José Miró Cardona facts for kids

José Miró Cardona (born August 22, 1902 – died August 10, 1974) was an important Cuban politician. He served as the Prime Minister of Cuba for about six weeks in early 1959. He was chosen by President Manuel Urrutia on January 5, 1959. However, on February 13, 1959, Miró unexpectedly resigned. Fidel Castro then took his place as Prime Minister.

Early Life and Career

José Miró Cardona was a lawyer and a professor. He taught at the University of Havana in Cuba. He became a well-known leader who opposed President Fulgencio Batista. Miró inspired students to support the Cuban Revolution.

After his short time as Prime Minister, Fidel Castro made Miró the ambassador to Spain in May 1960. But by July, Miró disagreed with Castro's new policies. He resigned from his job and sought safety in the Argentine Embassy. He later moved to the United States as an exile in late 1960 or early 1961.

Cuban Revolutionary Council

In the U.S., Miró became the leader of a group of Cuban exiles. This group was called the Cuban Revolutionary Council. They worked closely with the Kennedy administration to plan the Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961.

It was planned that Miró would become the temporary President of Cuba. This would happen if the invasion succeeded and the exiles gained control of Cuban land. Miró wrote a plan for Cuba's future economy and government. He hoped this plan would encourage Cubans to reject Castro.

Some officials in Washington thought his plan was too traditional. Others in the Cuban exile community thought it was too "communistic." Despite this, Miró accepted changes suggested by Washington. These changes were meant to appeal to poorer people in Cuba.

Planning the Bay of Pigs Invasion

As the invasion date got closer, Miró became frustrated. He felt there was not enough communication with the CIA. He also felt that different groups were not working together well. He said, "There must be some military plan I don't know about. I would like to know about it for purposes of coordination."

Miró believed that U.S. forces would support the Cuban exile invasion. He even told other groups that 10,000 U.S. troops were ready to help. However, the CIA and the Kennedy administration always denied offering direct military support.

Just before the invasion, Miró made an important announcement. He called out to Cubans to fight for their freedom. He promised peace, kindness, and respect for all Cubans after the victory.

When the invasion failed, Miró blamed the CIA. His own son had joined the invasion force. Miró believed the CIA had ignored resistance groups inside Cuba. He also thought they had misled the Cuban exiles about the U.S. military's role.

Later in his life, José Miró Cardona became a law professor. He taught at the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras.

Family Life

José Miró Cardona was married to Ernestina Torra. They had two children, Yolanda and Jose Antonio Miró Torra. They also had seven grandchildren. Yolanda had two children, and Jose had five children.

José Miró Cardona passed away in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on August 10, 1974. He was 71 years old.

See also

In Spanish: José Miró Cardona para niños