Word: pedraza
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1940-1949
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...early dawn a detachment of Cuban soldiers surrounded a farmhouse near the sponge-fishing port of Batabanó. Under a heap of palm leaves, in slacks and sport shirt, they found quaking ex-Colonel José Pedraza, their former Chief of Staff, until recently in exile. They took him and five civilians caught with him to the military prison in ancient Cabanas Fortress across the harbor from Havana. So ended last week a revolution that never took place...
...twenty days, announced the Government smugly, it had known about the conspiracy. Army leaders, pretending to join, had kept the authorities informed. When Colonel Pedraza slipped into Cuba a few days ago, he was trailed by police...
...even let the nipped plot throw it into a tailspin. There were no disorders, no swarming of cops and sol diers. Instead, that night a festive crowd marched through the streets of downtown Havana, chanted and cheered outside the President's Palace. They did demand the death of Pedraza...
...every Cuban's mind: ex-President Batista, the Strong Man who dominated Cuba for a decade until he permitted Grau to win a fair election in 1944. Several plotters were close friends of Batista, now touring the U.S. in something very like exile. Many were his associates. Pedraza himself was dismissed from office by Batista for plotting against him in 1941. But Cubans wondered whether the two men may have met during Batista's recent visit to Mexico...
Then, for Cubans, came the most incredible part of the whole revolution. Constitutional guarantees were restored. With the President's permission and assistance, Culprits Pedraza, Garcia and other rebels with their families took a specially chartered Pan American Airways plane to Miami, where they were joined two days later by Culprit Gonzalez. Arriving in Florida, Gonzalez spoke like a defeated U. S. Presidential candidate. "1 bear President Batista only gratitude." he said, "and want to thank him for all the kindness he has shown me in the past and while I was getting ready to sail for the United...