1952 Cuban coup d'état


The 1952 Cuban coup d'état took place in Cuba on March 10, 1952, when the Cuban Army, led by Fulgencio Batista, intervened in the election that was scheduled to be held on June 1, staging a coup d'état and establishing a de facto military dictatorship in the country.

Background and events

From the 1933 Sergeants' Revolt onwards, Fulgencio Batista acted as an éminence grise, making and undoing governments in Cuba.
After eight years of government under the presidencies of Ramón Grau and Carlos Prío Socarrás, Batista was one of the candidates in the 1952 election. However, as some of the polling put him in a distant third place, on March 10, 1952, just four months before the presidential election, Batista struck, claiming several unjustifiable reasons, using his position within the Army and being supported by some political sectors of the country. The coup itself was bloodless, but it attracted the attention and concern of most of the population. Batista overthrew President Carlos Prío Socarrás, canceled the election and took control of the government as "Provisional President."
The United States recognized his government on March 27.

Aftermath

Batista went on to rule the country until January 1, 1959, when he was forced into exile with his family. Batista's exile marked the climax of the Cuban Revolution, which started on July 26, 1953 with the attack on the Moncada Barracks in Santiago de Cuba, and saw Fidel Castro emerging as the new leader of Cuba.