Ramón Grau

Ramón Grau San Martín (* September 13, 1887 in La Palma / Pinar del Rio, Cuba, † July 28, 1969 in Havana, Cuba) was a Cuban physician and President of the Republic of Cuba in two terms ( 1933-34, 1944-48 ).

His father, a wealthy tobacco plantation owner, expected that his son continued this tradition. But Ramón Grau San Martin decided to study medicine at the University of Havana, where he graduated in 1908 with a doctorate degree. After a stay in Europe, he returned to Cuba back in 1921 and became a professor of physiology at the University of Havana.

In the 1920s, Gray joined the student movement against the dictator Gerardo Machado in 1931 and received a prison sentence. After his release, he went into exile in the United States.

After the victory of the people's movement over the bloody rule Machado ( 20,000 murdered ) was Ramón Grau San Martin on September 10, 1933 President of the Republic of Cuba. The government Gray continued the Cuban Constitution of 1901 repealed and thus the Platt Amendment, after which the United States refused to acknowledge her. The army chief and later dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1934 forced the abdication of gray. Then he founded the Partido Revolucionario Cubano ( Auténticos ).

In 1944, he became the candidate of the opposition Partido Revolucionario Cubano ( Auténticos ) the presidential elections, having reigned as an elected president since 1940 Batista. Gray remained until the end of his term in office in 1948. Through corruption affairs of his office, however, turned into the twilight and an important wing of his party to Eduardo Chibás split in 1947 and founded the Partido del Pueblo Cubano competing ( Ortodoxos ). 1948 Gray handed him his office to the close-knit Carlos Prio and initially withdrew into private life. 1954 and 1958 he was a candidate, although again for president, but withdrew his candidacy shortly before the election date with the accusations of vote-rigging by Batista back. After the Cuban revolution of 1959 Grey was a private citizen and died in 1969 at his home in Havana.