Editing History Will Absolve Me (section)

==Castro's speech and sentence==
[[File:Presidio Modelo.JPG|thumb|Prison ''[[Presidio Modelo]]'' on the [[Isle of Youth|Isle of Pines]] where the Castro brothers were incarcerated. The block where they and the other ''Moncadistas'' were imprisoned is now a museum. (Photo taken in December 2005.)]] Castro was brought before a different court on 16 October 1953 for sentencing. It was here that he reportedly made his four-hour speech justifying his actions and outlining his plans for Cuba. During the trial, public outrage at the treatment of the prisoners was seriously diminishing Batista's standing among the population. A local judge telephoned Batista's staff to complain that Batista was reviving the brutal era of former president [[Gerardo Machado]], while a Santiago [[bishop]] called upon the courts to spare Castro's life and sought support from Cuba's upper class Catholic contingent. Though Castro was sentenced to join his brother in prison for 15 years, the trial elevated him to semi-heroic status on the island.<ref name="Thomas1998"/>

Castro's speech contained numerous evocations of the "father of Cuban independence" [[José Martí]], whilst depicting Batista as a tyrant. According to Castro, Batista was a "''monstrum horrendum'' ... without entrails" who had committed an act of treachery in 1933 when he initiated a [[coup]] to oust [[president of Cuba|Cuban president]] [[Ramón Grau]]. Castro went on to speak of "700,000 Cubans without work", launching an attack on Cuba's extant [[Healthcare of Cuba|healthcare]] and [[Education in Cuba|schooling]], and asserting that 30% of Cuba's farm people could not even write their own names.<ref name=Thomas1986-64>Thomas (1986), p. 64.</ref>

In Castro's published manifesto, based on his 1953 speech, he gave details of the "five revolutionary laws" he wished to see implemented on the island:<ref name=Thomas1986-170>Thomas (1986), p. 170.</ref>
#The reinstatement of the 1940 [[Cuban constitution]].
#[[agrarian reforms|A reformation of land rights]].
#The right of industrial workers to a 30% share of company profits.
#The right of sugar workers to receive 55% of company profits.
#The confiscation of holdings of those found guilty of fraud under previous administrative powers.