Cuba under Fidel Castro

The nation of Cuba under Fidel Castro underwent significant changes that have received much attention. Fidel Castro and his associated group of revolutionaries toppled the ruling government of Fulgencio Batista, forcing Batista out of power on 1 January 1959. Having already been an important figure in Cuban culture and society, he went on to serve as 'Prime Minister of Cuba' from 1959 to 1976. In 1976, Castro officially became 'President of Cuba'. Castro retained the title of president until 2008, when his brother Raúl Castro became president. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba (1961-2011). However, his opinions continued to serve as the foundation of Cuban governance.

His staunch belief in communist ideology and criticisms of other international figures brought the nature of his rule to large-scale prominence. Launching a wide set of economic and social changes, much of it promoting a 'cult of personality' around himself, Castro's Cuba became a key element within the ongoing 'Cold War' struggle between the United States and its allies versus the Soviet Union and its allies. Events such as the Bay of Pigs Invasion in April 1961, in which American-connected forces failed to topple Castro's administration, continue to attract attention from historians as well as laypeople worldwide.

Castro died of natural causes on November 25, 2016 in Havana, Cuba. He had dealt with severe health problems for the past decade, remarking publicly about struggles with mobility and other issues. His passing and the subsequent funeral received widespread attention from the international media.

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