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Fidel Castro
Leading the Cuban Revolution and governing Cuba for nearly five decades.
Revolutionary victory · Bay of Pigs
- Born
- 13 August 1926
- Birthplace
- Birán, Cuba
- Died
- 25 November 2016
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Fidel Castro was a Cuban revolutionary leader who established a socialist, one-party state after the overthrow of Fulgencio Batista.
Early life
Rural origins
Grew up in a landowning family in eastern Cuba.
Law studies
Studied at the University of Havana, where he entered political activism.
Career
- 1953–1956
Rebellion and exile
Led the failed Moncada attack, was imprisoned and organised in Mexico.
- 1956–1959
Guerrilla campaign
Fought Batista’s government from the Sierra Maestra.
- 1959–2008
State leadership
Served as prime minister and later president.
Political milestones
Revolutionary victory
His movement took power after Batista fled.
Bay of Pigs
His government defeated the US-backed invasion.
Missile crisis
Cuba became the centre of a confrontation between the United States and Soviet Union.
Rule & legacy
Social programmes
Expanded education and healthcare while imposing severe restrictions on political opposition.
Succession
Transferred power to his brother Raúl as his health declined.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Photo: Bernard Gotfryd. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
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