Ramón Grau facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dr. Ramón Grau San Martín
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| 26th and 32nd President of Cuba | |
| In office 10 October 1944 – 10 October 1948 |
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| Vice President | Raul de Cardenas Echarte |
| Preceded by | Fulgencio Batista |
| Succeeded by | Carlos Prío Socarrás |
| In office 10 September 1933 – 15 January 1934 |
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| Vice President | Antonio Martinez Esqueda |
| Preceded by | Carlos Manuel de Céspedes y Quesada |
| Succeeded by | Carlos Hevia (Interim) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ramón Grau San Martín
September 13, 1881 La Palma, Pinar del Río Province, Spanish Cuba |
| Died | July 28, 1969 (aged 87) Havana, Cuba |
| Political party | Partido Auténtico |
| Alma mater | University of Havana |
| Occupation | Medical Doctor |
Dr. Ramón Grau San Martín (born September 13, 1881, in La Palma, Pinar del Río Province, Spanish Cuba – died July 28, 1969, in Havana, Cuba) was a Cuban doctor and a President of Cuba. He served two times: first from 1933 to 1934, and then again from 1944 to 1948. He was the last president born when Cuba was still under Spanish rule.
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Early Life and Education
Ramón Grau San Martín was born to Francisco Grau Vinals and Pilar San Martin y del Collado. His father was a wealthy tobacco farmer. He wanted Ramón to follow in his footsteps. However, Ramón dreamed of becoming a doctor.
He studied at the University of Havana. In 1908, he earned his degree as a Doctor of Medicine. After graduating, he traveled to Europe. He wanted to learn even more about medicine. In 1921, he returned to Cuba. He became a professor of physiology at the University of Havana.
In the 1920s, Dr. Grau became involved in student protests. These protests were against the president at the time, Gerardo Machado. Because of his actions, he was put in jail in 1931. After he was released, he had to leave Cuba for a while. He moved to the United States.
The 1933 Revolution
After the 1933 Cuban Revolution, Dr. Grau became part of a group of five leaders. This group was called the Pentarchy of 1933. They governed Cuba from September 5 to September 10, 1933.
Soon after, on September 9, 1933, student leaders met. They decided that Ramón Grau would be the next president. His time as president is known as the One Hundred Days Government. It lasted until January 15, 1934.
The One Hundred Days Government
The One Hundred Days Government was a mix of different ideas. It included moderate reformers like Grau and more radical thinkers. This government is remembered for many progressive changes.
- It created the 8-hour workday.
- It raised the minimum wage for workers.
- It made the Cuban Electric Company a national company.
- It gave the University of Havana more independence.
- It required that at least 50% of workers in companies had to be Cuban-born.
- It set a minimum wage for cutting sugar cane.
- It created a new Department of Labor.
- It made it mandatory to settle worker disputes fairly.
Despite these positive changes, the government faced many challenges. The United States government did not officially recognize it. Also, other political groups in Cuba did not fully support Grau.
The Army Chief of Staff, Fulgencio Batista, seemed to give up his power. But secretly, Batista was talking with U.S. officials and other groups. He was planning changes without Grau's knowledge. Eventually, Batista forced Grau to resign on January 15, 1934.
Even after resigning, Grau remained an important figure. In 1934, he started his own political party, the Partido Auténtico. His niece, Pola Grau Alsina, served as the First Lady during his first presidency.
Cuba's 1940 Constitution
Dr. Grau played a key role in creating the 1940 Constitution of Cuba. A constitution is a set of rules that a country follows. During much of the meeting to write this constitution, he was the main leader. Even when his group lost some support, he continued to lead.
In 1940, Grau ran for president again. However, he lost the election to Fulgencio Batista. Many people at the time believed the 1940 election was fair.
The 1944 Election and Second Term
In 1944, Ramón Grau won the presidential election. He defeated Carlos Saladrigas Zayas, who was Batista's chosen candidate. Grau served as president until 1948.
Even though he was popular at first, some people began to lose trust in his government. There were accusations that his administration was not always honest.
When Grau became president, he also had to deal with many money problems. His predecessor, Batista, had left the country with financial difficulties. The U.S. Ambassador at the time noted that Batista seemed to be making it hard for Grau. He said that Batista was spending a lot of government money. This meant Grau would likely find empty government funds when he took office.
After his second term, Grau handed the presidency to his friend, Carlos Prío. He then mostly stayed out of public life. However, he came back in 1952 to oppose Batista's coup d'état. A coup is when a group illegally takes power. Grau ran for president in the 1954 and 1958 elections. These elections were supported by Batista. But Grau pulled out before each election day. He claimed the government was cheating.
After the Cuban Revolution and Fidel Castro came to power in 1959, Grau retired. He lived quietly in his home in Havana. He passed away there on July 28, 1969.
See also
In Spanish: Ramón Grau San Martín para niños
