ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Guantánamo Bay Naval Base

Okay kiddo, let me explain Guantánamo Bay Naval Base in a simple way. Have you ever seen a big playground where lots of kids go to play, like in the park or in a school? Now imagine that the Guantánamo Bay Naval Base is like a playground, but for the grown-up soldiers of the United States Navy.

This playground is located in a sunny, tropical place called Cuba, which is a small island in the Caribbean Sea. The playground is called "Guantánamo Bay," and it has a lot of buildings and facilities where Navy sailors can do their job, like fixing boats, refueling airplanes and helicopters, and storing their equipment and weapons.

But there's one thing that makes Guantánamo Bay a little different from other playgrounds. You see, this playground is not owned by the United States, but by the Cuban government. So the Navy sailors cannot just come and go as they please. They need permission from the Cuban government to use this playground, and they have to follow some special rules that the Cuban government sets.

This special permission from Cuba is called a "lease agreement," and it means that the United States can use Guantánamo Bay for a certain period of time, as long as they pay rent to the Cuban government. The payment is only $4,000 per year, which is like the price of a few toys that you might want to buy.

Now, there's one more thing that makes Guantánamo Bay a little bit famous, and that's the fact that the United States government decided to use a part of it as a detention center for people who were caught fighting against the United States in war. They call it a "detention camp," and some people even call it a "prison."

This detention camp is a very controversial topic, which means that a lot of people have different opinions about it. Some people think it's an important tool to keep the United States safe from dangerous people, while others think it's unfair and violates basic human rights. What do you think, little one?