Famous Cuban Men

Argentine Marxist revolutionary, Che Guevara, was a major figure of the Cuban Revolution. A physician by profession, he developed radical views upon witnessing the injustices in the world and joined Fidel Castro’s revolutionary 26th of July Movement. Assassinated in 1967, he remains both a revered and reviled historical figure.

Widely considered one of the most athletic competitors ever in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Yoel Romero is often compared with the greats of the sport. A former freestyle wrestler, Romero earned Cuba a silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics.

José Fernández was a Cuban-American baseball player who played for the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball from 2013 to 2016. Renowned for his skills as a pitcher, José had four pitches in his armory: a four-seam fastball, a slurve, a changeup, and a sinker. He died at the age of 24 when a speedboat, which he was piloting, crashed.

Serving as the Cuban prime minister from 1959 to 1976 and as president from 1976 to 2008, Fidel Castro was one of the most prominent Cuban leaders in the history. As the longest-reigning non-royal head of the 20th and 21st centuries, Castro was responsible for making Cuba a communist state.

Son of Spanish immigrants, Jose Marti spent his childhood in a strife-torn Cuba and attended high school on financial aid. Marti’s poems, essays, and articles were laced with his patriotic vigor to free Cuba from the Spanish rule. He died battling on the field at Dos Ríos.

Miguel Díaz-Canel is a Cuban politician and the current president of Cuba. As president of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel has made several international trips, visiting places like India, Azerbaijan, and Russia. He has also interacted with presidents and prime ministers of several countries. In 2018, he was honored with the prestigious Order of the Liberator by the government of Venezuela.

Xavier Cugat was a Spanish musician and bandleader. He studied classical violin as a child and began working in silent films to support his family. He grew up to become a successful musician and played a leading role in the spread of Latin music. Besides music, he was also a cartoonist and a restaurateur. He was married five times. 

Konnan is an American Cuban former professional wrestler who wrestled for national and independent promotions in Mexico and the USA. He held 15 title belts in nine promotions during an illustrious career that spanned almost 30 years. Konnan is also known for his involvement in the creation of Lucha Underground.

Jon Secada is a singer, voice actor, and songwriter. Having sold more than 15 million records, Secada is often counted among the best-selling Latin music artists. Apart from recording his own songs, he has also contributed as a songwriter for songs recorded by artists like Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, and Gloria Estefan. Secada has received two Grammy Awards so far.
 

Al Jourgensen is a Cuban-American singer, music producer, and musician. He is best known for founding the popular industrial metal band Ministry where he serves as the lyricist and frontman. Over the course of his four-decade-long musical career, Al Jourgensen has collborated with numerous other artists like Iggy Pop and Jello Biafra. He has also influenced numerous other musicians.

Camilo Cienfuegos was a Cuban revolutionary who was part of the 1956 Granma expedition alongside Che Guevara and Fidel Castro. He went on to become one of Fidel Castro's top guerrilla commanders and played an important role in winning the Battle of Yaguajay, which earned him the nickname Hero of Yaguajay. Camilo Cienfuegos is revered as a hero in Cuba.

Fulgencio Batista was the elected president of Cuba from 1940 to 1944. He formed the constitution of Cuba. He later became a dictator through a coup. He was finally ousted by Che Guevara at the Battle of Santa Clara, as part of Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement.

Alberto Salazar is an American former long-distance runner who won the silver medal at the 1982 IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Rome, Italy. After his retirement from the sport, Salazar served as the head coach for the Nike Oregon Project and received the 2013 IAAF Coaching Achievement Award in Monaco. He was later banned for doping and sexual offenses.

With his mother and stepfather both being national gymnasts from Cuba, Danell Leyva was bound to follow in their footsteps. The Cuban-American gymnast has won 2 silvers and 1 bronze at the Olympics. In 2020, he came out as pansexual and bisexual, hoping it would ease things for other LGBT individuals.