Carlos Franqui
Encyclopedia
Carlos Franqui was a Cuba
n writer, poet, journalist, art critic, and political activist. After the Fulgencio Batista
coup in 1952, he became involved with the "Movimiento 26 de Julio
" which was directed by Fidel Castro
. Upon the success of the Cuban Revolution
in 1959, he was placed in charge of Revolución, which became an official paper. After differences with the regime, he left Cuba with his family and in 1968 officially broke with the government when he signed a letter condemning the Soviet
invasion of Czechoslovakia
. He became a vocal critic of the Castro government, writing frequently until his death on April 16, 2010.
, where he joined the Communist Party of Cuba
. He gave up the opportunity to enter the University of Havana
to become a professional organizer for the party at the age of 20. After successfully organizing the party in several small towns, he broke with the organization and became an unaffiliated leftist.
He turned to journalism to make a living, where his voracious reading provided him with a much better education than he would have received in the university. During this time Franqui became involved in several literary and artistic movements and developed friendships with Cuban artists, including writer Guillermo Cabrera Infante
and painter Wifredo Lam
.
coup in 1952, he became involved with the "Movimiento 26 de Julio
" which was directed by Fidel Castro
. His contribution to the movement included co-editing the underground newspaper Revolución in Havana, for which he was in charge of public information. One article in particular reported the landing of the Granma
and the confirmation of Fidel Castro's safety in the Sierra Maestra. He was jailed and tortured by the police. On his release, he went into exile in Mexico and Florida
, but was soon drafted by Castro into the Sierra Maestra to continue work on Revolución, the guerrilla movement's clandestine newspaper and Radio Rebelde
, their clandestine radio station. See his book of published interviews, letters and personal thoughts in his "Diary of the Cuban Revolution". NY: The Viking Press, 1980.
Upon the success of the Cuban Revolution
in 1959, he was placed in charge of Revolución, which became an official paper. During his tenure as editor, he maintained a degree of independence from the official line and emphasized the arts and literature, starting the literary supplement "Lunes de Revolución", which was directed by Guillermo Cabrera Infante
and where high quality work by Cuban and international authors was featured. His position allowed him to travel extensively outside of Cuba. During his European travels, he met artists and intellectuals, such as Pablo Picasso
, Miró
, Calder
, Jean-Paul Sartre
, Simone de Beauvoir
, Julio Cortázar
and many others. A significant number of these artists traveled to Cuba. One of the most memorable visits was that of Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir, which is recounted in the aforementioned book.
Due to his critical attitude, Franqui had frequent disagreements with the government, which eventually led to his resignation from "Revolución". The paper was closed a few months later. After his resignation, Franqui dedicated himself to art, organizing the famous "Salón de Mayo" exhibit in Havana
(1967), where all leading artists in the world were represented.
attitude, he continued to have problems with the Cuban government. Eventually, he was allowed to leave Cuba with his family and settled in Italy as an unpaid cultural representative of Cuba. In 1968, he officially broke with the Cuban government when he signed a letter condemning the Soviet
invasion of Czechoslovakia
.
After his definitive exile
, his literary production markedly increased. Franqui penned several major historical accounts of the Cuban Revolution, including, "El Libro de los Doce" (The Book about the Twelve) and "Diario de la Revolución Cubana" (The Diary of the Cuban Revolution). Yet, another facet of his literary opus were a number of poetry and graphic arts collections (for which he collaborated with Joan Miró
, Antoni Tàpies
, Alexander Calder
, and others), several books of poetry, as well as several narrative works on art (some edited in Italian under pen names).
He continued to campaign against repression in Cuba and other countries. He was officially branded as a traitor by the Cuban government, which accused him of CIA
ties. Also, many Cuban exile
s shun Franqui because of his active role in the Cuban revolution.
In the early 1990s he moved to Puerto Rico
, where he lived in semi-retirement. In 1996, he founded Carta de Cuba
, a quarterly journal featuring high-quality work produced in Cuba by independent journalists and writers. Franqui continued to edit the publication until his death, which occurred on April 16, 2010 in Puerto Rico.
After breaking relations with Cuba the Cuban government began erasing Franqui's image from the country's revolutionary history. In the above image of Fidel making a broadcast Franqui was airbrushed out. Upon learning of his erasure Franqui had this to say:
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n writer, poet, journalist, art critic, and political activist. After the Fulgencio Batista
Fulgencio Batista
Fulgencio Batista y Zaldívar was the United States-aligned Cuban President, dictator and military leader who served as the leader of Cuba from 1933 to 1944 and from 1952 to 1959, before being overthrown as a result of the Cuban Revolution....
coup in 1952, he became involved with the "Movimiento 26 de Julio
26th of July Movement
The 26th of July Movement was the revolutionary organization planned and led by Fidel Castro that in 1959 overthrew the Fulgencio Batista government in Cuba...
