ABC Radio National Interview with Professor Adrian Hearn
Adrian Hearn is interviewed on ABC Radio National on the life and Legacy of Fidel Castro.
On February 16, 1959, Fidel Castro was sworn in as prime minister of Cuba after leading a guerrilla campaign that forced right-wing dictator Fulgencio Batista into exile.
Cuba’s close neighbour, the United States, initially recognized the new Cuban dictator, but soon withdrew its support after Castro launched a program of agrarian reform, nationalized U.S. assets on the island, and declared a Marxist government.
Professor Adrian Hearn, of the Department of Spanish and Latin American Studies at the University of Melbourne explains how and why Fidel Castro managed to take control of Cuba 61 years ago and remain un-toppled until his death in 2016.