Gerardo Machado

Gerardo Machado was a Cuban military officer and politician who served as president from 1925 until his overthrow in 1933. His rule began with modernization projects and became an increasingly repressive dictatorship.

Cuban Revolution of 1933: A political uprising and military revolt that forced Gerardo Machado from Cuba’s presidency in 1933. Machado’s repression and the general strike helped turn opposition into an uprising that drove him from power.
Cuban Highway: A major road project begun under Gerardo Machado to connect Havana with other parts of Cuba. It exemplified the modernization program that helped Machado present his government as a builder.
Julio Antonio Mella: A Cuban Marxist revolutionary and student leader who co-founded the Communist Party of Cuba. Mella became a prominent opponent of Machado and was assassinated in Mexico after fleeing Cuba.
Cuban War of Independence: The 1895–1898 war in which Cuban forces fought to end Spanish colonial rule. The independence struggle shaped the military and nationalist traditions in which Machado built his career.
Cuban Constitution of 1940: The constitution adopted by Cuba’s 1940 constitutional assembly, establishing an extensive framework of social and political rights. The constitutional settlement followed years of instability that began with Machado’s overthrow.
Presidential re-election: The continuation of a president’s tenure through election to another term in office. Machado pursued a second term despite a constitutional limit, sharpening opposition to his rule.
Rubén Martínez Villena: A Cuban poet, lawyer, and communist organizer who led labor opposition to Gerardo Machado. Villena helped organize the 1933 general strike that challenged Machado’s government.
Cuban Republic: The Cuban state established in 1902 after the end of Spanish rule and the period of United States occupation. Machado governed a republic marked by political instability and strong United States influence.
Fulgencio Batista: A Cuban military officer and politician who dominated Cuban politics for decades and served as president. Batista rose to national power amid the military upheaval that followed Machado’s fall.
Political repression: The use of state power to restrict opposition, dissent, or political participation. Machado relied on arrests, censorship, and violence as resistance to his government grew.

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