Fulgencio Batista

Fulgencio Batista y Zaldívar (January 16, 1901 – August 6, 1973) was the military leader of Cuba from 1933 to 1940. He was a farm worker from eastern Cuba, and moved to Havana where he became a stenographer and a sergeant in the Army. He became a leader of a group of sergeants who wanted better pay. With others they overthrew President Gerardo Machado in 1933 and Batista ended up commanding the Army.

In 1940 Batista won election and was President of Cuba until 1944. In 1952 he made his own coup and ruled the country until 1959. His authoritarian government during this time caused opposition despite his attempt to placate critics with a 'show' election in 1954 where he ran without opposition. The opposition included the entire coalition that had overthrown Gerardo Machado. 

Fidel Castro's guerrilla movement overthrew Batista. This is known as the Cuban Revolution. Batista fled Cuba on January 1, 1959 and went to the Dominican Republic before moving on to Portugal, and finally to Spain where he died of a heart attack in 1973.

References

Category:1901 births
Category:1973 deaths
Category:Anti-communists
Category:Colonels
Category:Cuban military people
Category:Deaths from myocardial infarction
Category:Disease-related deaths in Andalusia
Category:Former dictators
Category:Leaders ousted by a coup
Category:Presidents of Cuba
Category:World War II political leaders