Fidel Castro – (b.

1927)
Leader of Cuba (1959-Present)
 Cuba is a unitary socialist republic – according to constitution of 1976
 Communist Party of Cuba is the leading force of society and the state
 Ideology = socialism
Random Facts
 defined the word charisma
 extremely good orator
o ability as an orator = helped maintain enough popularity not to have a total meltdown in Cuba
Life and education
 Born to a father that began wealthy through the sugar industry and successful investing and a
household servant
 Father married to another woman till Castro is 15 – illegitimate child raised in various foster homes
 He was an intellectually gifted student but said to be more interested in sports than in academics
 began political career while studying law at University of Havana 1945
 After becoming a lawyer 1950, Castro spent much of his time defending the poor.
 As a member of the liberal Partido del Pueblo Cubano (also known as the Partido Ortodoxo), Castro
became a candidate for Parliament in the national elections scheduled for June 1952.
 March 1952, Batista overthrew elected government + set up a military dictatorship.

 Castro organized a small rebel force of 165, which on 26 July 1953 attacked the Moncada Barracks
in Santiago de Cuba, with the hope of provoking a popular uprising in the Oriente province.

 The attack was a failure; about ½ rebels killed + rest captured, including Fidel + Raul.

 During trial, Castro defended himself by giving a speech that later would become known by the
phrase, “History will absolve me.” Castro was found guilty and sentenced to 15 years in jail.

 In 1955 Castro was released under a general amnesty.

 For a period of time, he tried to present a nonviolent opposition to the regime, but was denied
access to the mass media. Castro left for Mexico where he organized the “26th of July” movement
with Cuban exiles who were anxious to return to Cuba and overthrow the Batista dictatorship.

Rise to Power
 2 December 1956, Fidel Castro + brother Raúl, Ernesto “Ché” Guevara (Argentinean doctor whom
they met in Mexico), and a force of about 82 men landed on the north coast of the Oriente province
 The rebel group was met by the Batista forces, and most of the rebels were killed.
 A few of the survivors, including Fidel and Raúl Castro, and Ché Guevara, escaped to the Sierra
Maestro Mountains, where they regrouped and began recruiting new members.
 Early 1958, the rebel movement gained a series of victories against the Batista forces, which
encouraged massive civic resistance in the cities.
 The growing success of the rebel forces led to increasingly brutal repression by the Batista forces
 Early 1958, Eisenhower suspended arms shipments to Cuba, accusing Batista of having violated
agreements with US by using the weapons not for national defense, but to fight internal enemies.
 This decision increased public disenchantment with Batista.
 January 1st 1959, Batista accepted his defeat and went into exile in the Dominican Republic.
 The next day, Fidel Castro and his “26th of July” movement assumed control of Cuba.

Leadership
 Castro has proven to be a skillful politician and a survivor
 Castro not only consolidated his power domestically, but also survived many international
challenges, especially from the United States.

 Initially Castro’s revolution had widespread support not only from the Cuban population, but also
from many Americans, who had been shocked by the abuses of the Batista dictatorship

 Early days of the revolutionary regime – plenty arrests +executions of former members of the
Batista dictatorship.

 The new government ruled promised that elections would be held within 18 months.

 Agrarian reform and nationalizing of industrial enterprises, most of them owned by U.S. companies.

 U.S. companies that were expropriated with little compensation unhappy with the new regime.

 Castro’s nationalistic rhetoric and critical view of the previous involvement of the United States in
Cuban politics further weakened relations with the Eisenhower administration.

 1960 Cuba purchase Soviet oil in exchange for Cuban sugar

 United States cut the quota for sugar imports from Cuba - Eisenhower broke relations with Cuba.

 11 April 1961, a U.S.-sponsored force of about 1,300 Cuban exiles landed on Cuba’s southern coast
(the Bay of Pigs) with the purpose of overthrowing Castro.

 Invading forces soundly defeated - major embarrassment for the Kennedy administration.

 Castro consolidated power, December 1961 Cuba a communist state - Marxist-Leninist program.

 In October 1962, the tension between Cuba and the United States reached its highest level after
Soviet missiles with nuclear warheads were discovered in Cuba.

 After a U.S.-imposed naval blockade and several days of tension between the super-powers, the
Soviet Union withdrew its missiles and the United States agreed not to invade Cuba.

 After surviving this ordeal- considered worst international crisis since World War II, Castro moved
closer to the Soviet Union and other socialist countries.
 In 1964, ostracized by Latin American countries when the Organization of American States (OAS)
imposed diplomatic and commercial sanctions against Cuba.

 In 1965, groups that had supported the revolution were united into the Communist Party of Cuba.

 In 1972, Cuba became a full member of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance
 In 1976, first constitution since the revolution
 In 1976, National Assembly of People’s Power elected members of Council of State - Castro as prez
 Since then, Castro reelected several times, including the election of 1998, in which no other political
party was allowed representation.

