Carlos Hevia (1900-1964)

President of Cuba, January 15-17, 1934.  Born March 21, he participated in World War I aboard the U.S.S. Missouri and graduated in engineering at Annapolis Naval Academy in 1919.  On his return to Cuba, he entered politics, opposing President Machado to the extent of leading an expedition defeated at Gibara.  In 1933 President Grau appointed him agriculture minister, and he assumed the provisional presidency on Grau’s resignation, only to be obliged by Fulgencio Batista to withdraw in favor of Carlos Mendieta.  The next month he became a founder of the Partido Revolucionario Cubano (Auténtico).  Under President Prío he served as secretary of state, agriculture minister and president of the development commission.  He was the favored Auténtico candidate in the presidential election of 1952 and was briefly imprisoned when this was thwarted by the cuartelazo of March 10.  Hevia left Cuba after the Revolution of 1959 and died in exile.