In the early 20th century, when Cuba had just gained independence from the United States, the newly independent nation was rife with internal strife. Historians have noted that the first president, Palma, upheld the best standards of administrative integrity in the history of the Cuban Republic, but thereafter, corruption became the most deeply rooted tradition in this newly independent nation. Electoral fraud and tyranny were common, street gangs thrived, and there was a significant wealth gap in the country. At that time, the United States had not given up on continuing to dominate Cuba and, during the first half of the 20th century, effectively reduced it to a protectorate of the U.S.
Batista rose to power in 1940 through honest elections, but after failing in his second presidential election in 1952, he launched a coup and began his dictatorship. Fidel Castro, who was then a young lawyer and activist, was dissatisfied with this and petitioned the court to overthrow Batista. However, his constitutional arguments were dismissed by the court. Realizing that he could not replace Batista's regime through legal means, he decided to initiate an armed revolution. To this end, he and his brother Raul formed a paramilitary organization called the "Movement" and stockpiled weapons while recruiting followers from the working class in Havana.
In the following six years, the revolutionaries, also known as the "July 26 Movement," fought against Batista's regime. Even with American weapons and technical support, the latter was unable to withstand the advances of the former. Thus, 64 years ago today, on January 1, 1959, with Batista fleeing Cuba, the revolutionaries achieved victory, and Urrutia Leo became president in the first revolutionary government.
Subsequently, Castro immediately began to eliminate all remnants of the highly corrupt Batista system, which included executing dozens of former Batista members and calling for the confiscation of the wealth of corrupt officials. President Urrutia also quickly initiated a plan to close all brothels, gambling establishments, and the national lottery to eliminate factors that could lead to national corruption. However, the new government faced much controversy regarding corruption. Urrutia was accused by the Nicaraguan Communist newspaper "Forward" of purchasing luxurious villas, which was seen as a betrayal of the revolution, but he denied the allegation, stating that he had "absolutely no disagreements" with Fidel Castro. Urrutia proposed that Cuba should restore elections, which was rejected by Castro, who believed this would lead to a return of the old corrupt parties and fraudulent voting systems characteristic of the Batista era. However, others accused Castro of institutionalizing corruption...
The Cuban Revolution was also a key turning point in U.S.-Cuba relations. After the revolutionary government nationalized all American property in Cuba in August 1960, the Eisenhower administration froze all Cuban assets on U.S. soil, severed diplomatic relations, and intensified the embargo against Cuba. In 1961, the U.S. government initiated the Bay of Pigs invasion in an attempt to overthrow the Cuban revolutionary government, but the invasion was repelled by the Cuban military. The success of the Cuban Revolution indeed allowed for Cuba to gain full independence, completely free from American influence.
President John F. Kennedy publicly stated in an interview: "I believe that no country in the world, including in Africa, including any and all countries under colonial rule, has been subjected to economic colonization, humiliation, and exploitation as severely as Cuba, partly because of our policies during the Batista regime. I endorsed Fidel Castro's statement made in the Sierra Maestra, where he rightly called for justice, particularly in his eagerness to eliminate corruption in Cuba. I would go further: to some extent, Batista seems to be the embodiment of many of America's evils. Now we must pay the price for these sins. On the issue of the Batista regime, I agree with the views of the first revolutionaries in Cuba."
After the U.S. turned its hostility toward Cuba and severed relations, the relationship between the Soviet Union and Cuba became closer. This was during the height of the Cold War, when the struggle for global dominance between the U.S. and the Soviet Union was at its peak, and the success of the Cuban communist revolution signified the potential for successful communist revolutions in other parts of Latin America.
Castro's victory not only affected Cuba but also had a significant impact on the world. As Castro once said, "The revolution is not a bed of roses; it is a struggle between the future and the past."
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