Fulgencio Batista
Fulgencio Batista y Zaldívar (January 16, 1901 – August 6, 1973) was the military leader of Cuba from 1933 to 1940. He was a farm worker from eastern Cuba, and moved to Havana where he became a stenographer and a sergeant in the Army. He became a leader of a group of sergeants who wanted better pay, and ended up commanding the Army.
Fulgencio Batista | |
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![]() Batista in 1938 | |
President of Cuba | |
In office March 10, 1952 – January 1, 1959 | |
Prime Minister |
|
Vice President | Rafael Guas Inclán |
Preceded by | Carlos Prío Socarrás |
Succeeded by | Anselmo Alliegro |
Prime Minister |
|
Vice President | Gustavo Cuervo Rubio |
Preceded by | Federico Laredo Brú |
Succeeded by | Ramón Grau |
Prime Minister of Cuba | |
In office 10 March 1952 – 4 April 1952 | |
President | Himself |
Preceded by | Óscar Gans |
Succeeded by | Vacant (1952 – 1955) Jorge García Montes (1955 – 1957) |
Cuban Senator | |
In office June 2, 1948 – March 10, 1952 | |
Constituency | Las Villas |
Personal details | |
Born | Rubén Zaldívar January 16, 1901 Banes, Cuba |
Died | August 6, 1973 72) Marbella, Málaga, Spain | (aged
Resting place | Saint Isidore Cemetery |
Political party |
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Spouse(s) | Elisa Godínez Gómez (m. 1926; div. 1946) Marta Fernandez Miranda (m. 1946) |
Children | 9 |
Other names | Fulgencio Batista y Zaldívar (full name from 1939) |
Military service | |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Branch/service | Cuban Army |
Years of service | 1921–1940 |
Rank | Colonel |

Batista was President of Cuba from 1940 to 1944. In 1940 he won the election. He then became the country's leader from 1952 to 1959. In 1952 he did a coup. His authoritarian government during this time caused opposition despite his attempt to placate critics with a 'show' election in 1954 were he ran without opposition. The opposition included the entire coalition that had overthrown President Gerardo Machado. Fidel Castro's guerrilla movement overthrew Batista. This is known as the Cuban Revolution. Batista fled Cuba on January 1, 1959 and went to the Dominican Republic before moving on to Portugal, and finally to Spain where he died of a heart attack in 1973.
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