--- title: Fidel Castro Has Died at 90. Here's How He First Took Power. description: "Today in Cuba no name moves men more quickly to praise—or to anger—than that of Fidel Castro," TIME reported in 1956. canonical: https://time.com/3666177/fidel-castro-cuba-history/ author: Lily Rothman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-11-26T14:01:26.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-07T06:55:02.737Z article:section: History og:title: How Fidel Castro Went From Revolutionary to Ruler og:description: The Cuban leader has died at 90 og:url: https://time.com/3666177/fidel-castro-cuba-history/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc3211fa6e3ee4d99/69876f7d8e0601fd214594a0/1101590126_400-1.jpg?branch=production&width=400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 400 og:image:height: 225 og:image:alt: The Jan. 26, 1959, cover of TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: How Fidel Castro Went From Revolutionary to Ruler twitter:description: The Cuban leader has died at 90 twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc3211fa6e3ee4d99/69876f7d8e0601fd214594a0/1101590126_400-1.jpg?branch=production&width=400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # How Fidel Castro Went From Revolutionary to Ruler > Sponsored content. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-sub-2026q3/newsletters?i=6ab43179-efce-47e9-86b9-19777398d0e9&cr=time-sub-2026q3-v1) * TIME Subscriptions: [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-sub-2026q3/subscribe?i=6ab43179-efce-47e9-86b9-19777398d0e9&cr=time-sub-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Fidel Castro Dies Aged 90 [Watch (HLS stream): Fidel Castro Dies Aged 90](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/GhhftOhs.m3u8) (3:37)  _Published 2016-11-26. Former President Fidel Castro, who led a rebel army to improbable victory in Cuba, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half century rule, has died at age 90._  by [Lily Rothman](https://time.com/author/lily-rothman/)  ## Lily Rothman Rothman is managing editor at TIME. Nov 26, 2016 2:01 PM UTC  by [Lily Rothman](https://time.com/author/lily-rothman/)  ## Lily Rothman Rothman is managing editor at TIME. Nov 26, 2016 2:01 PM UTC Fidel Castro, the long-time Cuban leader who [has died at 90](http://time.com/4582503/fidel-castro-dies-dead-cuba-obituary/), defined decades for his homeland—and, though he [wasn’t always](http://time.com/3641168/cuba-1959/) a man of such power, his charisma and drive were [obvious](http://time.com/4305653/fidel-castro-life-in-pictures) from the beginning. When TIME first [mentioned](http://time.com/vault/issue/1956-12-10/page/44/) his name, in the Dec. 10, 1956, issue, it was as a “wellborn, well-to-do daredevil of 29.” At that point, he had already been jailed after leading a 1953 uprising against [Cuba](http://time.com/3637822/cuba-history/)’s then-leader, Fulgencio Batista; had gone to Mexico to pull together forces; had called their group the July 26 Movement after the date of the earlier failed uprising; and had issued an ultimatum to Batista. “In Havana,” TIME reported. “Castro’s followers painted ‘This is the year’ on walls.” Although it ended up taking a few more years to topple Batista, the rise of Castro had begun. In late 1956, the group from Mexico sailed to Cuba and set up a camp. By 1957, Castro had galvanized the nation, and the rest of the world was paying attention too. As TIME [reported](http://time.com/vault/issue/1957-07-08/page/22/): --- > “” --- In those years, as Castro summoned his followers from among Cuba’s professional class, the plan was to oust Batista and then rule for two years. After that point, free elections were promised; Castro also walked back some of his more radical ideas and denied that he wanted any power for himself: “I can do more for my country giving an example of disinterestedness,” he [said](http://time.com/vault/issue/1958-04-14/page/37/). Then, at the dawn of 1959, Castro and his crew won — and plans quickly changed. ### A History of Cuba-U.S. Relations in 13 TIME Covers  Fulgencio Batista on the Apr. 26, 1937, cover of TIME TIME  Fidel Castro on the Jan. 26, 1959, cover of TIME Cover Credit: BORIS CHALIAPIN  Che Guevara on the Aug. 8, 1960, cover of TIME Cover Credit: BERNARD SAFRAN  Jose Miro Cardona on the Apr. 28, 1961, cover of TIME TIME  Blas Roca on the Apr. 27, 1962, cover of TIME Cover Credit: BERNARD SAFRAN  Adm. George Anderson on the Nov. 2, 1962, cover of TIME Boris Chaliapin  Fidel Castro on the Oct. 8, 1965, cover of TIME Cover Credit: BERNARD SAFRAN  Fidel Castro (and others) on the Jun. 13, 1969, cover of TIME Cover Credit: KARSH, HARRY REDL, BEN MARTIN.  Fidel Castro and Cyrus Vance on the Sept. 17, 1979, cover of TIME Cover Credit: RODDEY E. MIMS; HIRES-GAMMA/LIAISON.  