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Once installed in power, the Revolutionary Government
started to dismantle all the neo-colonial political system. Repressive
institutions were dissolved and, for the first time, the citizens were
guaranteed the full exercise of their rights. Public administration was
cleaned and all misappropriated properties and wealth were confiscated,
thus eliminating such practice from the republican life. Batista’s
supporters and criminals were tried and sentenced. Corruption was also
swept from the leadership of the labor movement and political parties
that had served and helped the tyranny were dissolved.
The appointment of Fidel Castro as Prime Minister in February would accelerate
the adoption of measures for the benefit of the people. A reduction of
house rents was passed, private beaches were placed at the disposal of
the people and companies that monopolized public services were nationalized.
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A transcendental landmark during this period was the Agrarian
Reform Act, passed on May 17. This would definitely eliminate
large estates through the nationalization of all properties over
420 ha and granted the ownership over the land to thousands of peasants
who had been sharecroppers or leaseholders. This measure, which
banished one of the strongest supports of the neocolonial system,
caused the heated response of the affected persons.
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The Moncada program began to be fulfilled:
the farmers were the owners of their lands.
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The US government had not concealed its disagreement with the triumph
of the revolution and, promoting an ill-intentioned press campaign, adopted
a policy of systematic harassment against Cuba, encouraging and giving
support to counterrevolutionary movements with the purpose of destabilizing
the country.
In July, the obstacles created by the President Manuel Urrutia
against the revolutionary transformations caused Fidel Castro’s resignation
from his post of Prime Minister. A few days later, Fidel Castro would
return to his position due to popular demonstrations on his support and
at the same time determined the resignation of president Urrutia and his
substitution by Osvaldo Dorticós. In October, military sedition
is aborted in Camagüey, concocted by the military chief of the place,
Commander Hubert Matos in open agreement with landowners and other local
counterrevolutionary elements. Meanwhile, sabotage and terrorism began
to kill innocent victims.
To oppose the wave of counterrevolutionary activities, the National Revolutionary
Militia Troops and the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution were
created. These two organizations, together with the Cuban Women Federation
and the Association of Young Rebels and other organizations, created during
the next few months, would allow a wider participation of the people in
the defense of the Revolution. US permanent hostility
is implemented in several successive steps aimed at destabilizing the
Cuban economy and isolating the country from the international community.
The Revolution responds to all these measures with a dynamic foreign policy
that widens its relationships and agreements with other countries, including
socialist countries. This was proof of the strong decision on the part
of the Revolution to break with the traditional commercial dependence.
In August 1960, after the decision by the government in Washington to
cancel the sugar quota, Fidel Castro announces the nationalization of
all US properties in the Island. A few months after, this measure would
be followed by the decision to nationalize all the companies of the Cuban
bourgeoisie that had finally sided with the US and with the sectors of
the oligarchy and had also helped systematically to all actions aimed
at economic sabotage and decapitalization.
Nevertheless, US aggressions
were not limited to the economy. While encouraging the creation of counterrevolutionary
organizations and groups of bandits fighting in different regions of the
country to which the US supplied arms and other needs, the Eisenhower
Administration breaks relationships with Cuba and starts the preparation
of a mercenary force to invade the country.
The invasion would begin on April 17 through Playa Girón (Bay of Pigs),
two days after the surprise bombing of several airforce bases and airports.
In the burial of the victims
from this attack, Fidel Castro proclaimed the socialist character of the
Revolution, something that could be seen by the measures and steps adopted
during the last months of 1960.
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In less than 72 hours, the invading force that the CIA had spent
months to prepare was defeated. In spite of this historic defeat,
the US did not stop in its ambitions of crushing the Cuban Revolution.
The objective of "Mongoose Plan" was a succession
of aggressions, not discarding direct military intervention.
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Girón, first significant defeat of
imperialism in America.
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This would lead to a serious international crisis
in October 1962, when installation of soviet missiles in the Island
became known. The compromise to put an end to the crisis did not stop
the aggressive practices of the imperialism.
Likewise, the decisive attitude of our people, organized in the National
Revolutionary Militia Troops and in the Armed Forces, made possible the
fight and eventual defeat of the counterrevolutionary armed bands. Bandits
were eliminated in 1965, when the last band operating in the country under
the command of Juan Alberto Martínez Andrade was captured on July 4. Other
bandits, who were dispersed and tried to escape
from revolutionary justice, but were captured in the following months.
This would finally put an end to the dirty covert war unleashed against
the Cuban people by imperialism and reactionary classes. The armed struggle
against bandits lasted six years and affected all the provinces in the
country.
