El Caballo

By Alfonso Ulloa

“For what other reason would they give up possessions, all they have known and loved from birth? To go to a new country, new language, new climate. The right answer was just to be free.”

Fifty-five years ago in 1965, upon Alfonso’s arrival to the United States, he devoted all his spare time to exposing the truth about Fidel Castro and Communism. This historical manuscript is a first-person, true account of what the author experienced during the first six years of communism under Fidel Castro. Alfonso Ulloa made a promise to his friends who had to stay behind that he would write everything that they endured and make sure that those in Cuba had a voice for the world to hear.

“It must not be lost to our grandchildren and future generations. They need to know the truth, the Cuba of their ancestors and what communism stole from them.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 15, 2020
• ISBN: 9781643348810

Book preview

United Fruit Company and Sugar Mills

At the start of his regime, El Caballo had clear ideas on how his government was going to change Cuba. The entire nation was eager to listen to all he had to say. His speeches were hours long, thousands attending in person and millions on the radio or television. Quite often, he was quick to point out that his government was not Communist, and he even looked upset at such an insinuation. The truth was just around the corner.

Before his arrival in 1959, the people of Cuba were discontent with politicians that became rich by stealing from the country’s wealth. With great skill, El Caballo was adding fuel to the fire by exposing many of the crimes committed by unscrupulous politicians.

With Communist ability, El Caballo had laid the foundation for his speech. Based on truth known to all, the large mass of people in attendance was now ready to believe all he had to say. The stage was set. El Caballo told the truth for the first hour of his speech. Now all that he had to say would be accepted as truth as well.

As in all Socialist and Communist countries, a big part of his plan was to create unrest and hatred among the people to obtain his goals. El Caballo had started a systematic campaign against the United Press and the Associated Press, accusing them of slander against the revolution. He soon succeeded in creating hate for the American press and the American people. To mention United Press or Associated Press during one of his speeches was sure to rouse anger from the mob. The foreign press had been discredited by El Caballo. The Cuban people would never accept lies from the American press; they were now the enemy of the revolution. No more news from abroad.

With the foreign press out of the way, the National Press was next. All writing printed in newspapers had to advance the government agenda. The same for radio and television news. The country of Cuba was about to lose all freedom of speech.

In an interview on television with Jean-Paul Sartre, a famous French author and political activist, the French visitor made an unprecedented statement—that all newspapers not offering themselves to the complete services of the new government should be closed down at once. El Caballo, pleased and relating to this suggestion by his new friend, proceeded to carry it out A few days later, El Caballo seized all the newspapers in the nation. With every proclamation, the Cuban people were learning the meaning of oppression. El Caballo had total control over all information the people would receive from now on. His truth would be the only truth.

A favorable environment had been created. El Caballo had a clear path to go after all American companies. I will write about my experiences with American sugar mills and the United Fruit Company.

Communists are experts in creating slanderous claims against those they consider their enemies, like the Americans. For over twenty-five years, I traveled the provinces of Camagüey and Oriente for my work. Both provinces were large producers of sugarcane. As a frequent visitor to their hospitals, I was very much aware of the differences between the Cuban and American sugar mills. As a Cuban, I found it unfortunate that Cuban sugar mills were years behind the American mills, whose hospitals had up-to-date equipment in rooms that were clean and sanitized, all to give excellent free medical attention to their workers. On August 6, 1960, all American companies were nationalized, including thirty-six sugar mills owned by United States firms on Cuban soil. According to El Caballo, they were taken from the Americans for the defense of national interest and political freedom. El Caballo also changed the names of each of those mills to the name of a nation in Latin America as a symbol of brotherhood and unity with other nations.

With all professional staff no longer in Cuba, El Caballo needed to fill the many openings now available. When looking to promote and reward someone within the Communist Party, the most crucial qualification is total loyalty and commitment to the Communist doctrine. The person must be red 100 percent. To prove my point, in the Macareño Sugar Mill, the newly appointed administrator was none other than a shoemaker by trade.

During his speech, El Caballo had much to say about sugar mills and the United Fruit Company. According to him, the exploiter Yankees had been taking advantage of the Cuban workers for so many years. Next, his anger was directed in full force to the United Fruit Company and their plantations in other Central American countries. I can only attest to what I witnessed in visiting their hospitals and stores.

