Guerrilla Prince

Guerrilla Prince: The Untold Story of Fidel Castro, 3rd revised edition by Georgie Anne Geyer, Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2001. 

Favoring the Underdog

Castro wanted to be remembered by history as a revolutionary hero and champion of the oppressed. Castro did not believe in any particular political ideology, such as Marxist-Leninism, but, in general terms, favored poor people against rich people, and poor nations against rich nations. In particular, Castro hated the United States. 

Relationship with the Soviet Union

After he gained power, Castro turned to the Soviet Union, because he needed an ally against the United States. Fidel was not a tool of the Soviets, he was a rogue element that they could not control. Castro needed their money, weapons and training. It was Fidel’s brother Raul and his comrade Che who believed in Communism. Castro regarded the local Cuban Communist party as a rival and he was never their agent.

Deleting Rivals

Fidel selected followers who were obedient to him. Fidel refused to share power, and he eliminated anyone who was a threat to him. It was not enough that a person be loyal to Fidel. Fidel would eliminate individuals who had always been loyal, simply because they had acquired a strong enough power base to pose a possible threat to him sometime in the future. Castro often sent people to their deaths, rather than killing them directly. He would send them to a dangerous place where they would likely be killed by others. The most famous example was Ernesto “Che” Guevara, whom Castro sent to foment revolution in Bolivia, and then cut off the supply chain to Guevarra after his arrival in Bolivia.