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Natalia Revuelta, comrade and paramour of Fidel Castro, dies at 89 Natalia Revuelta, comrade and paramour of Fidel Castro, dies at 89
(about 1 hour later)
Natalia Revuelta, a Cuban socialite who became a paramour of the young revolutionary Fidel Castro, a liaison that produced a daughter who decades later defected to the United States and denounced her father as a “tyrant,” died Feb. 27 in Havana. She was 89.Natalia Revuelta, a Cuban socialite who became a paramour of the young revolutionary Fidel Castro, a liaison that produced a daughter who decades later defected to the United States and denounced her father as a “tyrant,” died Feb. 27 in Havana. She was 89.
Ms. Revuelta’s caretaker, Carmen Garcia, confirmed her death to the Associated Press. The cause could not immediately be confirmed.Ms. Revuelta’s caretaker, Carmen Garcia, confirmed her death to the Associated Press. The cause could not immediately be confirmed.
For decades, Ms. Revuelta was the subject of fascination on her Caribbean island nation and beyond. She was, Castro biographer Georgie Anne Geyer wrote in the book “Guerrilla Prince,” “one of the most exquisitely beautiful women in Cuba and a woman with an abnormally sensuous appetite for revolution and ad­ven­ture.”For decades, Ms. Revuelta was the subject of fascination on her Caribbean island nation and beyond. She was, Castro biographer Georgie Anne Geyer wrote in the book “Guerrilla Prince,” “one of the most exquisitely beautiful women in Cuba and a woman with an abnormally sensuous appetite for revolution and ad­ven­ture.”
She made Castro’s acquaintance in the early 1950s, when she was the wife of a prominent and prosperous physician, Orlando Fernández Ferrer, and when Castro was married to Mirta Diaz-Balart, the mother of his son Fidel, nicknamed Fidelito. Ms. Revuelta had worked at the U.S. Embassy in Cuba and at Standard Oil, according to Geyer’s book, but was unsatisfied by the routines of high society. She made Castro’s acquaintance in the early 1950s, when she was the wife of a prominent and prosperous physician, Orlando Fernández Ferrer, and when Castro was married to Mirta Diaz-Balart, the mother of his son Fidel, nicknamed Fidelito. Ms. Revuelta had worked at the U.S. Embassy in Cuba and at Standard Oil, according to Geyer’s book, but she was unsatisfied by the routines of high society.
“I didn’t have a horrible life, but I felt that the country did,” she said in an oral history with Vanity Fair magazine in 2011. “Everybody stole, from the president down. The ministers became rich. Even their secretaries became rich. The police were killers, only they wore uniforms. Every day you heard of people being tortured, their bodies thrown on the roads or into the sea so the sharks would take care of them.. . . So that’s why I started helping the rebels.” “I didn’t have a horrible life, but I felt that the country did,” she said in an oral history with Vanity Fair magazine in 2011. “Everybody stole, from the president down. The ministers became rich. Even their secretaries became rich. The police were killers, only they wore uniforms. Every day you heard of people being tortured, their bodies thrown on the roads or into the sea so the sharks would take care of them. . . . So that’s why I started helping the rebels.”
She became involved with the reform-oriented Ortodoxo Party, whose members also included Castro. According to one account, she first met him at a party meeting. According to another, Castro spotted her at a demonstration and asked a mutual acquaintance to introduce them.She became involved with the reform-oriented Ortodoxo Party, whose members also included Castro. According to one account, she first met him at a party meeting. According to another, Castro spotted her at a demonstration and asked a mutual acquaintance to introduce them.
“We didn’t have much of a chance at a regular relationship,” she told the Toronto Star in a 1997 interview. “You must understand, they were times of great danger and intrigue.”“We didn’t have much of a chance at a regular relationship,” she told the Toronto Star in a 1997 interview. “You must understand, they were times of great danger and intrigue.”
On March 10, 1952, former Cuban leader Fulgencio Batista staged a coup d’etat that returned him to power, an event that galvanized Castro’s revolutionary ambitions as well as Ms. Revuelta’s interest in aiding them. She said that she offered her home for clandestine organizing meetings — on the condition that Castro personally receive a sets of keys. On March 10, 1952, former Cuban leader Fulgencio Batista staged a coup d’etat that returned him to power, an event that galvanized Castro’s revolutionary ambitions as well as Ms. Revuelta’s interest in aiding them. She said that she offered her home for clandestine organizing meetings — on the condition that Castro personally receive a set of keys.
“We didn’t have any arms, but my husband gave him some money from his pocket, and I hocked some things, my gold bracelets, a pair of sapphire and diamond earrings my mother had given me,” she said in the oral history. “Fidel and his group started meeting in our home, using it as a safe house. They didn’t drink. They spoke low. They trusted me completely, and I them.”“We didn’t have any arms, but my husband gave him some money from his pocket, and I hocked some things, my gold bracelets, a pair of sapphire and diamond earrings my mother had given me,” she said in the oral history. “Fidel and his group started meeting in our home, using it as a safe house. They didn’t drink. They spoke low. They trusted me completely, and I them.”
