About

Jump to

Relationships
Family
Associates
Similar

Fulgencio Batista y Zaldívar (born Rubén Zaldívar, January 16, 1901 – August 6, 1973) was a Cuban military officer and politician who served as the elected President of Cuba from 1940 to 1944 and as its U.S.-backed military dictator from 1952 to 1959, before being overthrown during the Cuban Revolution. Batista initially rose to power as part of the 1933 Revolt of the Sergeants, which overthrew the provisional government of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes y Quesada. He then appointed himself chief of the armed forces, with the rank of colonel and effectively controlled the five-member "pentarchy" that functioned as the collective head of state. He maintained this control through a string of puppet presidents until 1940, when he was himself elected President of Cuba on a populist platform. He then instated the 1940 Constitution of Cuba and served until 1944. After finishing his term, Batista moved to Florida, returning to Cuba to run for president in 1952. Facing certain electoral defeat, he led a military coup against President Carlos Prío Socarrás that pre-empted the election.

Key details

edit section

Born	Rubén Zaldívar 16 January 1901 Banes in Oriente Province Cuba
Died	6 August 1973 (aged 72) Marbella, Andalusia, Spain
Zodiac	Capricorn
Tags	Add tag

Family members

Spouse 2

Elisa Godinez Gomez de Batista 1900-1993 Cuban, First Lady · m. 1926; div. 1946 info edit

expand_more

view couple »
Marta Fernandez Miranda de Batista 1923-2006 First Lady of Cuba · m. 1946 info edit

expand_more

view couple »