Castro's Final Hour: The Secret Story Behind the Coming Downfall of Communist Cuba

by Andrés Oppenheimer

Book Overview

Reported from inside Cuba by Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Andres Oppenheimer, Castro's Final Hour chronicles the dramatic events that have crippled the more-than-three-decades-old Marxist regime of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0671728733
• ISBN13: 9780671728731
• Release Date: January 1992
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 461 Pages
• Weight: 1.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 9.5" x 6.4"

Customer Reviews

Good Journalistic Detective Work by Andres Oppenheimer

The fact Andres Oppenheimer was able to gain candid interviews with top Cuban officials is amazing. I first read this book in 1992 when everyone thought the Castro regime would collapse by the end of the year, this was the reason I suspect so many top officials granted interviews, believing the regime was doomed. What has always amazed me about this book is Castro commited a cardinal sin in Latin America by executing an Army General. No dictator that has ever ruled in Latin America would dream of doing such a thing fearing a Military Coup. The fact Generals Ochoa & De Laguardia were executed and there was no uprising in the armed forces shows what is the real power that keeps the regime in power. The DGI and other state spy organizations backed by a nationwide network of informants. It will be interesting to finally learn what the whole Ochoa affair was really about. A bit dated today but still a good book on modern Cuba with nice pictures.

A rare account of shocking events

More telling than any other cold-war era work compiled over the last 15 years, Andres Openheimer dives into the case that almost brought Fidel Castro and his regime to its knees in late 1980's Havana. With accurate and never before revealed information, the writer investigates an array of characters from simple citizens to famed and personal friends of the dictator. A must read if you are looking to brush up on recent Cuban history and politics.

The Real Cuba

This an excellent piece of work, which describes the not so well publicized truth behind Castro's Cuba. Drug trafficking, money laundering, state inneficiency, fear, discontent, deceit, and frustration from the people within the island. Its a must read for anyone who intends to understand the reality of Castro's system, how it works, and how its brutal, repressive, but sophisticated apparatus maintains itself gasping for air, but gasping nonetheless.

More than the Embargo

How can anyone belittle this well thoughtout and researched book? One can continue placing "all" the blame on the Embargo but there were two major blunders that had a more devastating impact on Cuba: The immediate removal (1956) of the professional class ( businessmen and merchants) by confiscating their assets and properties and transferring them into the hands of inexperienced, incapable and largely inept bureaucrats. 2. The economically naive and foolish reliance on a Soviet "subsidized" trade agreement ( 5 years plans that went on for years)and the total failure to forsee and prepare for it's inevitable collapse. When the Soviets, because of their own economic problems, began to demand payment in hard currencies (dollar) instead of the long practised "barter system" the game was over.

a well-researched, detailed look at the truth of Cuba

"Castro's Final Hour" is a well-researched, detailed look at the self-created problems of communist Cuba and the Machivelean inner workings of its government.