Manuel Castro Argota was the brother of Fidel Castro, 15th Prime Minister of Cuba, as well as the 15th President of Cuba. Manuel had 10 more siblings apart from Fidel. Manuel’s father, Ángel Castro y Argiz served military during the second Cuban War of Independence which influenced his children to be a part of the political revolution in Cuba, in some way or form.
The Personal Life of Manuel Castro Argota
Ángel Castro y Argiz and his first wife Maria Luisa Argota welcomed their eldest son, Manuel Castro Argota, in 1913. A year later, Manuel was only a one-year-old infant when he suddenly died. Ángel and Maria walked down the aisle on March 25, 1911. The couple had 4 more children after Manuel, three daughters and a son: María Lila Perfidia, Pedro Emilio, Antonia María Dolores, and Georgina de la Caridad. Ángel Castro y Argiz later married his second wife Lina Ruz Gonzalez. The duo gave birth to seven children: Ángelita María, Ramón Eusebio, Fidel Alejandro, Raúl Modesto, Juana de la Caridad, Emma de la Concepción, and Agustina del Carmen.
Early life & Education of Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz was born on August 13, 1926, in Birán, Cuba. He was the third of seven children born to Ángel Castro y Argiz, a Cuban of Canarian descent, and Lina Ruz González, a Cuban woman of Galician descent. His father, Ángel Castro, was a wealthy sugarcane farmer who owned a large plantation and several sugar mills. Fidel’s mother, Lina Ruz, was a housewife.
In 1945, Castro got admitted in the University of Havana for his law degree. He became involved in student politics, and he criticized the Cuban government for its corruption and its treatment of the poor. He also joined the Cuban Communist Party. In 1947, Castro was arrested for his political activities and jailed for a year. After his release, he resumed his studies and graduated from the University of Havana in 1950.
Political career of Fidel Castro
In 1952, Fulgencio Batista, a Cuban military leader, seized power in a coup. Castro opposed Batista’s regime, and he unsuccessfully tried to overthrow it in 1953. He was imprisoned for 15 years after being arrested.
In 1955, Batista released Castro from prison, and he went into exile in Mexico. In 1956, Castro and about 80 other men sailed from Mexico to Cuba to overthrow Batista. The expedition was a failure. Castro was among the few who escaped.
In 1957, Castro began a guerrilla war against the Batista regime. He recruited peasants and workers to their cause and gained control of large areas of the Cuban countryside. In 1959, Castro took control of the government. He became the Prime Minister.
In 2006, Castro announced that he was suffering from an unspecified illness, and he temporarily handed power over to his brother, Raúl Castro. In 2008, Castro officially resigned as President of Cuba, and Raúl Castro succeeded him.
Conclusion
Castro implemented several socialist reforms in Cuba, including the nationalization of industry and agriculture. He also established close ties with the Soviet Union, and Cuba became a communist state. Under Castro’s rule, Cuba experienced economic growth and social improvements. However, his government was also accused of human rights abuses, and many people fled the country.