What does "an old Cuban hand" mean?

Question

I am doing a report for school on the Bay of Pigs invasion, and the website I am looking at says that William Wieland was 'an old Cuban "hand"'. Does anyone know what that means? Does that mean that he was Cuban himself? Thank you for your time. I appreciate any answers you can give me (as long as they are accurate.) =D

Um, excuse me Sheeny, I am doing a report. I have done the research myself. I need to know what one phrase means, and I have already looked it up. I didn't find anything that explained that phrase meant. Can someone please tell me so that I can finish my report, instead of accusing me of trying to get someone to do it for me? If I wanted someone to do it for me, I'd just copy-paste the website and turn that in. Thank you.

Answer 1

Old hand is an old sailors term it means someone who knows the ropes. a person who is an expert through years of experience.

During much of William Wieland career in the state department
his job was to be an expert on Cuban people, politics
etc.

Answer 2

I don't know who William Wieland was, but the phrase "old Cuban hand" means an employee of the CIA or the State Dept. or maybe the military who has had the job of studying Cuba for a long time. Usually an intelligence analyst type, but maybe a spy.

Answer 3

It means someone who has lived and/or worked in Cuba a long time or at least someone who knew a lot about Cuba, though not necessarily Cuban himself.

Answer 4

You should be looking this up somewhere. Not asking us to do your homework for you. Shame on you.