A 'lobbyist' is a person who works on behalf of a special interest or a lobby to influence legislation.
When Fidel Castro was elected Prime Minister of Cuba and took power in 1959, Castro announced that he - and his administration - were communists and that they welcomed support and aid from the communist Soviet Union. While other Western powers were aware of Castro's socialistic leanings, his willingness to announce himself as a communist, and encourage support from the Soviet Union was a surprise to many Cuban citizens and, also, other Western nations, particularly the United States.
" Early American political leaders argued that with the exception of free trade, self-defense and humanitarian emergencies, the U.S. would do best to avoid permanent alliances that do not serve American interests but instead deflect attention from domestic issues. When World War I broke out in July 1914, the United States actively maintained a stance of neutrality, and President Woodrow Wilson encouraged the U.S. as a whole to avoid becoming emotionally or ideologically involved in the conflict."
