Castro had attempted to stand in elections in 1952. These elections were cancelled when Batista took power. American businesses (set up under the un-elected Batista with terms favourable to the USA) are taken over after the USA stops sugar imports from Cuba.
Castro, originally pro-West, turns to the USSR for financial help. Cuba's people would suffer greatly from American trade embargoes, terrorist attacks, bombings, biological warfare, a military invasion, sanctions, isolation and assassination.
