Fidel Castro receives a fifteen-year sentence

Haydée Santamaría and Melba Hernández participated directly, preserved testimony and later helped reproduce the political programme of the movement.

A significant group of young workers and activists from Artemisa joined the attacks; many were killed after capture by Batista’s forces.

After several days in the hills outside Santiago, Fidel Castro surrendered to a patrol. Lieutenant Pedro Sarría prevented his immediate killing and delivered him for trial.

The government placed surviving attackers on trial in Santiago. The proceedings became a public indictment of Batista’s dictatorship.

Fidel Castro delivered his own defence, outlining demands for constitutional government, land reform, education and social justice.

The Moncada defence demanded land for tenants, profit sharing for workers, support for small farmers, honest government and restored constitutional rights.

Castro invoked José Martí while arguing that formal independence had not ended inequality, foreign economic domination or political corruption.

Fulgencio Batista became constitutional president after his main opponent withdrew, arguing that repression made a fair election impossible.

Popular pressure contributed to an amnesty that freed Fidel Castro, Raúl Castro and other imprisoned rebels.

The freed Moncada participants were welcomed by supporters and began rebuilding an opposition movement against Batista.