" which was directed by Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
. Upon the success of the Cuban Revolution
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
in 1959, he was placed in charge of Revolución, which became an official paper. After differences with the regime, he left Cuba with his family and in 1968 officially broke with the government when he signed a letter condemning the Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
invasion of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
. He became a vocal critic of the Castro government, writing frequently until his death on April 16, 2010.
Early years
Born in a cane field, he was able to enter a vocational schoolVocational school
A vocational school , providing vocational education, is a school in which students are taught the skills needed to perform a particular job...
, where he joined the Communist Party of Cuba
Communist Party of Cuba
The Communist Party of Cuba is the governing political party in Cuba. It is a communist party of the Marxist-Leninist model. The Cuban constitution ascribes the role of the Party to be the "leading force of society and of the state"...
. He gave up the opportunity to enter the University of Havana
University of Havana
The University of Havana or UH is a university located in the Vedado district of Havana, Cuba. Founded in 1728, the University of Havana is the oldest university in Cuba, and one of the first to be founded in the Americas...
to become a professional organizer for the party at the age of 20. After successfully organizing the party in several small towns, he broke with the organization and became an unaffiliated leftist.
He turned to journalism to make a living, where his voracious reading provided him with a much better education than he would have received in the university. During this time Franqui became involved in several literary and artistic movements and developed friendships with Cuban artists, including writer Guillermo Cabrera Infante
Guillermo Cabrera Infante
Guillermo Cabrera Infante was a Cuban novelist, essayist, translator, and critic; in the 1950s he used the pseudonym G. Caín.A one-time supporter of the Castro regime, Cabrera Infante went into exile to London in 1965...
and painter Wifredo Lam
Wifredo Lam
Wifredo Óscar de la Concepción Lam y Castilla , better known as Wifredo Lam, was a Cuban artist who sought to portray and revive the enduring Afro-Cuban spirit and culture...
.
Role in the Cuban revolution
Franqui broke ranks with the Cuban Communist Party in the late 1940s, but he remained an unaffiliated leftist. After the Fulgencio BatistaFulgencio Batista
Fulgencio Batista y Zaldívar was the United States-aligned Cuban President, dictator and military leader who served as the leader of Cuba from 1933 to 1944 and from 1952 to 1959, before being overthrown as a result of the Cuban Revolution....
coup in 1952, he became involved with the "Movimiento 26 de Julio
26th of July Movement
The 26th of July Movement was the revolutionary organization planned and led by Fidel Castro that in 1959 overthrew the Fulgencio Batista government in Cuba...
" which was directed by Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
. His contribution to the movement included co-editing the underground newspaper Revolución in Havana, for which he was in charge of public information. One article in particular reported the landing of the Granma
Granma
Granma may refer to:*Slang for grandmother*Granma , a yacht in which Fidel Castro and his revolutionary expedition sailed to Cuba in 1956**CF Granma a Cuban football club...
and the confirmation of Fidel Castro's safety in the Sierra Maestra. He was jailed and tortured by the police. On his release, he went into exile in Mexico and Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, but was soon drafted by Castro into the Sierra Maestra to continue work on Revolución, the guerrilla movement's clandestine newspaper and Radio Rebelde
Radio Rebelde
Radio Rebelde is a Cuban Spanish-language radio station. It broadcasts 24 hours a day with a varied program of national and international music hits of the moment, news reports and live sport events...
, their clandestine radio station. See his book of published interviews, letters and personal thoughts in his "Diary of the Cuban Revolution". NY: The Viking Press, 1980.
Upon the success of the Cuban Revolution
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
in 1959, he was placed in charge of Revolución, which became an official paper. During his tenure as editor, he maintained a degree of independence from the official line and emphasized the arts and literature, starting the literary supplement "Lunes de Revolución", which was directed by Guillermo Cabrera Infante
Guillermo Cabrera Infante
Guillermo Cabrera Infante was a Cuban novelist, essayist, translator, and critic; in the 1950s he used the pseudonym G. Caín.A one-time supporter of the Castro regime, Cabrera Infante went into exile to London in 1965...
and where high quality work by Cuban and international authors was featured. His position allowed him to travel extensively outside of Cuba. During his European travels, he met artists and intellectuals, such as Pablo Picasso
Pablo Picasso
Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso known as Pablo Ruiz Picasso was a Spanish expatriate painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and stage designer, one of the greatest and most influential artists of the...
, Miró
Joan Miró
Joan Miró i Ferrà was a Spanish Catalan painter, sculptor, and ceramicist born in Barcelona.Earning international acclaim, his work has been interpreted as Surrealism, a sandbox for the subconscious mind, a re-creation of the childlike, and a manifestation of Catalan pride...
, Calder
Alexander Calder
Alexander Calder was an American sculptor and artist most famous for inventing mobile sculptures. In addition to mobile and stable sculpture, Alexander Calder also created paintings, lithographs, toys, tapestry, jewelry and household objects.-Childhood:Alexander "Sandy" Calder was born in Lawnton,...
