Freedom Fighters

43. Struggles

While Camilo, Che and Dario consolidated control in Havana, Fidel left Santiago to head towards the capital, greeting cheering crowds at every town, giving press conferences, speeches and interviews.

It was only on 8th January 1959 that Fidel entered Havana with his brother by his side. The city had been under military rule for the past few days and the political scene was a deep muddle of uncertainty. Other than the Movement's main leaders, there were politicians from other opposition parties eager to take up office. Their leader was a man named Manuel Urrutia Lleó, a lawyer and outspoken critic of Batista's regime who had returned to Cuba from exile in Venezuela upon hearing news of Batista's flight. Being an educated Christian liberal, he held tremendous sway among the upper middle class.

Fidel invited all of them into a hotel suite in the Havana Hilton hotel to negotiate a provisional government before proper elections could take place. A tense atmosphere inhabited the room before the men who would lead Cuba walked into it.

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"Very simple, Castro. You need our help if you want a coalition government. We will not stand for a one-party state. I can do a lot for the country. I have good connections in America that can really help," Urrutia stated dryly, and his associates behind him murmured their agreements. He sat with his legs closed and his arms neatly on the table. The slick manner in which he presented himself matched his appearance. Well-combed grey hair, a classic suit without so much as a crease and a pair of shades which looked out of place in the indoor air-conditioned suite they sat in.

On the contrary, Fidel Castro wore his military fatigues, with his legs open and a rifle between them.

"Oh I'm not suggesting anything of that sort, Urrutia. I'm not at all. We will have to hold proper elections in the near future..."

As Fidel Castro spoke in a calm and collected manner, his fingers fiddled with the barrel of his rifle that was leaning against his foot. Dario, who had been sitting in a corner watching the proceedings, noted this seemingly small action by Fidel. He was subtly reminding the politicians that he was the one with the guns, and thus the one on charge. Dario tried to discern the emotions of Urrutia but could not do so. The man's shades hid everything.

The negotiations were concluded in a satisfactory manner. It was agreed upon that Manuel Urrutia Lleó would be the the provisional President for the time being. It was considered that the choice of Urrutia, an educated liberal and christian, as president would be welcomed by the US, their most powerful neighbour.

Fidel Castro would be the General of the Cuban Armed Forces, in addition to being the Party Leader of the 26th of July Movement.

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"It had to be done," Fidel explained when Urrutia and his associates had left the room.

"Had to be done?" Rául spoke across the room, emerging from his corner.

"Yes, brother. We can't afford to make enemies so early on," Fidel said.

Rául snorted. "Oh really? We fought all those bloody battles just to give power to those pompous bastards?"

Fidel remained quiet, reaching for a cigar and lighting it. He blew smoke into the cool air, his diaphragm contracting and relaxing with his measured breaths.

The younger Castro turned to the other commanders, eyes heavy with a shivering fury. He still kept a lid on his emotions. He asked them in a beseeching voice. "You think that was right? Letting that Urrutia be president? All the blood shed. The comrades lying dead. Just for some rich exile to come back and become president? It's wrong! It's wrong!"