Fidel Castro and Che Guevara Story life, latin american political leaders
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Fidel Castro's Birthday
Fidel Castro Ruz born in eastern Cuban hamlet of Biran, son of a well-off Spanish-born landowner. -
Failed attack
Castro leads armed uprising against military dictator Fulgencio Batista, captured in failed attack on Moncada Barracks in Santiago de Cuba. -
Free from Prison
Castro, who stated “History will absolve me” at his trial, is given amnesty and leaves prison for Mexico. -
The Granma
Castro and 81 other would-be revolutionaries land in Cuba on the yacht “Granma.”. Most are routed, but 12 survivors -- including Castro, his brother Raul Castro and Argentine Ernesto “Che” Guevara -- regroup in Sierra Maestra mountains where they launch a guerrilla war. -
Victory
Batista flees to Dominican Republic. -
Supreme Comandante
Castro enters Havana after triumphal journey across Cuba. As supreme “Comandante” of the armed forces, he begins the political, economic and social transformation of Cuba, launching agrarian reform and nationalizing most foreign and local businesses. -
Prime Minister
Castro named prime minister. -
US vs Cuba
U.S. breaks diplomatic ties with Havana. -
Socialism
Castro declares his revolution socialist. -
Bay of Pigs
Castro directs troops in defeat of invasion attempt by U.S.-backed Cuban exiles at Bay of Pigs. -
Embargo
United States imposes full economic embargo. -
Missile Crisis
Presence of Soviet warheads in Cuba provokes standoff between Moscow and Washington. Many fear nuclear war, but Soviet Union decides to withdraw missiles after President John F. Kennedy imposes naval blockade. -
Communism
Castro founds new Cuban Communist Party and is named First Secretary. -
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Tour
Castro visits Chile, Panama and Nicaragua to support left-wing governments there. -
Africa
Castro sends troops to Angola to help left-wing government fight South-African backed rebels. -
President Castro
Castro becomes president, ratified by newly-created National Assembly. -
Mariel Boat-lift
Mariel boat-lift. Cuba allows exodus of 125,000 Cubans to United States, mostly via Mariel port. -
Soviet Colapse
Soviet Union’s collapse plunges Cuba into economic crisis. -
Lifting restrictions
Castro government ends ban on use of U.S. dollars, one of a series of limited economic openings that government says are aimed at saving revolution. -
Exodus
More than 35,000 people leave Cuba in flimsy rafts and boats during summer crisis, prompting a migration agreement with the United States to allow a minimum of 20,000 legal entry visas to Cubans annually. -
Riot
Hundreds of Havana residents riot in biggest anti-Castro disturbance since revolution. -
Planes down
Cuban MiG fighters shoot down two small U.S. planes in the Florida Straits belonging to Cuban exile group Brothers to the Rescue. Four crew members killed. -
The Pope visits
Castro welcomes Pope John Paul in first visit by a pontiff to Cuba. -
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Elian Gonzalez
Elian Gonzalez custody saga. Castro launches mass anti-U.S. campaign for the return of six-year-old Cuban boy rescued at sea off U.S. coast after surviving a shipwreck that kills his mother. Elian eventually returns to Cuba. -
Castro Faints
Two hours into speech at public rally, Castro suffers brief fainting fit due to exhaustion and sun. -
Castro Marchs
Castro leads march by one million Cubans along Havana waterfront in campaign to defend socialist system in face of growing dissent and U.S. pressures. -
Socialism Irrevocable
Cuba declares socialism “irrevocable” in constitutional amendment passed by National Assembly. -
Opposition control
Castro launches crackdown on dissidents: 75 pro-democracy activists and independent journalists jailed, prompting international criticism. -
Passing on the mantle
Castro forced to hand over the reins of power to his brother Raul after undergoing emergency surgery to stop intestinal bleeding caused by undisclosed illness. -
Anti-Americanism
Castro takes to writing prolific flow of articles on world issues, mainly attacks on the U.S. government. -
Message to the people
Castro hints he will not cling to power or block rise of younger leaders in message read on television. -
Leaving politics
Almost 19 months since he last appeared in public, Castro said he would not return as head of state and government. -
Resignation
Castro resigned from the Communist Party central committee to be First Secretary -
Death
Fidel Castro died at age 90 -
References
Reuters. (2008, February 19). TIMELINE: Key events in Fidel Castro’s life. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cuba-castro-chronology-idUSN1922589220080219 The New York Times. (2016, November 26). Fidel Castro: 1926-2016. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/11/26/world/americas/fidel-castro-timeline.html, https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/11/26/world/americas/fidel-castro-timeline.html