Between 1959 and 1965 in this war imposed by the US operated in all the
national territory 299 bands with
a total of 3 995 members. There were 549 victims among the soldiers of
the regular troops and the members of the militia including victims of
the crimes perpetrated by the bandits against the civilians. Many other
victims were disabled. During all those years, so difficult for the Cuban
economy, the country was forced to spend about 100,000,000 pesos.
The combination of military actions and political ideological actions
played a decisive role in the victory over the bandits. Their defeat showed
it was impossible to win over the armed people when they are part of an
authentic revolution.
In the international arena the US managed to get Cuba
separated from the Organization of American States, as well as to force
most Latin American nations with the honorable exception of Mexico. However,
the Cuban Revolution was strengthening its links with the socialist countries
and with other Third World countries. Cuba then participates as founding
member in the creation of the Non-Aligned Movement and develops an active
policy of solidarity and support to all national liberation movements.
The nation that was resisting direct-armed aggression was to survive also
economic siege. The US had suspended all trade with Cuba and at the same
time was doing everything in its power to involve other countries in such
a criminal blockade. Cuba was thus deprived of supplies
vital for its agriculture and its industry. Nevertheless, the active solidarity
displayed by the Soviet Union and other socialist countries, together
with the tremendous efforts of the Cuban people enabled the economy not
only to function but also to grow.
In the midst of critical economic difficulties, we managed to eliminate
unemployment and meet first priority needs of the population. A comprehensive
campaign against illiteracy was implemented in 1961 to
teach all the people how to read and write.
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Though professionals and technicians were exiting the country encouraged
from the US, especially those in the health sector, the creation
of a rural health care considerably improved health care in the
country, as it brought medical attention to the farthest corners
of the nation.
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On December 22, 1961; Cuba was declared Free Territory
of Illiteracy.
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The
educational system covers, also for the first time in history, all the
national territory. A comprehensive program of scholarships, grants and
boarding schools facilitate access of the vast masses to all levels of
education, including higher education.
An important work of cultural broadcasting improved the quality of life
by edition of literary works -generally mass edition- the creation of
many artistic groups, and the promotion of a wide movement of amateur
groups of artists. Also production and exhibition of Cuban films and films
from other countries was an important aspect for the cultural development
of the Cuban people. Generalized practice of sports increased the participation
-outstanding participation- of the Cubans in international sports events.
Such popular effort would not have been possible without an adequate political
leadership. From the very beginning of the Revolution, revolutionary organizations
would implement -with some difficulties- a comprehensive integrating work.
In March 1962, after Fidel Castro denounced sectarian deformations within
the process, the future Partido Unido de la Revolución Socialista (United
Party of the Socialist Revolution) would determine as an essential condition
for membership exemplarity of the workers proposed to become members.
The constitution of the Central Committee of the Communist
Party in 1965 as the highest body of direction of the Revolution would
be a decisive landmark for the unity in the country.
In 1963, taking into consideration the characteristics of the Cuban economy
and the perspective commercial relations with the USSR and other socialist
countries, the leadership of the Revolution adopted a new strategy for
economic development. The pivot of the country’s economy would be
agriculture and the first priority task would be the production of 10
million tons of sugar by 1970. This was undoubtedly an enormous challenge
baring in mind the organizational, material and technical conditions existing
in the country at the time. In facing this challenge, serious distortions
appeared in the direction of economic processes and in the activities
of revolutionary organizations, which were focusing in the mobilization
of the vast mass of workers required because of the poor technical development
of sugar agriculture and because of disproportional demographic structures.
The set back of the "10 million tons sugar harvest" would lead
to a deep revision of the economic policy.
From 1971 on, revolutionary organizations are revitalized and an institutionalization
of the country starts. The peak of such deep reorganization would be the
First Congress of the Communist Party after a detailed analysis of all
the documents by the people. On the 24 of February 1976, a new Constitution
was passed by a direct and secret ballot with the vote of 95.7% of the
population over 18 years of age. The various levels of the People’s
Power are created through the election of a delegate of constituency who
would be the representative of the neighbors to the local or borough government.
During these years, Cuba’s stand in the international arena is strengthened.
Diplomatic relationships are reestablished with Latin American countries
like Peru, Panama, Chile and others, which breaks the siege imposed by
the US in the previous decade. After signing several commercial agreements
with the Soviet Union -with very favorable trade conditions far from the
unequal practices of the international market,- Cuba becomes a member
of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance.
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In 1976, Cuban troops were sent to Africa at the request of the
government of Angola to help in the liberation of that country from
South African intervention. Shortly after, another
Cuban contingent would participate in the defense of Ethiopia from
Somalia aggression.
The celebration in 1979 in La Habana of the Sixth Summit Conference
of the Non Aligned Countries is another proof of the international
prestige obtained by the Revolution.
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" To be Internationalist is to pay off
our debt with humanity."
Fidel.
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