October Legends and Americana Ending November 14th
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/15/2015
When Fidel Castro and his "Barbudos" - the Bearded Ones - overthrew the Bautista government on December 31, 1958, the Cuban people looked to the future with hope. The country's brightest minds were invited to become a part of the new government, a distinct change from the corrupt Bautista regime. But within a year Castro moved the nation towards a communist ideology and purged his government of any dissenters. This document "LEY No. 518" (Law Number 518) was drafted in that short period when Cuba's new government offered hope and freedom to its people. The 8 3/16" x 11 5/8" proclamation is type written in Spanish on ivory colored "REPUBLICA DE CUBA" letterhead. The decree authorizes the payment of $12,000 to acquire land for the defense of Cuba by the Department of Housing, Public Works and National Security. The purpose of the acquisition was its immediate development for the Cuban Naval Academy. Signed official government documents from Cuba are rare and this one is all the more noteworthy as it dates from barely eight months after the revolution and contains the signatures of the three most powerful men in the country.
Fidel Castro has signed in black fountain pen above the title "PRIMER MINISTRO" over which a Republica De Cuba seal has been embossed. Osvaldo Dorticós Torrado has signed in black fountain pen above his title of "PRESIDENTE" and Rufo López Fresquet has signed over his title of "MINISTRO DE HACIENDA", over which the seal of his office has been embossed. López Fresquet was one of the government officials purged in the beginning of 1960. He later escaped to America where he wrote a book entitled "My Fourteen Months with Castro". The document is finished with a blue "PRESIDENCIA" seal with two blue ribbons affixed. The ivory sheet shows slight toning from age and storage. Two areas on the left side show glue residue but this does not affect the text or signatures. A horizontal crease from folding and storage runs through the center of the document but does not affect the signatures. Letter of Authenticity from PSA/DNA.