Will history absolve Castro or will he forever languish in the company of dictators?

Cuba

FIDEL CASTRO'S RISE from revolutionary leader to dictator shouldn't have surprised anyone who has followed the history of Cuba. He began as his predecessors began, championing Cuba for Cubans, collaborated with foreign imperialists to create the illusion of economic stability, and then elevated himself to dictator when the people failed to grasp the reins of their own destiny. 

Fidel Castro under arrest after his attack on the Moncada army barracks (click to enlarge)

Castro's career from the 1948 student riots in Bogotá, Columbia, to his exile from Cuba in 1953, was punctuated by his famous “History Will Absolve Me” speech. The illegitimate son of a wealthy island landowner, Castro discovered his voice and his ability to lead men during his student days at Havana University where he studied law. Many people look back at this period, especially his participation in the student riots, as proof of his communist leanings. However, I can't find any proof of this. 

Castro's early writings and speeches seemed more consistent with the anarcho-syndicalist movement that originated in Eastern Europe during the late 19th Century and found great acceptance in Latin America during the early 20th Century. Although the Socialists and the Anarcho-Syndicalists both rejected capitalism, they were not allies. Karl Marx feared that the Anarcho-Syndicalists would dilute his movement and repudiated them. It is also significant that, shortly after driving Batista from the island, Castro made his first overtures for an alliance with the Americans. He only turned to the Soviets for economic help after the Eisenhower Administration openly rebuffed him and publicly insulted him. Kennedy exacerbated the rift by then mounting a series of attempts to either overthrow or assassinate Castro. Unfortunately, the Americans underestimated the man. It was obvious from the beginning that Castro was a firebrand.

While still a student in Havana, Castro led an abortive raid against the Dominican Republic in a desperate bid to overthrown that island's iron-fisted dictator, Rafael Trujillo. When he graduated in 1950, Castro found little opportunity professionally in a society that boasted too many lawyers. He took a few pro bono cases, but spent most of his time working for the Orthodox Party that opposed Batista, fashioning itself as the true inheritor of the revolution.

Castro was a candidate for the Cuban legislature in 1952 when Batista seized control of the government and suspended the constitution. Championing the restoration of constitutional government on the island, he then led his abortive attack on army barracks at Moncada near Santiago de Cuba. His band of rebels had intended to seize weapons and ammunition there to arm their rebel band. Unfortunately, Castro was never an adept military commander and the mission failed through poor command and coordination. Most of his band was killed and the rest scattered.

Castro was captured and would have been executed on the spot except for the intervention of his archbishop. Fidel's early education had been at the feet of the Jesuits and he was a pious man until he declared himself a communist.

During his trial, Castro made a four-hour speech in his own defense in which he condemned Batista and his government, and declared that history would absolve him. He was sentenced to serve fifteen years in prison of the Isle of Pines, but was later exiled to Mexico.