Castroism (castrismo in Spanish) is a left-wing ideology, lined with and created by Fidel Castro. Castroism is influenced by many ideologies but particularly the theories of Cuban revolutionary José Martí, and after 1961, Karl Marx, Freidrich Engels, Vladimir Lenin and according to some, fellow 26th of July Movement partner Che Guevara. Castroism's main focus is the practice and theory behind revolution and revolutionary government in Cuba and promotes Cuban nationalism, Latin American solidarity, social justice and people's democracy.
Fidel Castro first expounded the main principles of Castroism in his 1953 speech, History Will Absolve Me. Here he stressed the reinstatement of the 1940 Constitution of Cuba, and also promoted a series of land and labor reforms. In this speech, he mentions little about socialism; and communist ideologies and terminology make no appearance. In the speech Castro also stated the need for Cuban nationalism, social equality and solidarity among the Cuban people. This speech strongly criticized the government of Fulgencio Batista.
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (Spanish: [fiˈðel ˈkastro]; born August 13, 1926) is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011. Politically a Marxist-Leninist, under his administration the Republic of Cuba was converted into a one-party socialist state, with industry and business being nationalized under state ownership and socialist reforms implemented in all areas of society. On the international stage, he also served as the Secretary-General of the Non-Aligned Movement from 1979 to 1983 and 2006 to 2008.
Robert Murray Gordon "Rob" McConnell, OC (February 14, 1935 – May 1, 2010) was a Canadian jazz valve trombonist, composer, arranger, music educator, and recording artist.
McConnell was born in London, Ontario and took up the valve trombone in high school, and began his performing career in the early 1950s, performing and studying with Don Thompson, Bobby Gimby, and later, with fellow Canadian Maynard Ferguson. He also studied music theory with Gordon Delamont. In 1968 he formed The Boss Brass, a big band that would become his primary performing and recording unit through the 1970s and 1980s.
McConnell assembled the original Boss Brass from Toronto studio musicians. The instrumentation of the band was originally 16 pieces, consisting of trumpets, trombones, french horns, and a rhythm section, but no saxophones. McConnell introduced a saxophone section in 1970, and expanded the trumpet section to include a fifth trumpet in 1976, bringing the total to 22 members.
In 1988, McConnell took a teaching position at the Dick Grove School of Music in California, but gave up his position and returned to Canada a year later. In 1997, McConnell was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, and in 1998 was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. He remained active throughout the 2000s, touring internationally both as a performer and educator, running clinics around the world and performing as both a leader and a guest artist. The Rob McConnell Tentet, a scaled down version of the Boss Brass, featuring many Boss Brass Alumni, has been quite successful, producing three major records, The Rob McConnell Tentet (2000), Thank You, Ted (2002), and Music of the Twenties (2003).
Jose Azel is a Cuban exile scholar, currently a Senior Scholar at the Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies (ICCAS) at the University of Miami. He is dedicated to in-depth analyses of Cuba’s economic, social, and political state, with a keen interest in post-Castro-Cuba strategies, and has published extensively on Cuba-related topics. Azel is author of Mañana in Cuba: The Legacy of Castroism and Transitional Challenges for Cuba, published in March 2010. Mañana in Cuba has received acclaim from scholars, businessmen, and government officials, including Carlos Alberto Montaner, Carlos Gutierrez, James Cason, and Jaime Suchlicki, among others.
Azel was one of the founders of Pediatrix Medical Group, the nation’s leading provider of pediatric specialty services and served as its first Chief Financial Officer. He co-founded and serves as Board Chairman of Children’s Center for Development and Behavior, an organization dedicated to providing therapies for children with autism and other pervasive developmental disorders. Azel was an Adjunct Professor of International Business at the School of Business Administration, Department of Management, University of Miami.
Alejandro Castro Flores (born March 27, 1987) is a Mexican footballer. He currently plays for Estudiantes Tecos on loan from Cruz Azul.