Some Famous Dates Of The Cuban Dictatorship

1959: Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz became dictator.Hecolonization.
banned free speech and imprisoned his opponents. All1966-1985:Some of the Soviet Union´s best
political parties were dissolved. Castro announcedcoaches came to Cuba and opened sports schools.
plans to "exterminate capitalism".These schools attracted students from all parts of
1960-1978:More than 700,000 Cuban fled to thethe country.
United States and Mexico. Many sailed secretly from1967-1990: Havana and other Cuban cities. Ernesto
Cuba in boats, some of which were apprehended byGuevara´s image was displayed everywhere -in
the Cuban navy before reached abroad.every home, university, school and factory.
1960-2007:Blacks suffered many forms of1972-1990:Relations with the People´s Republic
discrimination. The poverty rate among blacks isof China deteriorated, with disagreements on foreign
almost two times that of general population.affairs and ideology. Different from Cuba and
1960-1988:Ever Peñalver Mazorra spent 28Czechoslovakia, China did not break diplomatic
years in prison for his opposition to the communistrelations with Chile (1973-1990).Fidel Castro critized
dictatorship. He was leader of the nonviolentMao Tse-tung and began a program to dishonor him.
movement for human rights and democracy in Cuba.He accused Mao of murdering innocent people and of
Peñalver was the world´s oldest andfaulty leadership.
longest-standing black political prisoner of conscience.1973: After the military coup against Salvador Allende
Like the South African leader Nelson Mandela, Ever(President of Chile), Fidel Castro called for Third
Peñalver Mazorra is a symbol of heroic andWorld countries to apply sanctions against Chile.
peaceful resistance in the face of oppression.1976: Another Constitution was adopted in this year.
1960-2007:Vilma Espín Guillois proclaimed herself1977-1981:Cuban arms aid and advisers were sent to
president of the Federation of Cuban Women, oneseveral Third World countries (Nicaragua, Zimbabwe,
of the most powerful organizations in theSuriname, Somalia and Grenada).
country.Born into the upper middle class, she studied1978-1988:Cuba sent 5,000 troops to Ethiopia to
chemical engineering at the Massachusetts Instituteassist dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam in opposing
of Technology (MIT).After of living in the UnitedEritrean rebels. Fidel Castro endorsed Ethiopian
States, she returned to Cuba when Fidel Castrostatehood without mentioning Eritrea´s right to
came to power.She made pro-Castro campaign by allexist.
Cuban territory. Espin´s rule was characterized1980:With the tacit approval of Fidel Castro´s
by ruthless and brutal totalitarism and women´sdictatorship, the United States absorbed more than
rights violations. Her best friends were madame Elena100,000 Cuban refugees (best known as
Ceausescu (first lady of Romania) and Rosario Murillo"Marielitos").Castro also sent many criminals and
de Ortega (first lady of Nicaragua).She, who hadmentally ill people.
French ancestry, died on June 18,2007, in Havana.1985:Fidel Castro advocate peaceful co-existence
1961:Like Bulgaria and Poland, Cuba was declared awith the terrorist states (Lybia, North Korea, Iran and
socialist state.Syria).
1961:All American businesses were eventually1983: Pan American Games.Four Cuban athletes were
expropriated. After expelling the Americans, Fideldisqualified from competition for using banned drugs
Castro used the money from their business toto increase their performance. They were Maria
reward friends who were loyal to him.Cristina Betancourt, Mayra Vila, Daniel Nuñez and
1962:Cuban citizens need official permission to acceptAlberto Blanco.
work, change jobs, move, or travel abroad.1988: Fidel Castro called for a boycott of the Olympic
1962:Fidel Castro created an aggressive regime ofGames. However, 30 Eastern bloc nations to sent
agricultural reform. His political social experimentathletes to the Summer Olympics in Seoul, South
claimed the lives of countless Cubans. They workedKorea.
the sugar plantations like slaves.1992:Jorge Esquivel defected to Italy and soon joined
1963: The Cuban Revolution created a strong anti-U.S.the San Francisco Ballet. Esquivel was one of the
stance.world´s leading ballet dancers.
1963-1980: The communists destroyed many1999:Pan American Games. Cuban athlete Javier
churches, made schools of other, and arrested orSotomayor Sanabria lost his gold medal in the
killed many church leaders who refused to followmen´s high jump after testing positive for a
communism. Some were sent to mental hospitals.drug of abuse. Javier Sotomayor was the best
1964:Fidel Castro set up organizations for youngathlete of the Cuban Revolution.
people between the ages of 8 and 16.The2000: The secret police, or Direccion General de
communists taught children to spy on their ownInteligencia (General Intelligence Directorate),
families and friends and report anti-communistenforced strict loyalty to Castro´s policies on all
criticism they might hear.levels of live. It is also active abroad, spying on
1964:After Leonid Brezhnev became secretary of theCubans.
Communist Party of the USSR, Soviet financial and2005:Cuba is one of the few countries in the world
military aid to Cuba´s dictatorship increased.Thewith a communist dictatorship, which has been led by
Soviet Union also sent military advisers to help theFidel Castro since 1959.
dictatorship.Cuba became a Soviet colony.2006:While serving as dictator of Cuba, Fidel Castro
1965-1990:Soviet development of its CaribbeanRuz contracted cancer. Raul Castro Ruz succeeded
colony was extensive in areas such as culture,his brother as dictator. Previously he was the
railroads, olympic sports, public health, agriculturalworld´s longest-serving defence minister.
research, education and literacy. The enormous2007-:Raul Castro continued the basically conservative
increase in sugar cane production is considered to bepolicies of his predecessor.
one of the most spectacular achievements of Soviet