Eduardo Chibás
Encyclopedia
Eduardo René Chibás Ribas (1907 in Santiago de Cuba
- August 16, 1951 in Havana
, Cuba
) was a Cuban politician who used radio
to broadcast his political views to the public. He primarily denounced corruption and gangsterism rampant during the governments of Ramón Grau
and Carlos Prío which preceded the Batista era
. He believed corruption was the most important problem Cuba faced.
Chibás is considered to have had influence on Fidel Castro
's views but his name is not mentioned in today's Cuba because he was avowedly anti-communist
. However, Fidel Castro wrote an essay praising him, published in the Communist Youth newspaper Juventud Rebelde on August 26, 2007.
In 1947 he formed the Ortodoxos party
which had the goal of exposing government corruption and bringing about revolutionary change through constitutional means. Castro also joined as he considered Chibás as his mentor. Chibás lost the 1948 election for president, coming in third place. He was an extremely strong critic of that election’s winner, Carlos Prío Socarrás.
On August 5, 1951, Eduardo Chibás walked into radio station CMQ in Havana, for his weekly radio broadcast.That day he had promised to furnish the evidence supporting his claim that education minister Aureliano Sanchez Arango
was embezzling money. Instead, he talked about other topics, warned that Fulgencio Batista
might attempt a military coup, and made a farewell statement. Chibás, who was also a senator, was supposed to present evidence from congressmen supporting his claim, who ultimately refused to do so, and Chibás believed that killing himself was the only way he could apologize for his inability to keep his promise. Mr. Chibas shot himself during his weekly radio show, unfortunately, he had forgotten that his alloted radio time was only 25 minutes. The shot took place while the commercial ad with "Cafe Pilon" was running, thus, eliminating the planned effect of "his grand finale".
The whole country grieved for Chibás, who was initially expected to survive, but after eleven days of intensive care, he died in the hospital of his wounds. He is buried in the Colon Cemetery, Havana
. His funeral was attended by hundreds of thousands, and it has been speculated that he might have been a contender for the 1952 presidential elections. Batista took the government by force on March 10, 1952.
His parents were Eduardo Justo Chibás Guerra and Gloria de Rivas Agramonte.
Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city of Cuba and capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province in the south-eastern area of the island, some south-east of the Cuban capital of Havana....
- August 16, 1951 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...
, Cuba
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...
) was a Cuban politician who used radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
to broadcast his political views to the public. He primarily denounced corruption and gangsterism rampant during the governments of Ramón Grau
Ramón Grau
Dr. Ramón Grau San Martín was a Cuban physician and the President of Cuba .-Youth:...
and Carlos Prío which preceded the Batista era
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....
. He believed corruption was the most important problem Cuba faced.
Chibás is considered to have had influence on 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...
's views but his name is not mentioned in today's Cuba because he was avowedly anti-communist
Anti-communism
Anti-communism is opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed in reaction to the rise of communism, especially after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia and the beginning of the Cold War in 1947.-Objections to communist theory:...
. However, Fidel Castro wrote an essay praising him, published in the Communist Youth newspaper Juventud Rebelde on August 26, 2007.
In 1947 he formed the Ortodoxos party
Partido Ortodoxo
The ' was a Cuban political party, otherwise known as the . It was founded in 1947 by Eduardo Chibás in response to perceived government corruption and lack of reform...
which had the goal of exposing government corruption and bringing about revolutionary change through constitutional means. Castro also joined as he considered Chibás as his mentor. Chibás lost the 1948 election for president, coming in third place. He was an extremely strong critic of that election’s winner, Carlos Prío Socarrás.
On August 5, 1951, Eduardo Chibás walked into radio station CMQ in Havana, for his weekly radio broadcast.That day he had promised to furnish the evidence supporting his claim that education minister Aureliano Sanchez Arango
Aureliano Sánchez Arango
Aureliano Sánchez Arango was a Cuban lawyer, politician and university professor.Sanchez served in the government of President Carlos Prio Socarras first as Minister of Education and then as Foreign Minister...
was embezzling money. Instead, he talked about other topics, warned that 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....
might attempt a military coup, and made a farewell statement. Chibás, who was also a senator, was supposed to present evidence from congressmen supporting his claim, who ultimately refused to do so, and Chibás believed that killing himself was the only way he could apologize for his inability to keep his promise. Mr. Chibas shot himself during his weekly radio show, unfortunately, he had forgotten that his alloted radio time was only 25 minutes. The shot took place while the commercial ad with "Cafe Pilon" was running, thus, eliminating the planned effect of "his grand finale".
The whole country grieved for Chibás, who was initially expected to survive, but after eleven days of intensive care, he died in the hospital of his wounds. He is buried in the Colon Cemetery, Havana
Colon Cemetery, Havana
The Colon Cemetery or more fully in the Spanish language Cementerio de Cristóbal Colón was founded in 1876 in the Vedado neighbourhood of Havana, Cuba on top of Espada Cemetery. Named for Christopher Columbus, the 140 acre cemetery is noted for its many elaborately sculpted memorials...
. His funeral was attended by hundreds of thousands, and it has been speculated that he might have been a contender for the 1952 presidential elections. Batista took the government by force on March 10, 1952.
His parents were Eduardo Justo Chibás Guerra and Gloria de Rivas Agramonte.