some Southerners fled to Cuba during and immediately after the Civil War because slavery was still legal and would not be formally abolished on ... Jan 02, 2019 · The Bush Administration held hundreds of people at the Guantanamo Bay naval base on Cuba, for two years or longer, without charge and without redress. Many were subjected to actions that have been characterized as abuse or torture.