History Behind: Fidel Castro
Castro was born on August 13 1926, died on November 25, 2016
Beliefs
Claimed to be Marxist
Leaned toward a more Leninist strain
More direction and efficiency in revolution, “proletarian dictatorship” for those who are poor and landless. However, praised Guerilla-style warfare
Later aligned with Soviet Union beliefs more, first year presidency.
After graduating at the University of Havana, he became more active in politics and ran for the legislative office in 1952. These elections would later be cut short after Fulgencio Batista forcibly seized power. Castro would lead a resistance movement against Batista. While unsuccessful at first, the guerilla type warfare would erode Batista's forces and lead to him fleeing the country in 1959. Castro would gain power.
As a leader, Castro turned Cuba into the first communist state in the Western Hemisphere. He made beneficial laws, giving his people free education and healthcare to his citizens. He also made more oppressive laws (aligning with the soviet union) such as the elimination of free press. He jailed those who opposed his policies and turned Cuba into a one-party state.
After the fall of the Soviet Union fell, more liberal policies had to be enacted to keep the economy from falling. Castro allied and traded with the soviet union
He created a rift between the United States and Cuban relations, and the U.S. implemented a trade embargo as a response (lasted until December 17, 2014 – Trump presidency enacted new business restrictions in 2020).
After he left power his brother Raul Castro took over and began implementing more free market policies. He was more diplomatic with the United States, worked with Barack Obama to improve relations and trading. More restrictions put in place by the Trump Presidency.
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