Opposition
 The Opposition to Fidel Castro's Cuban government is largely unofficial and illegal within Cuba due
to the political system led by Fidel Castro being a one party state.
 The most concentrated locus of opposition is amongst the Cuban-American exile community in
Miami, Florida.
 There are a number of opposition parties and groups that campaign for political change in Cuba.
 Though amendments to the Cuban Constitution of 1992 decriminalized the right to form political
parties other than the Communist Party of Cuba, these parties are not permitted to engage in public
political activities on the island.
 No party, including the Communist Party of Cuba, is permitted to campaign on behalf of
candidates.

Religious Beliefs:
 Baptized and raised a Roman Catholic
 In Oliver Stone’s documentary Commandante Castro states – “I have never been a believer”
 Pope John XXIII excommunicated Castro 1962 – Catholics cannot support communist governments
 1992 loosens restrictions on religion
 Church going Catholics can be a part of Cuban Communist party
 Describes himself as being secular and no longer atheist
 1998 Pope John Paul II visited Cuban – appeared side by side
 Castro reinstated Christmas day as a holiday

Domestic Policies
 economy was transformed from capitalist (very dependent on U.S. investment) to socialist

 Now, Cuban state owns most enterprises + economic plans for all sectors of the economy.

 In terms of economic development, the Castro government has been successful in addressing many
of the problems that affect developing countries. For example, advances have been made in terms
of life expectancy, health services, housing, living conditions, and education.

 Fall of USSR – decline, consequent termination of favorable aid and trade arrangements that had
supported its economy. - shortages of basic raw materials, which seriously affected production.

o Castro forced to soften many of his fundamental socialist principles and move toward a more
market-oriented economy.
 o A graduated income tax, price increases on goods and services, and limited individual private
enterprise were introduced. Government subsidies to inefficient state enterprises were
reduced. Business laws revised + banking system restructured to facilitate foreign investment.

 In response to the economic downturn - Cuba must sell sugar on the open market

 In 2002, Cuba’s National Assembly passed an amendment to the Constitution to make Cuba’s
socialist system “irrevocable.” To mark the occasion, Castro closed down all factories, banks,
schools, and offices for three days so that citizens could watch the proceedings on television. In the
days before the session, eight million voters signed a petition supporting the measure.

Foreign relations
USSR
 Bought oil from USSR
 Lots of economic aid form Soviet Union and several pacts together
 After Cuban Missile crisis – Soviet Union and Cuba establishment of strong diplomatic ties
 Increasingly dependent on Soviet markets and military and economic aid
 Gave public backing of Soviet Union’s actions against the ppl of the different countries in USSR
 1989 Gorbachev wanted to implement economic and political reform – put strain on
relationship between nation
 Fall of the USSR obviously had significant effect on Cuba
USA
 Castro regime constantly threatened by US opposition
 reached its height in 1961 during the U.S.-sponsored Bay of Pigs invasion
 Castro government has also had to deal with a continuous U.S. embargo
 March 1996, Helms-Burton Act- imposed sanctions on countries trading with/investing in Cuba
 The United States continues to condemn the Cuban government for human rights violations
 However, in 2002 there was an increase in communication between the United States and Cuba.
o Jimmy Carter traveled to Cuba – allowed to speak freely on television - criticizing Cuba’s lack
of democracy and calling for free expression and the lifting of the U.S. embargo.

Minority groups
o Homosexuals rounded up and sent to labor camps – re-education and rehabilitation –
without charge or trial - Had to do laborious tasks and housed roughly
o Same-sex relationships presently not recognized by state
o Sex rearrangement surgeries are free for citizens
o Public antipathy towards LGBT is high – reflecting regional norms

Role of Women
Pre-Revolution
 existed rigid stereotypes
 division of roles between the sexes in the home and in society.
 Woman = wife and homemaker in a family headed by her husband or partner.
 few rights - expected to sacrifice academic potential and broader interests, health and
happiness in order to ensure the stability and wellbeing of the family.
Post-Revolution
  Constitution explicitly guarantees women economic, political, social, cultural and family rights
and opportunities equal to those of men.
 Equality of access is ensured in both education and health provision and works
 The Federation of Cuban Women - ensure equal rights and provision for women
 Just under 36% of female deputies in the National Assembly, Cuba ranks fifth in the world after the
Scandinavian countries for the percentage of parliamentarians who are women.
 About 20% of officers in the Cuban armed forces are
 Before the Revolution women made up less than 20% of the workforce (17% in 1956). Today they
comprise 44%of the labor.
 women - identical rights to men in terms of equal pay, working conditions, job security, holiday
entitlement, pension rights and training.

Sources
http://www.soc.duke.edu/~nvaldes/Cuba/fidel.htm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/01/fidel-castro-raul-cuba

http://www.mrdowling.com/710-cuba.html
http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ab08#1208
http://en.allexperts.com/e/o/op/opposition_to_fidel_castro.htm

Current Events
http://www.newsweek.com/id/234446

http://www.cuba-solidarity.org.uk/faqdocs/WomenInCuba.pdf