Cold War #290 – The Making Of Fidel (Cuban Revolution #15)

Cameron and Ray pick up Fidel Castro’s story in 1948 as he returns from Colombia in the wake of the Bogotazo riots. We follow Castro through his early 20s as he campaigns for Eduardo Chibás, clashes with Havana police over accusations of corruption, and narrowly escapes being framed for murder. The conversation dives into the student-led bus fare protests—linked to shady U.S. business deals—that propelled Castro into the spotlight. We hear about his whirlwind romance and three-month honeymoon in the United States, his growing fascination with Marxist thought, and his balancing act between rival student gangs and political factions. The episode ends with the murder of his close friend, fellow activist Manolo Fuentes, a turning point that forces Castro to reconsider his alliances and the dangerous reality of Havana’s violent political landscape.

You can listen to Cold War #290 – The Making Of Fidel (Cuban Revolution #15) online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Cold War #290 – The Making Of Fidel (Cuban Revolution #15) is an episode from Cam & Ray's Cold War Podcast by Cameron Reilly & Ray Harris.

This episode is 18:41 long.

This episode was published on Aug 11, 2025.

Yes. Use the heart button on the episode page to add it to your favorite episodes list.

Yes. This page shows related episodes from Cam & Ray's Cold War Podcast when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.