Fidel Castro on the Dec. 6, 1993, cover of TIME Cover Credit: GIANFRANCO GORGONI  The Sept. 5, 1994, cover of TIME Cover Credit: PAUL DAVIS  Fidel Castro on the Feb. 20, 1995, cover of TIME Cover Credit: DAVID BURNETT  Fidel Castro and the Pope on the Jan. 26, 1998, cover of TIME Cover Credit: GERARD RANCINAN In a cover story on Jan. 26, 1959 — mere weeks later — TIME dubbed Castro “[The Vengeful Visionary.”](http://time.com/vault/issue/1959-01-26/page/1/) “The executioner’s rifle cracked across Cuba last week, and around the world voices hopefully cheering for a new democracy fell still,” the story began. “The men who had just won a popular revolution for old ideals—for democracy, justice and honest government—themselves picked up the arrogant tools of dictatorship.” At the heart of the trouble was Castro: --- > “” --- In short, TIME’s writers worried, he had become synonymous with the movement he led. The cult of personality he inspired was no less autocratic than Batista’s rule had been. The young revolutionary lawyer had changed, and there remained no doubt that Cuba under Castro would not look the way many observers had hoped. The world watched warily as his power increased and, more recently, as his regime began to relax some of its stricter policies. One thing, however, never changed: wherever Castro went, eyes followed. **_Read the full 1959 cover story, here in the TIME archives:_** [The Vengeful Visionary](http://time.com/3641153/the-vengeful-visionary/) ## Transcript [ APPLAUSE ] Depending on whom you talk to Fidel Castro was a revered revolutionary legend or a despised tyrannical dictator. [ APPLAUSE ] There is little middle ground. [ APPLAUSE ] Castro came to power in 1959 in a widely popular revolution overthrowing Cuba's then dictator Fulgencio Batista. The new government quickly gain the recognition of the United States. But it wasn't long before the bearded rebels left this ideology. Put them on a collision course with America. Especially when he allied himself with the Soviet Union. Seeing a new threat just 90 miles offshore, the US decided to act. I have directed the armed forces to prepare- First, launching a trade embargo, followed by the failed CIA- backed Bay of Pigs Invasion and several assassination attempts on Castro. All this while the Cuban leader allowed the Soviet Union to secretly build nuclear missile bases on the island. When they were discovered by the U. S in 1962, the so- called Cuban missile crisis brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. As Castro turn on more and more socialism, thousands of his well to do Cubans fled the country. The millions left behind became part of his new social experimental one party communist state. Led by one man, himself. He imposed the idea that those who didn't like it could leave. He divided families. Many saw positives. Education and healthcare for all. Racial integration. What Fidel achieved in the social order of this country has not been achieved by any poor nation and even by many rich countries despite being submitted to enormous pressures. But critics say it came at a terrible cost. The dreams of freedom that they've given the Cuban people we're turn into the nightmare we live today. Cause we have a totalitarian regime which our basic liberties have been abolish. What Castro never manage to achieve was economic prosperity even with the years of subsidies with the Soviet Union. For that Castro always blame the United States and it's embargo. But many blame the man himself. Pointing to his unwavering belief in an outdated and inefficient socialist model. Castro had little tolerance for dissent. [ FOREIGN ] Opponents were often dismissed as traitors, imprisoned, or exiled. As more and more dissidents ended up under arrest, Castro became the target of international condemnation. Look like so many times before, Castro never backed down, proudly defending his record on human rights. There hasn't been a single case of death quads here. Never has a person disappeared in Cuba, which has been common practice all over Latin America. So we feel proud of our clean record with relation to this problem. Call it pride or selective reasoning, But Castro never lost faith on the revolution. Opponents can see Castro's popularity diminish as his beard grow wider but his intelligence and shrewdness continue to command firm and respect. It will eventually outlive many of his critics and outlast ten US administrations. In the end, it was illness, not Washington that forced him to retire. [ MUSIC ] Passing Cuba's leadership to his younger brother, Raul. It is last year, Castro appeared only occasionally, mostly in photos looking frail. At times he tried to play the role of elder stage man but more and more, he simply seem In consequential. [ FOREIGN ] The Cuban government has been very agile. It has slowly removed him from the scene. It would have been one thing if he had abruptly died back in July 31st, 2006. Instead his image and importance have slowly faded. Castro always insisted death was not something he feared. [ FOREIGN ] And I have never been afraid of death. [ FOREIGN ] I have never been concerned about this . >> [ FOREIGN ] I have not to feel attached to this issues . >> [ FOREIGN ] I have not been attached to that which is called the power . >> That latter statement seems ironic, coming from a man who almost single handedly dictated over Cuba. For nearly half a century. 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