Ramón Grau
Encyclopedia
Dr. Ramón Grau San Martín (September 13, 1887, La Palma
, Pinar del Río Province
, Cuba
– July 28, 1969, Havana
, Cuba) was a Cuban physician and the President of Cuba
(1933–1934, 1944–1948).
and graduated in 1908 with a degree of Doctor of Medicine. He then lived in Europe to expand his medical knowledge and returned to Cuba in 1921 and became a professor of physiology at the University of Havana.
, and in 1931 he was jailed. Upon his release he went into exile in the United States.
Though he initially became President, he was eventually marginalized by army chief of staff Fulgencio Batista
, who distanced the military from other elements of the revolution and became de facto leader of Cuba behind the scenes. Batista forced Grau's resignation in 1934. That same year he went on to found the Partido Auténtico
.
His niece, Pola Grau Alsina
(1915–2000), served as First Lady of Cuba.
. For much of the Constitutional Convention, he served as the presiding officer (even after his coalition was pushed into the minority after the defection of one of the parties that formed it). He would eventually come to be replaced by Carlos Márquez Sterling
.
In 1940 Grau ran in the presidential election and lost to Fulgencio Batista
. Most independent observers at the time qualified the 1940 election as free and fair elections.
, Batista's handpicked successor, and served until 1948. Despite his initial popularity in 1933, accusations of corruption tainted his administration's image, and a sizable number of Cubans began to distrust him.
As Grau assumed the presidency, he was forced to address many financial problems left by his predecessor, Batista
. In a July 17, 1944 dispatch to the U.S. Secretary of State, U.S. Ambassador Spruille Braden
stated:
After turning over the presidency to his protégé, Carlos Prío, in 1948, Grau virtually withdrew from public life. He emerged again in 1952 to oppose Batista's coup d'état. Grau ran for president in the 1954 and 1958 Batista
-sponsored elections but withdrew just prior to each election day, claiming government fraud. After the Cuban revolution
and the rise of Fidel Castro
in 1959, Grau retired to his home in Havana
, where he died on July 28, 1969.
La Palma, Cuba
La Palma is a municipality and city in the Pinar del Río Province of Cuba. It is located in the northern part of the province, on the coast of the Straits of Florida, north of Consolación del Sur and north-east of Viñales....
, Pinar del Río Province
Pinar del Río Province
Pinar del Río is one of the provinces of Cuba. It is at the western end of the island of Cuba.-Geography:The Pinar del Río province is Cuba's westernmost province and contains one of Cuba's three main mountain ranges, the Cordillera de Guaniguanico, divided into the easterly Sierra del Rosario and...
, 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...
– July 28, 1969, 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) was a Cuban physician and the President of Cuba
President of Cuba
--209.174.31.28 18:43, 22 November 2011 The President of Cuba is the Head of state of Cuba. According to the Cuban Constitution of 1976, the President is the chief executive of the Council of State of Cuba...
(1933–1934, 1944–1948).
Youth
His father, a rich tobacco grower, wanted him to continue in her footsteps, but he wanted to be a doctor. He studied at the University of HavanaUniversity 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...
and graduated in 1908 with a degree of Doctor of Medicine. He then lived in Europe to expand his medical knowledge and returned to Cuba in 1921 and became a professor of physiology at the University of Havana.
Activism and the Revolution of 1933
In the 1920s he was involved with the student protests against then-president Gerardo MachadoGerardo Machado
Gerardo Machado y Morales was President of Cuba and a general of the Cuban War of Independence...
, and in 1931 he was jailed. Upon his release he went into exile in the United States.
Though he initially became President, he was eventually marginalized by army chief of staff 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 distanced the military from other elements of the revolution and became de facto leader of Cuba behind the scenes. Batista forced Grau's resignation in 1934. That same year he went on to found the Partido Auténtico
Partido Auténtico
The Partido Auténtico was a political party in Cuba most active between 1933 to 1952...
.
His niece, Pola Grau Alsina
Polita Grau
Polita Grau was a first lady of Cuba, a Cuban political prisoner, and the "godmother" of Operation Peter Pan, a program to help children leave Cuba....
(1915–2000), served as First Lady of Cuba.
Constitution of 1940
Grau was instrumental in passing the 1940 Constitution of Cuba1940 Constitution of Cuba
The 1940 Constitution of Cuba, was implemented in 1940, during the presidency of Federico Laredo Brú. It was primarily influenced by the collectivist ideas that inspired the Cuban Revolution of 1933. Widely considered one of the most "progressive" constitutions in existence at the time, it provided...
. For much of the Constitutional Convention, he served as the presiding officer (even after his coalition was pushed into the minority after the defection of one of the parties that formed it). He would eventually come to be replaced by Carlos Márquez Sterling
Carlos Márquez Sterling
Dr. Carlos Márquez Sterling y Guiral was a Cuban lawyer, writer, politician and diplomat....
.
In 1940 Grau ran in the presidential election and lost to 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....
. Most independent observers at the time qualified the 1940 election as free and fair elections.
Election of 1944
In 1944 Grau won the popular vote in the presidential election, defeating Carlos Saladrigas ZayasCarlos Saladrigas Zayas
Carlos Saladrigas Zayas was a Cuban politician and diplomat....
, Batista's handpicked successor, and served until 1948. Despite his initial popularity in 1933, accusations of corruption tainted his administration's image, and a sizable number of Cubans began to distrust him.
As Grau assumed the presidency, he was forced to address many financial problems left by his predecessor, 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....
. In a July 17, 1944 dispatch to the U.S. Secretary of State, U.S. Ambassador Spruille Braden
Spruille Braden
Spruille Braden was an American diplomat, businessman, lobbyist, and member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He served as the ambassador of various Latin American countries, and as Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs...
stated:
"It is becoming increasingly apparent that President Batista intends to discomfit the incoming Administration in every way possible, particularly financially. A systematic raid on the Treasury is in full swing with the result that Dr. Grau will probably find empty coffers when he takes office on October 10. It is blatant that President Batista desires that Dr. Grau San Matin should assume obligations which in fairness and equity should be a matter of settlement by the present Administration." http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/FRUS/FRUS-idx?type=turn&entity=FRUS.FRUS1944v07.p0924&id=FRUS.FRUS1944v07&isize=L&q1=grau%20san%20martin
After turning over the presidency to his protégé, Carlos Prío, in 1948, Grau virtually withdrew from public life. He emerged again in 1952 to oppose Batista's coup d'état. Grau ran for president in the 1954 and 1958 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....
-sponsored elections but withdrew just prior to each election day, claiming government fraud. After 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...
and the rise of 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 1959, Grau retired to his home 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...
, where he died on July 28, 1969.