"Fidel Castro" (1926 – ) President of Cuba 1976 – 2008

Fidel Castro was a revolutionary leader who served as the Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and then as President from 1976 to 2008. He was born on August 13, 1926 in Biran, Cuba. Fidel was the third of seven children born to Angel Castro y Argiz, a wealthy landowner, and Lina Ruz Gonzalez, a servant.

Fidel received his early education at a Jesuit-run private school in Santiago de Cuba. He then attended the University of Havana where he studied law. He became actively involved in student politics and was strongly influenced by the anti-imperialist and socialist writings of Cuban nationalist Jose Marti. In 1947, Fidel joined the Cuban People's Party and in 1953, he led an unsuccessful attack on the Moncada Barracks in Santiago de Cuba. This event marked the beginning of Castro’s revolution. After a brief imprisonment, Fidel was released and exiled to Mexico. In Mexico, Fidel met Argentine revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara and together they planned and organized the 26th of July Movement, which eventually overthrew the Cuban government led by Fulgencio Batista. On January 1, 1959, Fidel and his rebels entered Havana and he was sworn in as Prime Minister of Cuba. Fidel immediately implemented a number of sweeping reforms and social programs, including free health care, universal education, and land reform. He also established diplomatic and economic ties with the Soviet Union, which enabled Cuba to become a socialist state. In 1976, Fidel was elected President of Cuba and he held the position until 2008, when he stepped down due to ill health. He was succeeded by his brother Raul Castro. Fidel remained a powerful figure in Cuban politics until his death on November 25, 2016. Throughout his life, Fidel Castro was a controversial figure. He was admired by some for his commitment to social justice and his fierce opposition to U.S. imperialism and capitalism, but he was also criticized for his authoritarian rule and human rights abuses. Nevertheless, Fidel Castro remains an important figure in Cuban history and his legacy continues to shape the country today.