, Jean-Paul Sartre
Jean-Paul Sartre
Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre was a French existentialist philosopher, playwright, novelist, screenwriter, political activist, biographer, and literary critic. He was one of the leading figures in 20th century French philosophy, particularly Marxism, and was one of the key figures in literary...
, Simone de Beauvoir
Simone de Beauvoir
Simone-Ernestine-Lucie-Marie Bertrand de Beauvoir, often shortened to Simone de Beauvoir , was a French existentialist philosopher, public intellectual, and social theorist. She wrote novels, essays, biographies, an autobiography in several volumes, and monographs on philosophy, politics, and...
, Julio Cortázar
Julio Cortázar
Julio Cortázar, born Jules Florencio Cortázar, was an Argentine writer. Cortázar, known as one of the founders of the Latin American Boom, influenced an entire generation of Spanish speaking readers and writers in the Americas and Europe.-Early life:Cortázar's parents, Julio José Cortázar and...
and many others. A significant number of these artists traveled to Cuba. One of the most memorable visits was that of Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir, which is recounted in the aforementioned book.
Due to his critical attitude, Franqui had frequent disagreements with the government, which eventually led to his resignation from "Revolución". The paper was closed a few months later. After his resignation, Franqui dedicated himself to art, organizing the famous "Salón de Mayo" exhibit in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
(1967), where all leading artists in the world were represented.
Exile from Cuba
Because of his dissidentDissident
A dissident, broadly defined, is a person who actively challenges an established doctrine, policy, or institution. When dissidents unite for a common cause they often effect a dissident movement....
attitude, he continued to have problems with the Cuban government. Eventually, he was allowed to leave Cuba with his family and settled in Italy as an unpaid cultural representative of Cuba. In 1968, he officially broke with the Cuban government when he signed a letter condemning the Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
invasion of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
.
After his definitive exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
, his literary production markedly increased. Franqui penned several major historical accounts of the Cuban Revolution, including, "El Libro de los Doce" (The Book about the Twelve) and "Diario de la Revolución Cubana" (The Diary of the Cuban Revolution). Yet, another facet of his literary opus were a number of poetry and graphic arts collections (for which he collaborated with Joan Miró
Joan Miró
Joan Miró i Ferrà was a Spanish Catalan painter, sculptor, and ceramicist born in Barcelona.Earning international acclaim, his work has been interpreted as Surrealism, a sandbox for the subconscious mind, a re-creation of the childlike, and a manifestation of Catalan pride...
, Antoni Tàpies
Antoni Tàpies
Antoni Tàpies i Puig, 1st Marquess of Tàpies is a Catalan painter. He is one of the most famous European artists of his generation. After studying law for 3 years, he devoted himself from 1943 onwards only to his painting...
, Alexander Calder
Alexander Calder
Alexander Calder was an American sculptor and artist most famous for inventing mobile sculptures. In addition to mobile and stable sculpture, Alexander Calder also created paintings, lithographs, toys, tapestry, jewelry and household objects.-Childhood:Alexander "Sandy" Calder was born in Lawnton,...
, and others), several books of poetry, as well as several narrative works on art (some edited in Italian under pen names).
He continued to campaign against repression in Cuba and other countries. He was officially branded as a traitor by the Cuban government, which accused him of CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
ties. Also, many Cuban exile
Cuban exile
The term "Cuban exile" refers to the many Cubans who have sought alternative political or economic conditions outside the island, dating back to the Ten Years' War and the struggle for Cuban independence during the 19th century...
s shun Franqui because of his active role in the Cuban revolution.
In the early 1990s he moved to Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, where he lived in semi-retirement. In 1996, he founded Carta de Cuba
Carta de Cuba
Carta de Cuba is an international magazine featuring work by independent Cuban journalists . The director of the publication is Jose Rivero Garcia, one of the leading Cuban dissident intellectuals during the 1980s and 1990s...
, a quarterly journal featuring high-quality work produced in Cuba by independent journalists and writers. Franqui continued to edit the publication until his death, which occurred on April 16, 2010 in Puerto Rico.
Erased from Cuba
After breaking relations with Cuba the Cuban government began erasing Franqui's image from the country's revolutionary history. In the above image of Fidel making a broadcast Franqui was airbrushed out. Upon learning of his erasure Franqui had this to say:
Written work
- Franqui, Carlos| = Camilo, el Héroe Desaparecido, Planeta, 2001 (Spanish Edition), ISBN 0971525633
- Franqui, Carlos | = Cuba, la revolucion/ Cuba, the Revolution: Mito o realidad. Memorias de un fantasma socialista, Peninsula, 2006. (Spanish Edition)| ISBN 8483077256
External links
- Obituary: Carlos Franqui by The Daily TelegraphThe Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
- http://vocescubanas.com/anclainsular/2008/08/01/el-cristo-de-la-cubania-miguel-iturria-savon/