On February 16, 1959, Fidel Castro became the Prime Minister of Cuba after leading a successful revolution against the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. Castro, a young lawyer and activist, had been fighting against Batista's corrupt regime since the early 1950s.
After a failed attack on the Moncada Barracks in 1953, Castro was imprisoned but later released. He then went into exile in Mexico, where he met Ernesto "Che" Guevara, who would become his right-hand man in the Cuban Revolution.
In December 1956, Castro and 81 other rebels landed in Cuba on the yacht Granma, marking the beginning of the guerrilla war against Batista's forces. Over the next two years, Castro's 26th of July Movement gained support from the Cuban people and eventually forced Batista to flee the country on January 1, 1959.
On February 16, 1959, Castro was sworn in as Prime Minister, marking the beginning of his long reign as the leader of Cuba. He quickly began implementing socialist policies, nationalizing foreign-owned properties and businesses, and establishing close ties with the Soviet Union.
Castro's leadership was controversial, with supporters praising his efforts to improve education, healthcare, and social equality, while critics accused him of human rights abuses and authoritarian rule. He remained in power until 2008 when he stepped down due to health issues, transferring leadership to his brother Raúl.
Fidel Castro's rise to power on February 16, 1959, was a pivotal moment in Cuban and Cold War history, setting the stage for decades of tension between Cuba and the United States.
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