Fidel Castro

Fidel Castro was a Cuban revolutionary and politician who served as the Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and as the President of Cuba from 1976 to 2008. Born on August 13, 1926, in Mayarí, Cuba, Castro was the third of eight children to Ángel Castro y Argiz and Lina Ruz González. He was raised in a poor family and was educated at the University of Havana, where he studied law and developed an interest in Marxism. Castro's political career began in the 1950s, when he became involved with the July 26 Movement, a revolutionary group fighting against the authoritarian government of Fulgencio Batista. After the overthrow of Batista in 1959, Castro became the Prime Minister of Cuba, implementing a socialist government and nationalizing key industries. He survived numerous assassination attempts and was a key figure in the Cuban Revolution, leading the country towards a communist system. Throughout his life, Castro was known for his charismatic leadership, his commitment to socialism, and his defiance of the United States, which imposed a trade embargo on Cuba in 1960.