A Sergeant Named Batista

Chapter 17

After the Christmas holidays it became more and more apparent that Grau could not continue in the Presidency. A solid front had been built up against his regime and there were indications that another crisis was near. His opposition embraced almost all the revolutionary organizations, and public demonstrations against Grau were almost daily occurrences. Even the old student group which had supported him in his early days in the Presidency publicly denounced his regime. Parades of protest were staged in the streets of the capital and the paraders shouted for Grau's removal. Batista called upon the leaders of the various revolutionary groups and political parties to find a substitute for the university professor turned politician.

The name of Carlos Mendieta, one of the most highly regarded men of the campaign against Machado, came up time and again and it was evident that his appointment to the Provisional Presidency would be a popular one. But it was also well known that Mendieta was not interested in the post. Batista, a great admirer of Mendieta, decided to call on the retired Colonel and try to persuade him to take over the government. The persuasive powers of Batista were well known and he had used them many times since the revolution of the past September. A meeting was arranged between Batista and Mendieta for the afternoon of January 13, 1934, on the farm of a mutual friend. Batista has always considered this meeting with Mendieta transcendental among the many in which he participated during the revolutionary days. After the usual formalities and greetings were exchanged Batista spoke to the statesman. Batista had gone into the meeting convinced that only Mendieta could save the country and he knew he had to do his best to persuade Mendieta to take the Presidency. Batista spoke as he bad never before spoken: "Colonel Mendieta," he said, "I am talking to you in the name of Cuba, with full realization of my responsibility.” Batista was in dead earnest and the small group present at the meeting knew it. "I am the son of a veteran, a soldier who fought, as you did, for the liberation of Cuba," Batista continued. "I do not have to stress the gravity of the present situation because you perceive it yourself and you are living through it. I am alone, almost alone, in this medley of turbulence and irresponsibility. I lack experience and have no historical background to support me in assuming the terrific task of solving the nation's problems alone. It is the duty of all of us to serve Cuba and your duty is greater than that of any other man at this time because of your political, revolutionary, and patriotic standing. I am not blind to the fact that to take the Provisional Presidency of the Republic at this time would represent a great sacrifice; but you have met and conquered other great obstacles during your life. The people believe in you, and the country needs your leadership, your prestige, and your character. I am harboring no illusions and I know that you are not harboring them either. The situation is fraught with danger. But public opinion is with you and you are regarded as a symbol, the man who will resolve the problems of Cuba-problems which Grau could never solve. The social structure of the country has collapsed, law is nonexistent, and the faith of men has been destroyed. You, alone, remain. As a patriot and as a Cuban you cannot deny your aid to Cuba and her people."

Batista has an exceptional talent for speaking extemporaneously. To be able to speak when the occasion demands a speech and to be able to speak convincingly is a requisite for all successful revolutionary leaders. Batista had no time during his early days of organizing and directing revolutions to write out his speeches. But he usually knew when he said something of unusual importance and he made a record of it, He made shorthand notes immediately after his most important speeches and filed them away. These notes have come to be valuable papers because they preserve some of his most important utterances for the writers of Cuba's history.

Batista's plea to Mendieta was a great speech, one of the best Batista had ever made, and Mendieta heard him out. Batista believed be bad succeeded in convincing the Colonel's sympathy and he waited for his answer. "Since you speak to me in the name of Cuba" said Mendieta, "you can count on me." He smiled as he shook the ex-Sergeant's hand. Batista was happy. He felt that the solution to Cuba's problems could be reached on a level of patriotism, above the political bickerings of the past few months. He believed Grau would accept the plan to install Mendieta in the Presidency and he went immediately to talk to him.

The conference between Grau and Batista was formal but not hostile. Batista told Grau of the plan to put Mendieta into the Presidency and Grau seemed to realize that the situation in Cuba was more serious than ever. Finally, after several hours of conversation, Grau told Batista that he would not allow himself to stand in the way of a patriotic solution. If Mendieta or any other Cuban with popular support would take the Presidency, Grau said, he would resign. The one condition Grau put was that he would resign only to the original revolutionary Committee of Nineteen. This was quite a problem, for the reason that the Committee, which was set up on September 4, bad been disbanded months before, a few days after it was created. But Batista accepted the condition and went about the work of getting the Committee of Nineteen back together. He succeeded, and a meeting was called for eleven o'clock on the night of January 14, at Camp Columbia.

The resignation was presented and a violent debate followed. The arguments were between a small group of Grau's close friends, headed by Ruben de Leon, and several of the leaders in the movement to replace Grau. As the arguments became more heated, de León spoke directly to Batista: "Don't forget, Batista," he said, "one can always find a bullet for a dictator." Batista replied in kind: “I’ll consider that one of your witticisms and I will forgive you because you are in my home. I am surrounded by my loyal forces and we are here to perform a patriotic service in behalf of the Cuban people, who do not belong to you, to Grau, to Mendieta, or to me." Batista had to restrain several of the army officers present and the meeting recessed at four in the morning without further trouble but without reaching a decision. The participants agreed to meet again later in the morning.

When the meeting opened in mid-morning, Batista arrived on time. But several others had met earlier and had worked out three propositions to be put before the group. One provided for the retention of Grau in the Presidency, but with a new cabinet, the second called for the appointment of Carlos Hevia as a compromise candidate, and the third for the appointment of Mendieta. Meanwhile, Mendieta bad sent word to the meeting that he favored the appointment of Hevia. With the withdrawal of Mendieta, Batista accepted the second proposition, the Hevia appointment, although he knew Hevia did not have the support of large sectors of the people.

The tenure of Provisional President Hevia, who had served as Secretary of Agriculture in the Céspedes government after the downfall of Machado, was a short one-less than two days. His appointment did not have the backing of the most important political groups in Cuba and there were charges that he bad been imposed on the people. Realizing that his position was not a sound one, Hevia sent his resignation to Batista, who in turn sent it to Mendieta, with the plea that he accept the Provisional Presidency immediately. Mendieta agreed to serve, and several hours later, leaders of the important political parties met and named him to the Provisional Presidency. He assumed the high office on January 18.

The appointment of Mendieta had a stabilizing effect on the country, but not for long. Disorders broke out anew in Havana, and once more Cuba was torn by strikes, assaults, kidnapings, political killings, and the wildest kind of terrorism.