Biography of Fidel Castro. The Path of the Cuban Leader

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:54

For more than half a century, Cuba was led by the undisputed leader - Fidel Castro. The years of the Comandante's life are full of various events. The biography of Fidel Castro cannot be assessed unambiguously. A lot of works, monographs have been written about him, and a large number of documentary films have been shot. Someone calls him a people's ruler, and someone calls him a dictator. Comandante survived more than 600 attempts on his life.

Biography of Fidel Castro: childhood and youth

The future Cuban ruler was born on August 13, 1926 in the province of Orente, in the town of Biran. His family owned a small sugarcane plantation of their own. In 1941, Fidel began his studies at the college, from which he graduated with honors. According to friends and acquaintances, from an early age he was distinguished by a rare sense of purpose and ambition. Further, Castro continues his studies at the University in Havana. During his studies, the future Comandante takes an active part inpolitical actions of the Cuban People's Party. In 1950, he received a law degree and opened a private practice, but revolutionary ideas took over.

In 1953, Fidel takes a direct part in the attack on a large garrison of government forces, but the enterprise ends in failure. Many conspirators die, and the rest go to prison (including Castro, who received a sentence of 15 years). However, under pressure from the Cuban and world community, Fulgencio Batista released the prisoners in 1955 and sent them to Mexico.

Fidel Castro Biography: Cuban Revolution

The future Comandante returned to Cuba in 1958 together with Che Guevara. They had an armed insurgent battle group with them. With their return, large-scale revolutionary actions began in Cuba, and the partisan movement began to gain momentum. In 1959, the rebels captured the capital and some time later overthrew the Batista regime. As a result of the revolution, Fidel Castro became the new Cuban dictator, head of government and commander in chief. He began to build socialism, carried out the nationalization of the property of private companies, as well as the plots of medium and large landowners. This pretty much spoiled the Comandante's relations with the United States, and many Cubans began to leave Liberty Island. Political repression began in the country.

Biography of Fidel Castro: relations with the USA

Fidel Castro's relationship with the United States deteriorated rapidly after the revolution. American corporations lost their property due to nationalization, which hurt uncleSam for life. The United States simply could not lose the "all-Caribbean brothel" that Cuba was at that time. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been invested in this country. In 1961, the CIA launched a special operation, which is better known as the landing in the Bay of Pigs. On the coast of the island, the Americans landed a brigade of well-armed and trained mercenaries, consisting mainly of Hispanics and fugitive Cubans. They were supposed to start hostilities, ignite an uprising and topple the Castro regime, but were defeated. At the same time, Fidel is actively cooperating with the USSR. In 1962, Soviet missiles were placed on the island, which led to the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Cuba Economic Development

In the 1960s and 1970s, the country's economy was actively developing thanks to gratuitous Soviet assistance. Tourism is flourishing, medicine is becoming free, and the literacy of the population is increasing. However, the opposition is still very strong. Even some former associates oppose Castro. In the 80s, the USSR stopped helping Castro, which led to a severe economic crisis. In the 1990s, Cuba becomes the poorest country in the region. In 2008, the Cuban leader, due to poor he alth, effectively handed over power to his brother Raul.

Fidel Castro. Biography. Comandante's personal life

There are not many reliable data about the personal life of the Cuban leader. According to the official biography, he was married twice, but rumor ascribes to him a huge number of novels. Comandante has seven children.