On July 26, 1953, Castro led the ill-fated raid of the Moncada Barracks that would lead to his imprisonment.On July 26, 1953, Castro led the ill-fated raid of the Moncada Barracks that would lead to his imprisonment.
“My dearest Naty” or “my incomparable Naty,” he began love letters written during his incarceration, according to a translation in the Sunday Times of London. “You’re audacious and I like that. I am on fire. Write to me, for I cannot be without your letters. I love you very much.”“My dearest Naty” or “my incomparable Naty,” he began love letters written during his incarceration, according to a translation in the Sunday Times of London. “You’re audacious and I like that. I am on fire. Write to me, for I cannot be without your letters. I love you very much.”
The correspondence, either mistakenly or intentionally mailed to his wife, was said to have contributed to the dissolution of Castro’s marriage. After his release from prison in 1955, he and Ms. Revuelta reunited and conceived a daughter, Alina. Although Castro was said to have occasionally visited the girl, he did not recognize her as his child, and she took the surname of her mother’s husband.The correspondence, either mistakenly or intentionally mailed to his wife, was said to have contributed to the dissolution of Castro’s marriage. After his release from prison in 1955, he and Ms. Revuelta reunited and conceived a daughter, Alina. Although Castro was said to have occasionally visited the girl, he did not recognize her as his child, and she took the surname of her mother’s husband.
Castro overthrew Batista in 1959 and remained in power until 2008, when he named his brother Raul his successor. Alina Fernández Revuelta pulled off her defection in 1993 with a Spanish passport and a wig to disguise her identity. When she arrived in the United States, a journalist asked if she wished to convey a message to her father. Castro overthrew Batista in 1959 and remained in power until 2008, when he named his brother Raúl his successor. Alina Fernández Revuelta pulled off her defection in 1993 with a Spanish passport and a wig to disguise her identity. When she arrived in the United States, a journalist asked whether she wished to convey a message to her father.
“I’ve never spoken of Mr. Castro as my father,” she replied, according to the New York Times. “Please.”“I’ve never spoken of Mr. Castro as my father,” she replied, according to the New York Times. “Please.”
Natalia Revuelta Clews was born Dec. 6, 1925, in Havana. She attended a Catholic girls’ school in Pennsylvania and the old Marjorie Webster College in Washington, according to a book about her family, “Havana Dreams” by Wendy Gimbel.Natalia Revuelta Clews was born Dec. 6, 1925, in Havana. She attended a Catholic girls’ school in Pennsylvania and the old Marjorie Webster College in Washington, according to a book about her family, “Havana Dreams” by Wendy Gimbel.
Ms. Revuelta told Vanity Fair that she frequented the renowned Tropicana club in Cuba, where occasionally an announcer would call out to her, “Naty Revuelta, teléfono.”Ms. Revuelta told Vanity Fair that she frequented the renowned Tropicana club in Cuba, where occasionally an announcer would call out to her, “Naty Revuelta, teléfono.”
“It would be ‘Hello. This is Errol Flynn’ or ‘This is Edward G. Robinson,’ ” she recalled. “One day, a friend called me over to the bar where he and Ernest Hemingway were having a drink and playing dice. My friend said, ‘Naty, Mr. Hemingway wants to meet you.’ I said, ‘How do you do?’ Hemingway said, ‘I wanted to meet you because you remind me of my cats.’ And I said, ‘Well, why?’ He said, ‘Your eyes, your eyes.’ A compliment.” “It would be ‘Hello. This is Errol Flynn’ or ‘This is Edward G. Robinson,’ ” Revuelta later recalled. “One day, a friend called me over to the bar where he and Ernest Hemingway were having a drink and playing dice. My friend said, ‘Naty, Mr. Hemingway wants to meet you.’ I said, ‘How do you do?’ Hemingway said, ‘I wanted to meet you because you remind me of my cats.’ And I said, ‘Well, why?’ He said, ‘Your eyes, your eyes.’ A compliment.”
After Castro took power, Ms. Revuelta held various government jobs but reportedly did not remain his frequent consort.After Castro took power, Ms. Revuelta held various government jobs but reportedly did not remain his frequent consort.
She had a daughter from her marriage to Fernández, which ended in divorce, and a grandchild from her daughter with Castro, also named Alina. A complete list of survivors could not immediately be confirmed.She had a daughter from her marriage to Fernández, which ended in divorce, and a grandchild from her daughter with Castro, also named Alina. A complete list of survivors could not immediately be confirmed.
The letters Castro wrote to Ms. Revuelta, which were provided to the media by their daughter, offered rare insight into the personal life of the usually secretive Cuban leader.The letters Castro wrote to Ms. Revuelta, which were provided to the media by their daughter, offered rare insight into the personal life of the usually secretive Cuban leader.
“There are lasting things in life, despite the miseries,” Castro wrote to Ms. Revuelta from prison. “There are eternal things — such impressions that I have of you, so unforgettable that I will take them with me to my grave.”“There are lasting things in life, despite the miseries,” Castro wrote to Ms. Revuelta from prison. “There are eternal things — such impressions that I have of you, so unforgettable that I will take them with me to my grave.”