Marta Fernandez Miranda de Batista
Encyclopedia
Marta Fernandez Miranda de Batista (November 11,1923 - October 2, 2006) was First Lady
of Cuba
from 1952 until 1959. She was the second wife of Cuban President Fulgencio Batista
, who was overthrown by Fidel Castro
in the 1959 Cuban Revolution
, which forced the couple to flee permanently into exile
.
, but were shunned by the Palm Beach community. They rented a car and began driving north on U.S. Route 1
along the Florida coast. After arriving in Daytona Beach
at the end of the day, they liked the reception they received there. They hired a real estate
agent the next day and purchased a large riverfront house, where they lived on and off while continuing to influence Cuban politics.
Batista ran for and won a seat in the Cuban Senate in absentia in 1948. On March 10, 1952, Batista staged his second coup and once again became president of Cuba. This made Marta Fernandez de Batista the new First Lady of the country.
Marta Fernandez de Batista became an important matron of the Cuban arts as First Lady. She convinced her husband to build the National Gallery, which is now known as the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Habana
(National Museum of Fine Arts of Havana). The couple started acquiring colonial era Cuban and modern paintings for the Gallery.
's forces. Critics have accused them of taking as much as 700 million U.S. dollars in fine art
and cash with them as they fled into exile.
After being denied entry into the United States, the couple went to the Dominican Republic
before moving on to Portugal
, and eventually Spain
. Fulgencio Batista died in Spain of a heart attack in 1973, after fourteen years in exile. In his will, he bequeathed his home in Daytona Beach and his art collection there to the city. The Batista home was briefly used as a museum, before being sold by the city in 1971, when it was converted to a church.
in the United States. She lived a quiet life in her home in the Palm Beach area during her later years, often giving to a number of medical charities. A major contributor to the Jackson Memorial Hospital
in Miami, she purchased inscribed bricks at the hospital as part of a fundraiser. Batista's son, Robert, later said in an interview that, "She was very private, almost reclusive, after my father died. She had a gift for charity, but she did it very privately."
at her home in West Palm Beach on October 2, 2006, at the age of 82.
Batista was survived by four children whom she had with Fulgencio Batista (three sons and one daughter): Jorge Luis, Roberto Franciso, Fulgencio Jose and Marta Maluf Batista. Another son, Carlos, had died of leukemia
.
Her funeral was held at St. Juliana Catholic Church in West Palm Beach, United States and she was buried in Madrid, Spain.
First Lady
First Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...
of 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...
from 1952 until 1959. She was the second wife of Cuban President 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....
, who was overthrown 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...
in the 1959 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...
, which forced the couple to flee permanently into 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...
.
First Lady
Fulgencio Batista had already been Cuban President once, from 1940 to 1944, when he married Marta Fernandez de Batista. The couple moved to the United States during the 1940s after Batista's choice for his successor lost the presidential election in 1944. They had originally wanted to live in Palm Beach, FloridaPalm Beach, Florida
The Town of Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The Intracoastal Waterway separates it from the neighboring cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth...
, but were shunned by the Palm Beach community. They rented a car and began driving north on U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 in Florida
U.S. Route 1 in Florida runs along the state's east coast from Key West to its crossing of the St. Marys River into Georgia north of Boulogne, and south of Folkston. US 1 was designated through Florida when the U.S. Highway System was established in 1926.US 1 runs in the state of Florida, and...
along the Florida coast. After arriving in Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, USA. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city has a population of 64,211. Daytona Beach is a principal city of the Deltona – Daytona Beach – Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which the census bureau estimated had...
at the end of the day, they liked the reception they received there. They hired a real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
agent the next day and purchased a large riverfront house, where they lived on and off while continuing to influence Cuban politics.
Batista ran for and won a seat in the Cuban Senate in absentia in 1948. On March 10, 1952, Batista staged his second coup and once again became president of Cuba. This made Marta Fernandez de Batista the new First Lady of the country.
Marta Fernandez de Batista became an important matron of the Cuban arts as First Lady. She convinced her husband to build the National Gallery, which is now known as the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Habana
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Habana
The National Museum of Fine Arts of Havana in Havana, Cuba is a museum of Fine Arts that exhibits Cuban art collections from the colonial times up to contemporary generations. It was founded on February 23, 1913 due to the efforts of its first director, Emilio Heredia, a well-known architect...
(National Museum of Fine Arts of Havana). The couple started acquiring colonial era Cuban and modern paintings for the Gallery.
Exile
Fulgencio and Marta, their children and close friends fled Cuba in three planes on January 1, 1959, to escape Fidel CastroFidel 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 forces. Critics have accused them of taking as much as 700 million U.S. dollars in fine art
Fine art
Fine art or the fine arts encompass art forms developed primarily for aesthetics and/or concept rather than practical application. Art is often a synonym for fine art, as employed in the term "art gallery"....
and cash with them as they fled into exile.
After being denied entry into the United States, the couple went to the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
before moving on to Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, and eventually Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Fulgencio Batista died in Spain of a heart attack in 1973, after fourteen years in exile. In his will, he bequeathed his home in Daytona Beach and his art collection there to the city. The Batista home was briefly used as a museum, before being sold by the city in 1971, when it was converted to a church.
Later life
Following her husband's death Marta Fernandez de Batista moved to West Palm Beach, FloridaWest Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
in the United States. She lived a quiet life in her home in the Palm Beach area during her later years, often giving to a number of medical charities. A major contributor to the Jackson Memorial Hospital
Jackson Memorial Hospital
Jackson Memorial Hospital is a non-profit, tertiary care teaching hospital and the major teaching hospital of the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine in Miami, Florida...
in Miami, she purchased inscribed bricks at the hospital as part of a fundraiser. Batista's son, Robert, later said in an interview that, "She was very private, almost reclusive, after my father died. She had a gift for charity, but she did it very privately."
Death
Batista's health began to decline after undergoing hip surgery in 1995. Marta Fernandez Miranda de Batista died of Alzheimer's diseaseAlzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
at her home in West Palm Beach on October 2, 2006, at the age of 82.
Batista was survived by four children whom she had with Fulgencio Batista (three sons and one daughter): Jorge Luis, Roberto Franciso, Fulgencio Jose and Marta Maluf Batista. Another son, Carlos, had died of leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
.
Her funeral was held at St. Juliana Catholic Church in West Palm Beach, United States and she was buried in Madrid, Spain.