This speech given by Fidel Castro was originally spoken in court when he was on trial for revolutionary actions against the current Batista dictatorship. It would later be adapted by Castro and used as a motivational speech. The speech is long and covers the injustices Castro sees in Cuba under Batista as well as proposed policy changes to fix them. Castro talk about redistribution of wealth and nationalist economic policy, so Cuba becomes in the hands of its people. He states that he is not afraid of prison nor his reputation as history will “absolve him” because he is in the right. The specific excerpt showcased here highlights Castro’s want for educational development and protection for the youth of Cuba. Here he clearly appeals to emotion in order to further his point of the positive effects of economic nationalization. He explains how Cuba is behind much of the world because it is forced into an imperialized position as long as the dictatorship and other politicians benefit from foreign intervention and extreme wealth inequality. Originally, Castro was talking to courtroom when delivering this speech; however, it is evident that he means for this speech to be heard by all Cubans and especially those in the lower and middle class. Throughout the speech, Castro recognizes he will go to prison, but wants to make it clear that this, in itself, does not make him fearful. He believes that what he is fighting for is just and will be seen as such in history. Therefore, the final line of the speech was adapted in his revisions and became the famous phrase that it is today.
The speech echoes many nationalist sentiments which had been prevalent throughout the previous nationalist era. In Cuba’s case, Castro and other socialist revolutionaries began a media and directly combative war against the Batista dictatorship to alleviate inequalities and destroy the economic imperialism of the United States. The initial attempts were a failure, and this speech takes place after those initial failures and before any successful changes were made. However, eventually Castro and his brother Raul would return to Cuba and organize a successful revolution. The Cuban revolution was a organization from the bottom-up rather than the top-down which distinguishes it from other coups during the same period. Cuba may be the most recognizable example of nationalist ideas bubbling over into a successful revolution that would ultimately nationalize industries and develop a socialist society from this era in Latin America.
Works Cited
Castro, Fidel. “History Will Absolve Me”, October 16th, 1953.
“Modern Latin America ‘History Will Absolve Me.’” Modern Latin America. Brown University Libraries. Accessed March 11, 2021. https://library.brown.edu/create/modernlatinamerica/chapters/chapter-4-cuba/primary-documents-w-accompanying-discussion-questions/document-no-10-history-will-absolve-me-by-fidel-castro-ruiz/.