1958 Cuban general election explained

Country:Cuba
Election Date:3 November 1958
Previous Election:1954 Cuban general election
Previous Year:1954
Next Election:1976 Cuban parliamentary election
Next Year:1976
Module:
Embed:yes
Election Name:Presidential election
Type:presidential
Image1:Andrés Rivero Aguero.jpg
Nominee1:
Party1:Progressive Action Party
Popular Vote1:428,166
Percentage1:70.40%
Party2:PPL
Party2 Name:no
Color2:008000
Popular Vote2:95,447
Percentage2:15.69%
Image3:Ramón Grau San Martín.jpg
Party3:Partido Auténtico
Popular Vote3:75,789
Percentage3:12.46%
President
Before Election:Fulgencio Batista
Before Party:Progressive Action Party
After Party:Independent

General elections were held in Cuba on 3 November 1958.[1] The three major presidential candidates were Carlos Márquez Sterling of the Partido del Pueblo Libre, Ramón Grau of the Partido Auténtico and Andrés Rivero Agüero of the Coalición Progresista Nacional. There was also a minor party candidate on the ballot, Alberto Salas Amaro for the Union Cubana party. Voter turnout was estimated at 50% of eligible voters.[2] Although Andrés Rivero Agüero won the presidential election with 70% of the vote, he and all other elected officials were unable to take office due to the Cuban Revolution.[3] Anselmo Alliegro y Milá briefly became the next president on 1 January 1959, before being replaced by the Chief Justice Carlos Manuel Piedra the following day, who in turn was replaced by Manuel Urrutia Lleó a day later.

This was the last competitive election in Cuba; the 1940 constitution was abrogated and the Congress quickly dismantled shortly thereafter.

Background

The rebels had publicly called for an election boycott, issuing its Total War Manifesto on 12 March 1958, threatening to kill anyone that voted.[4]

Results

Chamber of Representatives

The 166 members of the Chamber of Representatives were elected; 85 for a four-year term 81 for a two-year term.[5]

Aftermath

Rivero Agüero was due to be sworn in on 24 February 1959. In a conversation between him and the American ambassador Earl E. T. Smith on 15 November 1958, he called Castro a "sick man" and stated it would be impossible to reach a settlement with him. Rivero Agüero also said that he planned to restore constitutional government and would convene a Constitutional Assembly after taking office.[6]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Todas las magistraturas de la Nación serán cubiertas mañana en 8,521 colegios electorales . . 2 November 1958 . 1 June 2018.
  2. Manuel Marquez-Sterling (2009) Cuba 1952-1959: The True Story of Castro's Rise to Power, Kleiopatria Digital Press
  3. [Dieter Nohlen]
  4. Web site: Castro/M-26-7 Total War on Tyranny Manifesto 1958. Scribd.com. 13 January 2021.
  5. Web site: Composición y clasificación de la Cámara en enero del 59 . Diario de la Marina . 21 December 1958 . Spanish . 1 June 2018.
  6. Web site: 154. Memorandum of a Conversation Between the Ambassador in Cuba (Smith) and President-Elect Rivero Agüero, Havana, November 15, 1958 . Office of the Historian, Foreign Service Institute, United States Department of State . 23 July 2020 .