nce led by a young lawyer named Fidel Castro on July26, 1953, the regime seemed secure, and when the political situation had beencalmed, the Batista government announced that elections would be held in thefall of 1954. Batista's opponent, Grau San Martin, withdrew from the campaignjust before the election, charging that his supporters had been terrorized. Batistawas thus reelected without opposition, and on his inauguration February 24,1955, he restored constitutional rule and granted amnesty to political prisoners,including Castro. The latter chose exile in the United States and later in Mexico.In the mid-1950s the Batista government instituted an economic developmentprogram that, together with a stabilization of the world sugar price, improved theeconomic and political outlook in Cuba. On December 2, 1956, however, Castro,with some 80 insurgents, invaded. The force was crushed by the army, butCastro escaped into the mountains, where he organized the 26th of JulyMovement, so called to commemorate the 1953 uprising. For the next yearCastro's forces, using guerrilla tactics, opposed the Batista government and wonconsiderable popular support. On March 17, 1958, Castro called for a generalrevolt. His forces made steady gains through the remainder of the year, and onJanuary 1, 1959, Batista resigned and fled the country. A provisionalgovernment was established. Castro, although he initially renounced office,became premier in mid-February. In the early weeks of the regime militarytribunals tried many former Batista associates, and some 550 were executed.Cuba Under Castro The Castro regime soon exhibited a leftist tendency that worried U.S. interest inthe island. The agrarian reform laws promulgated in its first years mainlyaffected U.S. sugar interests; the operation of plantations by companiescontrolled by non-Cuban stockholders was prohibited, and the Castro regimeinitially de-emphasized sugar production in favor of food crops.Break with t...
