When We Left Cuba

Chanel Cleeton

When We Left Cuba

Chanel Cleeton
47 pages1-hour read
Fiction
Novel
Adult
Published in 2019

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

Beatriz is a 22-year-old exile from Cuba living in Palm Beach, Florida, with her wealthy family. Restless and deeply affected by the loss of her former life, she rejects the domestic future her parents envision for her. Driven by the trauma of her twin brother's death during the revolution, she uses her beauty and social status to move through high-society events while secretly entertaining a dangerous recruitment offer from the CIA.

Key Relationships

Romantic interest of Nicholas Preston

Childhood friend of Eduardo Diaz

Recruit of Dwyer

Twin sister of Alejandro Perez

Daughter of Emilio Perez

Daughter of Mrs. Perez

Sister of Elisa Perez

Sister of Isabel Perez

Sister of Maria Perez

Assassin of Fidel Castro

Nicholas is a handsome, 37-year-old United States senator with aspirations for the presidency. A former pilot with a distinguished military record, he represents the safety and entrenched power of American high society. Though engaged to a local debutante, he finds himself intensely drawn to Beatriz, creating friction between his carefully planned political career and his personal desires.

Key Relationships

Romantic interest of Beatriz Perez

Fiancé of Katherine

Eduardo is a pragmatic and attractive Cuban exile who was best friends with Beatriz's late brother. He shares Beatriz's desire to reclaim their homeland and often reminisces with her about dancing at the Tropicana. Operating in secret circles with his own agenda, he connects Beatriz to the CIA while simultaneously worrying about the danger she invites into her life.

Key Relationships

Childhood friend of Beatriz Perez

Best friend of Alejandro Perez

Supporting Characters

Dwyer is a taciturn and observant CIA agent orchestrating operations against Fidel Castro's government. Recognizing Beatriz's thirst for revenge and her ability to blend seamlessly into high society, he views her as an ideal asset for intelligence gathering and high-stakes assassination plots.

Key Relationships

Handler of Beatriz Perez

Alejandro is Beatriz's twin brother who participated in student protests at the University of Havana against Batista's rule. His violent murder at the hands of the new regime continues to haunt Beatriz, serving as the core motivation for her espionage.

Key Relationships

Twin brother of Beatriz Perez

Best friend of Eduardo Diaz

Son of Emilio Perez

Son of Mrs. Perez

Emilio is the patriarch of the Perez family and a former Cuban sugar baron. Having lost his fortune and land to Castro's agrarian reforms, he focuses his energy entirely on rebuilding his business empire in the United States while demanding his family maintain strict social decorum.

Key Relationships

Father of Beatriz Perez

Husband of Mrs. Perez

Father of Alejandro Perez

Mrs. Perez is Beatriz's mother, a woman determined to recreate the luxurious life the family enjoyed in Havana. She aggressively orchestrates social opportunities for her daughters, hoping they will marry wealthy American men to secure their future in exile.

Key Relationships

Mother of Beatriz Perez

Wife of Emilio Perez

Mother of Elisa Perez

Mother of Isabel Perez

Mother of Maria Perez

Mother of Alejandro Perez

Elisa is Beatriz's older sister who has successfully adapted to life in exile. Married to a man named Juan and raising a young son, she embodies the domestic stability that her parents wish for their other daughters.

Key Relationships

Older sister of Beatriz Perez

Daughter of Mrs. Perez

Isabel is Beatriz's sister, who courts an American businessman and tries to adhere to her mother's strict social expectations. She worries deeply about family appearances and scolds Beatriz for engaging in behaviors that might embarrass them in Palm Beach.

Key Relationships

Sister of Beatriz Perez

Daughter of Mrs. Perez

Maria is Beatriz's younger sister. Unlike Isabel and their mother, Maria does not judge Beatriz's rebellious actions, maintaining a cooperative and affectionate bond with her sister as they adjust to their new lives in Florida.

Key Relationships

Younger sister of Beatriz Perez

Daughter of Mrs. Perez

Fidel Castro is the communist leader of Cuba whose policies stripped the Perez family of their wealth and forced them into exile. As a prominent figure on the global political stage, he serves as the primary target of the CIA operations Beatriz is recruited to execute.

Key Relationships

Target of Beatriz Perez

Katherine is a local debutante whose wealth and social standing perfectly match the powerful Preston family. She holds a flinty edge beneath her polished exterior, demanding that any indiscretions threatening her future marriage remain strictly hidden.

Key Relationships

Fiancé of Nicholas Preston

Rival of Beatriz Perez

Javier is a Cuban exile involved in a South Florida communist group that Beatriz is assigned to monitor by the CIA. He expresses a desire to see Cuba progress along Castro's path and operates with a quiet, intense demeanor alongside his brother.

Key Relationships

Brother of Sergio

Monitored by Beatriz Perez

Sergio is a young Cuban man who attends pro-Castro meetings in Florida. Like his brother Javier, he represents a faction of Cuban exiles whose political sympathies directly oppose the democratic ideals Beatriz fights for.

Key Relationships

Brother of Javier

Ramon is a Cuban exile living in London and the boyfriend of a deceased double agent named Claudia. The CIA suspects him of playing a role in Claudia's death, prompting them to send Beatriz across the ocean to gather intelligence on his activities.

Key Relationships

Investigated by Beatriz Perez