During his first presidency Batista sponsored economic and social reforms,
influenced by European fascist-corporatism, but at the 1944 presidential elections his
preferred candidate was defeated by Grau and he went into exile. After deposing
Socarrás, whose regime was tainted with corruption, Batista suspended the
constitution and held a rigged election in 1954. His increasing authoritarianism
provoked uprisings and, after a derided sham election in 1958, he was overthrown on
1 January 1959 by Castro, whose rebel forces had waged a three-year-long
insurgency.
Batista was born in Banes, in eastern Cuba. He was a career soldier from 1921 and,
as an army sergeant, participated in the August 1933 overthrow of the dictator
Gerardo Machado y Morales. A month later, he led the military coup that ousted
Manuel de Céspedes and installed Grau in power. Batista, by now a colonel, was
made army chief of staff and took power the following year.
Batlle y Ordóñez, José (1856–1929)
Uruguayan statesman, political reformer, and president 1903–07 and 1911–15. Many
industries were nationalized by the state during his administration and significant
improvements were made in the areas of working hours, pensions, and
unemployment benefits. He also gave women the vote. Proposals made during his
presidency subsequently influenced changes to the nation's constitution in 1917, with
the creation of national socialist governance.
Batlle was leader of the Asociación Nacional Republicana (ANR; Colorado Party) and
instituted major legislative changes during his second term in office, particularly in
relation to social and governmental reform. The welfare state, however, funded by
taxation on the livestock sector, was particularly fragile, as fluctuations in the market
had major repercussions on the state finances.
His first term in office was less productive, having to contend with the 1904 civil war
between Colorado and right-of-centre Blanco party factions.
Batt, Philip (1927– )
US politician and governor of Idaho from 1995. A strong fiscal conservative, Batt is
an outspoken critic of high taxation and regulation. His special interests are in
agriculture and he is a member of a number of farming and growers' organizations.
Born in Wilder, Idaho, Batt graduated from Wilder High School and attended the
University of Idaho 1944–48. His college studies were interrupted for two years when
he volunteered for service with the Army Air Force. He was elected to the Idaho state
legislature in 1965 and served two years in the Idaho house of representatives. He
later served 14 years in the Idaho state senate with six years as the senate majority
leader. He held the office of Lieutenant Governor 1978–82, where he positioned
himself as an ombudsman.