On 16 February 1959, Fidel Castro declared himself Premier of Cuba after overthrowing Fulgencio Batista in January of 1959.

Batista’s dictatorship was marked with corruption. He was involved with organized crime, taking bribes from organized crime members to keep their casino, prostitution, and drug industries running strong in Cuba’s capital city, Havana. Castro, a young lawyer, had fought against Batista’s rule since Batista forcibly took the presidency via military coup in 1952 and proceeded to cancel the elections, which prevented Castro from attaining a seat that he had sought in parliament. After a failed attack on the Moncada army barracks and a two year stint in prison, Castro finally gained control through the guerrilla warfare of his 26 July army on January 1, 1959.

Castro’s regime has had both negative and positive impacts on the living standards in Cuba. Castro nearly eliminated illiteracy through an advanced educational system. Focusing on preventative care, Cuba’s healthcare system is also high quality. As of 2006, Cuba was “ranked 52 out of 177 countries on the UN’s human development index, which measures health, education and living standards.”

On the other hand, rights that we consider basic are infringed upon. Speaking out against the socialist state can be punished by law. The media is also controlled by the government, as well as how much land someone can own.

The United States embargo on Cuban goods has put a great strain on the Cuban economy. The early 1990’s nudged Castro to allow limited private business because of the collapse of the Soviet Union, a strong economic support to Cuba and the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992, which tightened the United States’ embargo.

In 2008, after nearly 50 years in power, Fidel Castro stepped down from his multiple government positions. His younger brother, Raul Castro, succeeded him.
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–Charlotte Clapham

Photo Caption: Luis Korda‘s photograph of Fidel Castro (right) and Camilo Cienfuegos (left), Havana, January 8, 1959.

Meet the Author

Charlotte Clapham is a student at Schoolcraft College.