http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0101.html#article
Batista and Regime Flee
ARMY HALTS FIRE
Rebels Seize
________________________________________
By R. HART PHILLIPS
Castro
Casinos Wrecked
Dr. Manuel Urrutia, Senor Castro's own choice, appeared likely early this morning to become the provisional President. Col. Ramon Barquin, who had been imprisoned for conspiring against the Batista Government, was brought here by military plane from the
Colonel Barquin immediately sent out a call to Senor Castro to come to the capital with Dr. Urrutia and set up a new Government. The rebel leader and his forces had entered
Key Cities Captured
Truckloads of soldiers moved into Havana last night to maintain order in conjunction with militia of Senor Castro's 26th of July Movement, who were also patrolling the streets armed with machine guns and rifles.
The rebel forces forged ahead throughout the island. While some insurgents spread out from
General Batista led an exodus from
Piedra Is Rejected
Calling his military chiefs together early yesterday at Camp Columbia, army headquarters, General Batista, strong man of Cuban politics for most of the period since 1933, declared he was resigning "to prevent further bloodshed."
He left behind a junta headed by Gen. Eulogio Cantillo, recently the commander in Oriente province, the center of the Castro revolt. The junta immediately designated Dr. Carlos Piedra, the oldest judge of the Supreme Court, as provisional President in accordance with the Constitution of 1940.
General Cantillo took over as chief of staff of the army. Dr. Gustavo Pelayo was designated Premier.
But Senor Castro declared that his insurgents would remain on a "war footing" and refused to accept the designation of Justice Piedra as provisional President. The Supreme Court refused to administer the oath of office to the Justice.
The rebel leader called a general strike for today in protest against the Piedra regime. He demanded that Dr. Urrutia, former judge of the Urgency Court of Santiago de Cuba, be installed as the provisional President, as he had proposed a year ago.
The Cane Planters Association of
General Cantillo, as army chief, issued a cease-fire order to troops throughout the island. Political prisoners were being freed in
Restaurants Barricaded
Since it was New Year's Day, commerce and industry were halted. Restaurants, cafes and grocery stores closed their doors as rioting began. Mobs broke windows and looted some stores. The police fired on the mobs and a number of persons have been killed and wounded.
A mob set fire to the plant of El Tiempo, a newspaper owned by Senator Rolando Masferrer. Senator Masferrer, an intimate friend of General Batista, had a private army of some 2,000 operating in
As the news of the fall of the Government spread early yesterday, the public poured into the streets.
The black and red flag of the 26th of July Movement, headed by Senor Castro, appeared on automobiles and buildings. Cars raced through the streets with horns blowing.
Mob Destroys Gambling Casino
Firing broke out near the docks, but details were not immediately available. A mob destroyed the new gambling casino in the Plaza Hotel.
Amleto Battisti, owner of the Sevilla Biltmore Hotel and its casino and a Representative in Congress, took refuge in the Uruguayan Embassy.
Armed young rebels seized the radio stations. Broadcasts called on the people to remain calm and orderly.
Crowds also attacked the Banco de la Construccion in the
Latin-American embassies were crowded with officials who had taken political asylum. Hundreds of others were hiding in the city.
In the afternoon the National Association of Newspapermen declared a strike until the situation was clarified. But several
United States Ambassador Earl E. T. Smith warned American citizens to take "appropriate precautions." Two big cruise ships with many American tourists aboard, in
Many tourists were stranded here by the swift fall of the Government. Plane service was curtailed for a time and ships arriving at
Later, it was announced that it was arranging for a ship to come from
City Almost Deserted
Restaurants and other establishments that closed during the rioting did not open because personnel heeded the strike call. However, most hotels supplied their guests with meals.
The resistance movement told the public that the strike would not include telephones, broadcasting and power services.
At night
In the luxurious
No Patrolmen Seen on Street
No policemen on foot were seen patroling the streets of
Later last night, troops and militiamen took over the task of guarding the city.
Eusebio Mujal, secretary general of the Confederation of Cuban Workers, sought asylum in the Argentine Embassy. Senor Mujal and his labor leaders strongly supported the Batista regime.
________________________________________
Montevideo, Uruguay, Jan. 2 (Reuters)--Cuban exiles occupied the Cuban legation building here tonight after it had been handed over by the Consul. Carlos Baruff, representative of the Cuban rebel leader, Fidel Castro, is expected here from
_______________________________________
Copyright 2010 The New York Times Company
Donations can be sent to the
"The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles. The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject class has had nothing to gain and everything to lose--especially their lives." Eugene Victor Debs
No comments:
Post a Comment