El Caballo must have a short memory in his lies and commitment to communism. He failed to mention that that very same company had given his father a hand when he was starting out and wanted to expand his small farm.

Next in his speech, El Caballo showed the mob standing before him a document of land purchased by United Fruit. He shook them in the air, demonstrating much anger. After a pause, he told the crowd that United Fruit had paid less than one dollar per acre. Hatred for the imperialists kept growing in all those present. His plan exactly.

Sin of Omission

He never mentioned that at the time of the purchases, those lands were either dense woodlands or swampy marshes. Where poverty existed, jobs were created, and well-being surged. Where small towns were in isolation, roads were opened. Where disease and lack of medical care was the norm, hospitals and sanitation arrived. Where education was nonexistent, schools were built. Sturdy modest homes were built for their workers. No, El Caballo mentioned none of this, but I witnessed, with admiration and gratitude, how the quality of life had improved for the people living in this area.

The United Fruit Company owned and operated a hospital in Central Preston on the Preston Sugar Mill, next to the municipality of Mayari. I always enjoyed my visits to Preston. After so many years, I became friends with doctors and staff alike. The director of the hospital, Dr. Ortiz, received a monthly salary of $1,300 in 1959 that was excellent pay. Doctors working under him received $700 per month, plus housing and utilities all included. Under El Caballo’s regime, he gave doctors free education but paid them forty to sixty dollars per month. Nurses working for United Fruit also enjoyed housing, regular hours, and a good salary.

Some kilometers from the hospital exists a hamlet named Guaro. There the United Fruit Company established a medical clinic with two doctors and nurses to care for local laborers and their families at no cost to them. Even medication was given for free. By clinic standards, this was quite large. No less than two hundred cases were seen on a daily basis, some for regular checkups, treatments, and small emergencies. United Fruit provided transportation when it was needed for hospital care.

El Caballo mentioned not one word about this—not a word. Instead he repeated about exploiter Yankees and how they had taken advantage of Cuban workers. He seemed to delight in seeing the mob around him raise their fists in anger against the Americans.

Dr. Ortiz was authorized by United Fruit to order supplies and medications regardless of cost. On one of my visits, I introduced Dr. Ortiz to a new drug for the treatment of allergies produced by penicillin. The name of the new product was Neutrapen. The unit price for each bulb was twelve dollars. As soon as I notified Dr. Ortiz that the Neutrapen was available, he gave me an order for thirty-six bulbs. Nothing but the best care was given, free of charge, to the Cuban laborers by the Americans at United Fruit Company.

In the town of Banes, United Fruit had another hospital as well. The head of the nursing department was a British woman named Mrs. Reed. She loved her profession, and it showed. The hospital was always in perfect order. Mrs. Reed knew that I visited many hospitals in two provinces and invited me for a grand tour of her operating room. She requested that I give her an honest assessment in rating the OR in Banes Hospital of United Fruit Company in comparison to all the other hospitals I visited, both American as well as Cuban. As I began my tour, I could not believe my eyes. The OR was unique in its class. The very best modern equipment had been purchased by United Fruit.

Mrs. Reed went on to say that after each surgery, her nurses made the room look as if it had never been used before. All instruments, after being sanitized and sterilized, were shining and looking factory new. Mrs. Reed had an excellent code of ethics for her work. She kept telling me, It’s my duty. The beds for the patients were dressed to perfection, and the food was every bit as good as at the private clinics. Mrs. Reed was very pleased with my opinion of her outstanding hospital.

The Manati Sugar Mill and Chaparra Sugar Mill also had a great team of professionals working at their hospitals. Not just the United Fruit Company, but all American sugar mills were impressive to watch. Yes, they made money; that’s to be expected. But their laborers were treated like human beings, enjoying the same opportunities and benefits as only Americans can provide.

All sugar mills and refineries, both Cuban and American, had a batey—a village where the houses were built for mill workers and professionals. They had recreation and large shopping areas. The batey stores carried items for all your needs and wants. Each store had separate departments, each with large quantities of provisions and goods. I also developed many friendships with representatives from other companies not in the medical field.