I was recently cleaning out my house for the first time after I moved to Florida. When I was digging around my attic, I found this journal. Reading this book in my hands, I feel like I’ve been transported back 70 years. The memories, the pain, the emotions come back to me in a rush. The Cuban Revolution was led by Fidel Castro to eliminate racial inequality, corruption, and the lack of justice in Batista’s regime. It all started when Fulgencio Batista, who was running for president, recognized that he was not winning the elections. He led a military coup then forcibly seized the power of the government and placed himself as Cuba’s dictator. Under Batista’s rule, Cubans were struggling, and Castro wanted a change. This journal provides a firsthand perspective of the Cuban Revolution. Now, let’s go back 70 years to when I was just a young student. When I thought Fidel Castro was the coolest man in the world. When I didn’t know any better.

 

José’s conclusion, 1962:

It feels as if we’re back to base one. A mere decade ago, Batista’s oppressive rule gripped the country, leading Cuba down a path of corruption. Life should’ve been better by now, that’s what the revolution was about… wasn’t it? Yet here I am, questioning whether anything has truly changed. The man who promised to free us from Batista’s dictatorship became a tyrant himself, corrupting Cuba and even establishing a communist government. Sure, some aspects of Cuba have progressed. The education and healthcare system set up by Fidel Castro has greatly improved, and Cuba is no longer relying on sugar. However, Cuba has lost a crucial ally—the United States. Even if I haven’t returned to my home country ever since I moved to the US, I still care for it, and I yearn for its freedom and fairness. My country and its people have endured enough distress throughout the revolution, only to have nothing to come out of it. Fidel Castro, your actions and legacy have revealed a truth that cannot be denied. You are no superior to the very dictator you looked to overthrow, Fulgencio Batista.