Cuban historian Arsenio Rodríguez Quintana argues that Fidel Castro employed a calculated strategy to erase the memory of the Cuban Republic, as that era demonstrated Cuba's prosperity, dynamism, and thriving private enterprise—contradicting the revolutionary narrative.
In a conversation with Tania Costa for CiberCuba, Rodríguez Quintana begins with a historical analogy.
"There's a wonderful quote by Jorge Luis Borges—all emperors and pharaohs have always wanted to erase the previous history," he states bluntly. "Fidel Castro acted like all dictators: he tried to erase the past."
The Republic's Hidden Achievements
Rodríguez Quintana highlights a significant example: Havana's Plaza de la Revolución, originally named Civic Plaza, was constructed during the Republic and completed in 1958, without Castro's involvement.
"That was called Civic Plaza. It was finished in 1958. Fidel Castro had nothing to do with it," Rodríguez Quintana asserts, adding that the regime simply renamed it in 1961 to claim the symbol.
The historian suggests that the erasure was because the Republic exposed the failures of Castroism: "He didn't want discussions about the Republic because that was the era that built the country."
Cultural and Economic Flourishing
Rodríguez Quintana lists concrete achievements from that period that the regime preferred to silence.
"During the Republic, 20 films were produced daily. There were collaborations with Mexico and Argentina. Cuban musicians traveled worldwide," he notes.
He cites Ernesto Lecuona as a musical entrepreneur who organized international tours up to Arabia, and Ninón Sevilla, a Cuban dancer and actress who declined Hollywood contracts to operate as an entrepreneur from Mexico and take her productions to Brazil.
"If you study Cuba's business world in the 1950s, it was impressive. That's why Fidel Castro didn't want those topics discussed," the historian concludes.
Infrastructure Appropriation
Rodríguez Quintana also highlights republican infrastructure projects that the regime symbolically appropriated: "During that time, a 7-kilometer Malecón was built, one of the world's most important avenues."
To illustrate the contrast between that Cuba and today's, Rodríguez Quintana introduces the concept of "internal blockade."
"How can it be that in Cuba, people can't go fishing? It's surrounded by water and people are starving. That's called internal blockade. That's how a dictatorship is explained."
The historian recalls that, as a child, fishing on the Malecón was common, and in the 1950s, families typically owned boats. Today, fishing in Cuba without state authorization is illegal, something the historian notes as a symptom of total control over economic life.
Comparison and Context
Rodríguez Quintana doesn't romanticize the Republic: he acknowledges that Batista didn't call elections in 1952, calling it "a democratic violation." But he makes a telling comparison: "Batista did wrong for 6 years. Another did it for 67. So, the balance is a bit peculiar."
The erasure of republican history wasn't just narrative. According to the broader context of the interview, in 1996, after the Helms-Burton Act was passed, the regime sent State Security agents to the National Archives of Cuba to locate and remove documents that legitimized properties of expropriated Cubans and Americans.
"I owe it to the dictatorship that won't let me enter Cuba. So, since they don't let me in, I know other things," Rodríguez Quintana concludes, with irony summarizing decades of forced exile for those who dare to study and tell the history that Castroism sought to bury.
Understanding Cuba’s Historical Erasure
Why did Fidel Castro want to erase the memory of the Republic?
Fidel Castro aimed to erase the memory of the Republic because it showcased a prosperous, dynamic Cuba with a thriving private sector, which contradicted the revolutionary narrative he promoted.
What significant changes did the regime make to historical sites?
The regime renamed Havana’s Civic Plaza to Plaza de la Revolución in 1961 to appropriate its symbolism, despite it being completed during the Republic without Castro's involvement.
How did the Republic contribute to Cuba’s cultural and economic landscape?
The Republic era saw Cuba produce 20 films daily, collaborate in cinema with Mexico and Argentina, and have Cuban musicians perform globally, reflecting a vibrant cultural and economic landscape.