List of Presidents Of Cuba Since 1909

Cuba, officially known as the Republic of Cuba, is a country found in the Caribbean. It comprises of the island of Cuba, Isla de la Juventud, and other minor collections of islands. It covers an area of 42,426 square miles with a population of approximately 11 million. It is the most populated country in the Caribbean.

Cuba has a democratic centralist style of government. It is one of the world's few socialist states. The president of Cuba is appointed by the legislative National Assembly of People’s Power (NAPP). The president is both the head of the council of the state of Cuba as well as the head of the government. The president serves for a term of five years, and it is only renewable once.

Presidents Of Cuba Since 1909

José Miguel Gómez

José Miguel Gómez was born on July 6, 1858, in Sancti Spiritus, Cuba. He was one of the leaders of the rebel forces during the Cuban War of Independence. Gómez succeeded Tomas Estrada Palma after winning the elections in 1908 in the Liberal Party of Cuba. He took office on January 28^th, 1909 and was liked by various citizens, though, during his term, political corruption and scandals were at their peak. 

Mario Garcia Menocal

Mario Garcia Menocal was born on December 17, 1866, at Jaguey Grande in Matanzas, Spanish Cuba. He succeeded Jose Miguel Gomez and was the President of Cuba from 1913 to 1921 which saw the participation of Cuba in the First World War. During his first term, Mario showed his strong support for businesses and corporations, but after his reelection in 1916, he declared war on the German Empire, joining the first world war.

Fulgencio Batista

Fulgencio Batista Zaldivar was born on January 16, 1901, in Banes, Cuba and rose to power in 1933 through the revolt that sought to overthrow the authoritarian rule of Gerardo Machado. He was elected the president of Cuba and took office on October 10, 1940, to October 10, 1944. He lived in Florida after the first term, and in 1952, he went back to Cuba to run for the presidency again in which he lost. He, therefore, led a military coup and clinched the position again. His second term saw the exploitation of the poor citizens by grabbing of land and awarding them to foreigners from the United States where he received financial, logistical, and military support.

Fidel Castro

Fidel Castro, born on August 13, 1926, in Biran, Oriente. He studied law at the University of Havana. He was a Cuban revolutionary and a politician who served as the country’s sixteenth prime minister from February 16, 1959, to December 2, 1976. He also led the Cuban revolution which was against the authoritarian ruling of President Fulgencio Batista. He was the first president of the council of ministers of Cuba where he served from December 2, 1976, to February 24, 2008.

Raul Castro

Raul Castro was an essential figure in the political activities due to the powers held by his brother Fidel Castro. He was the first vice-president of the council of ministers hence was a commander of the armed forces during the Cuban Revolution. After the illness of Fidel Castro, he was the acting president of the council of ministers from July 31, 2006, to February 24, 2008, until he assumed office.

Miguel Díaz-Canel 

The current president of Cuba is Miguel Díaz-Canel. He has been in power since 2018. He is the first president of Cuba who is not a Castro family member. 

Roles of the President of Cuba

The president of Cuba is to propose to the NAPP the members of the council of ministers and accept their resignation. He also presides over the National Defense Council and declares a state of emergency in those cases provided for in the constitution. The presidents also assume all the other duties assigned to the presidency by law.