We remember Huber Matos who was born on this day in 1918. He died in 2014.
Back in 1990, I spoke with Matos by phone. It was a very interesting conversation. I concluded that he was first and foremost committed to a free Cuba.
As you remember from all of those news images, Matos marched into Havana with Castro in January 1959. Later, he was arrested for criticizing the regime and spent over 20 years in a political prison. After his release, Matos spent the rest of his life working with other anti-Castro Cubans.
He will always be remembered as the man who spoke out against Castro in 1959. He was was perhaps one of the last men to speak to Camilo Cienfuegos before his small plane disappeared.
PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
Matos never really came clean on what he did as a “revolutionary,” which included executions. It may be all water under the bridge by now, but he will never be “santo de mi devoción.”
I found an interview with Matos from the National Review dated from the early nineteen eighties. He admits his being with Castro but says Castro claimed never to be a communist, If he knew Castro would become one or was one, Matos said he would not have joined his revolution. He said the reason Castro became a communist was so he could rule with an iron hand because all Castro ever wanted was total control and without the Russians he could never have had that and that is why Matos broke with Castro after they won and became a prisoner in Castro’s Gulag for most of his life.