Fulgencio Batista y Zaldívar (; ; born Rubén Zaldívar, January 16, 1901 – August 6, 1973) was a Cuban military officer and politician who served as the elected president of Cuba from 1940 to 1944 and as its U.S.-backed military dictator from 1952 to 1959 before being overthrown during the Cuban Revolution. Batista initially rose to power as part of the 1933 Revolt of the Sergeants, which overthrew the provisional government of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes y Quesada. He then appointed himself chief of the armed forces, with the rank of colonel and effectively controlled the five-member "pentarchy" that functioned as the collective head of state. Heined this control through a string of puppet presidents until 1940, when he was himself elected President of Cuba on a populist platform. He then instated the 1940 Constitution of Cuba and served until 1944. After finishing his term, Batista moved to Florida, returning to Cuba to run for president in 1952. Facing certain electoral defeat, he led a military coup against President Carlos Prío
Fulgencio Batista y Zaldívar (;; nacido Rubén Zaldívar, 16 de enero de 1901 – 6 de agosto de 1973) fue un oficial militar y político cubano que sirvió como el presidente electo de Cuba de 1940 a 1944 y como su dictador militar respaldado por Estados Unidos de 1952 a 1959 antes de ser derrocado durante la Revolución Cubana. Batista inicialmente ascendió al poder como parte de la Revuelta de los Sargentos de 1933, que derrocó el gobierno provisional de Carlos Manuel de Céspedes y Quesada. Luego se nombró jefe de las fuerzas armadas, con el rango de coronel y efectivamente controló al "pentarchista" de cinco miembros que funcionó como el jefe colectivo del estado.