Any history of Cuba is inextricably woven with the life of
Fidel Castro. A spectacular figure in the scope of world politics,
Castro has ruled Cuba for over forty years. A powerful looking
man with an intense grasp of oratory skills, Fidel Alejandro
Castro Ruz was born on August 13, 1926 on "Los Manacas,"
his father's farm near the town of Birán, which is
close to Mayari, in the Oriente Province.
His father, Angel Castro Argiz, was of Spanish descent. He
came to Cuba for the first time to fight with the Spanish
army during the Spanish-American war in 1898. In Cuba, he
recognized a land of great opportunity, and despite being
deported after the end of the war, Angel Castro returned to
the island in 1905. Angel Castro built his empire slowly with
hard work and shrewd investments. By the time Fidel was born,
Angel was one of the richest men in the province.
Castro's mother first worked as a maid in Angel's household.
When she became pregnant with Angel's child, his first wife,
Maria Louisa, left him. The couple had three children, Angela,
Ramón and Fidel, out of wedlock. Fidel's other siblings,
Juana, Raúl, Emma and Augustina arrived after the couple
married. The stigma of being born "illegitimate"
would follow Castro throughout his life, affecting him on
both social and psychological levels.
From an early age Castro had an aptitude for learning. He
was a bright, energetic child who enjoyed sports. His parents
sent him to boarding school for most of his early education.
In 1945, after over eleven years spent in Catholic boarding
schools, Castro finished high school at Belen, a Jesuit school
in Havana. In September 1945, Castro entered Havana University
and enrolled in the law school. Fidel Castro's life would
change irrevocably while he was at school.
According to biographer Peter G. Bourne, "From his first
day on campus, Fidel was fascinated with politics" (Bourne
32). The atmosphere at the university was aggressive, as "organized
violence had become so significant a factor that many aspiring
student leaders saw it as an essential ingredient to their
success" (33). Gangs controlled much of what went on
in the political sphere, in some cases sanctioning murder
to achieve the desired outcome. Campus politics were known
as an important stepping-stone for a career outside the world
of the university. Many student leaders went on to hold powerful
positions in the state arena.
The next few years would be some of the most volatile in the history
of Cuba. The island's government had become exponentially corrupt
since becoming an independent country in 1898. Politicians entered
into the fray in order to increase their station in life, not to
affect any great measure of change. Further, a Cuban president could
not even come into power unless backed by the omnipotent United
States.
Fiercely dedicated to social justice, inherently against political
corruption and committed to reform, Fidel joined the newly formed
Ortodoxos party in 1947. Founded by Eduardo Chibás, Castro
remained a party member for eight years. The party's mandate was
to exact revolutionary change from within the bounds of established
constitutional policy. Despite Chibás losing the 1948 election,
Castro was committed to Ortodoxos, investing time and energy in
their cause, almost to the detriment of his own education.
In 1948, Castro left Cuba to attend a Pan-American conference
in Bogatá, Columbia to escape political and police
pressure. The events in Columbia would change Castro's life
- the student congress turned violent, and many people were
killed in the riot. However, the passion, drama, and the violence
of the events were compelling to a man who would eventually
commit to using guerilla warfare as a means of change.
After his return from Columbia, Fidel Castro married Mirta Díaz
Balart, and had a son, Fidelito in 1949. He also graduated from
the university with a Doctor of Laws degree in 1950 and started
a small law practice in Havana.
As his personal life shifted to include a family, Castro became
even more involved in national politics. In 1952, his political
mentor, Eduardo Chibás was again running for presidency.
He based his platform on exposing the rampant corruption endemic
to the Cuban government.
After a politically disastrous moment (Chibás made accusations
with information he did not realize was incorrect), which threatened
his proud sense of integrity, the Ortodoxos leader shot himself
in the stomach during a radio broadcast. The reasons behind Chibás
self-inflicted wounds are largely unknown, except to posit that
this was an attempt to restore his honour among the people who had
questioned his veracity.
Castro was present at the shooting and accompanied his mentor
to the hospital. On August 16, Chibás died from an
infection due to his wounds. Reform was not to be, and while
Castro was devastated by the events, he saw a chance to advance
his political career in the wake of Chibás' popularity.
Castro intended to run for the House of Representatives in
1952 - but the elections never took place. On March 10, 1952,
Fulgencio Batista overthrew the Cuban government and established
himself as dictator. The coup quickly gained support within
both Cuban society and established agencies like the Chamber
of Commerce. Most importantly, the United States firmly recognized
Batista's regime.
Violently opposed to Batista's government, Castro decided
to take legal action. Stating that Batista had broken the
Cuban Constitution, Castro wanted him imprisoned. While the
legal charges went effectively nowhere, they were nonetheless
important, as they would form the basis for Castro's later
arguments against Batista's government.
As Bourne suggests, "[w]hatever possibility might have
existed for a political career within the elective process
had vanished overnight" (67). Castro was no longer a
student involved in university politics, nor was he a young
lawyer trying to enter the elusive world of politics. Now,
he was on the verge of becoming Cuba's most important revolutionary
leader.