-
Date of Birth
Fidel Castro was born on August 13, 1926 near the town of Biran, Cuba. He was born to the parents of Angel Maria Castro and Lina Ruz Gonzalez. Angel and his current wife hired a 14 year old maid, Lina, who Angel had an affair with. Angel's wife left him and Lina and him had 7 children together. -
Castro Seizes Power in Cuba
On January 1, 1959, Batista's government falls, and in February, Castro takes control as a Commander-in-chief oif Cuba. This is an important fact because this is when his reign of power begun and started making changes to military and everyday life of Cuba alongside Cuba's president, Manuel Urrita. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the October Crisis, was a 13 day long confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union over Soviet ballistic missiles deployed in Cuba. Castro agreed to have Soviet nuclear missiles installed in Cuba believing it would guarantee Cuba's safety and enhance the cause of socialism. In October, the U.S. implemented an island-wide quarantine to search vessels headed to Cuba, sparking the Cuban Missile Crisis. No nuclear war ever sparked. -
Fidel Sends Troops Into Angolan War
Cuba launched a large-scale military intervention in support of the leftist People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola. By the end of 1975 the Cuban military in Angola numbered more than 25,000 troops. Following the retreat of Zaire and South Africa, Cuban forces remained in Angola to support the MPLA government against UNITA in the continuing Angolan Civil War. -
Castro Creates a National Assembly
The Assembly originated from the nationwide elections held in 1976 following the ratification of the 1976 Constitution. Elected officials, according to the procedures established by law, met for the first time on 2 December 1976, thus formally setting up the Cuban Parliament. The Constitution, approved in a constitutional referendum on 14 February 1976, empowered the National Assembly as the supreme body of State power. -
Pope John Paul I Dies 33 Days in Office
Pope John Paul I died in September 1978, 33 days after his election. The suddenness of the death, together with the Vatican's difficulties with the ceremonial and legal death procedures (such as issuing a legitimate death certificate), have resulted in several conspiracy theories. -
Fidel Agrees To Keep Immigrants In Cuba
In July, 1986, Washington and Havana unsuccessfully attempted to reinstate the 1984 agreement but the talks broke down in a dispute over radio broadcast rights. The two countries had signed an immigration agreement in December, 1984, but Cuba suspended it after five months. The suspension was based on the establishment of Radio Marti, a Voice of America broadcast operation beamed to Cuba. -
Subsidies from the Soviet Union Following its Collapse
The dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 had an immediate and devastating effect on Cuba. Cuba lost valuable aid and trading privileges after the fall of the Soviet Union, soon after entering a fiscal crisis. While throughout the 1990s and into the present, Cuba maintained and built up relationships with other Latin American neighbors and non-aligned countries, as the only Marxist nation within the Western Hemisphere, Cuba was no longer able to maintain their political status. -
Castro Visited by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II has called for reform in Cuba and the release of political prisoners while condemning US attempts to isolate the country. The Pope is the first pontiff to visit the Communist Caribbean island. Speaking in the capital, Havana, he said freedom of conscience was "the basis and foundation of all other human rights". -
Fidel Purchases Food From U.S
The shipments are part of a one-time $30 million purchase of U.S. food by the Cuban government in the wake of a devastating hurricane that hit the island early last month. A ship called the Express brought in 500 tons of frozen chicken legs into Cuba's capital, Havana. Another ship, the Ikan Mazatlan, transported 24,000 metric tons of corn grown in nine Midwestern states. -
Fidel Castro Still Alive
Fidel Castro, is a Cuban politician and revolutionary who served as Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and then President from 1976 to 2008. He will go down in time as one of the greatest military leaders and communist party leaders.
