Fidel Castro: Will History Absolve Him?

From Wikipedia [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_Will_Absolve_Me]:

“History Will Absolve Me” (Spanish:“La historia me absolverá“) is the title of a four-hour speech made by Fidel Castro on 16 October 1953. Castro made the speech in his own defense in court against the charges brought against him after he led an attack on the Moncada Barracks. Though no record of Castro’s words was kept, he reconstructed them later for publication. It became the manifesto of his 26th of July Movement. The words “history will absolve me” are the concluding lines of his statement to the court.”History Will Absolve Me” (Spanish:”La historia me absolverá”) is the title of a four-hour speech made by Fidel Castro on 16 October 1953. Castro made the speech in his own defense in court against the charges brought against him after he led an attack on the Moncada Barracks. Though no record of Castro’s words was kept, he reconstructed them later for publication. It became the manifesto of his 26th of July Movement. The words “history will absolve me” are the concluding lines of his statement to the court.

and…

Castro’s speech contained numerous evocations of the “father of Cuban independence” José Martí, whilst depicting Batista as a tyrant. According to Castro, Batista was a “monstrum horrendum … without entrails” who had committed an act of treachery in 1933 when he initiated a coup to oust Cuban presidentRamón Grau. Castro went on to speak of “700,000 Cubans without work”, launching an attack on Cuba’s extant healthcare and schooling, and asserting that 30% of Cuba’s farm people couldn’t even write their own names.^[5]

In Castro’s published manifesto, based on his 1953 speech, he gave details of the “five revolutionary laws” he wished to see implemented on the island:-^[6]

1. The reinstatement of the 1940 Cuban constitution.

2. A reformation of land rights.

3. The right of industrial workers to a 30% share of company profits.

4. The right of sugar workers to receive 55% of company profits.

5. The confiscation of holdings of those found guilty of fraud under previous administrative powers.Castro’s speech contained numerous evocations of the “father of Cuban independence” José Martí, whilst depicting Batista as a tyrant. According to Castro, Batista was a “monstrum horrendum … without entrails” who had committed an act of treachery in 1933 when he initiated a coup to oust Cuban president Ramón Grau. Castro went on to speak of “700,000 Cubans without work”, launching an attack on Cuba’s extant healthcare and schooling, and asserting that 30% of Cuba’s farm people couldn’t even write their own names.[5] In Castro’s published manifesto, based on his 1953 speech, he gave details of the “five revolutionary laws” he wished to see implemented on the island:-[6] The reinstatement of the 1940 Cuban constitution. A reformation of land rights. The right of industrial workers to a 30% share of company profits. The right of sugar workers to receive 55% of company profits. The confiscation of holdings of those found guilty of fraud under previous administrative powers.

How will history judge what Fidel accomplished as an older and old man in contrast to this idealistic vision of his youth? History goes on and we will probably never have a clear and concise answer…there will always be debate and controversy.

For background on my views and observations on Cuba and Fidel, see my prior blogs:

Black Panther in Exile Bill Brent in Havana

http://janbtucker.com/blog/2008/10/29/november-18-2006-bill-brent-passes-on/

http://janbtucker.com/blog/2012/09/23/ciro-hurtados-peruvian-to-los-angeles-blues/

http://janbtucker.com/blog/2011/09/04/fascism-for-dummies/

http://janbtucker.com/blog/2016/08/13/the-many-menus-of-socialism/

My story about the late exiled Black Panther Bill Brent explains how my agent located him in Havana and we got him back in touch with American comrades. The Ciro Hurtado blog discusses how I was influenced by building my own shortwave radio in Junior High that allowed me to tune in Radio Havana. The other blogs discuss how Cuba might claim to be Marxist but how it is really left wing Communitarian whether the left wants to admit it or not.

That said, here’s my favorite Castro story. My Uncle Ed was stationed at Guantanamo with the Navy on January 1, 1959 when the triumphant Cuban revolutionary forces entered Havana. He and his shipmates were eager to get to Havana to meet this now famous revolutionary hero who’d just overthrown a brutal dictator.

The first time they got leave they headed off to Havana. Try as they might they couldn’t get close enough to even see him from a distance. Every time the great orator Fidel gave a speech hundreds of thousands would be out in the streets and they would be blocks or even miles away listening on loud speakers. After several of these experiences, they gave up and despaired of ever seeing him.

Then one day they walked out of a bar and who’s there playing baseball in the street with some local children? Fidel! So Uncle Ed and his friends got to meet him and got their photos taken with him!

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