Fulgencio Batista, the former president of Cuba from 1940-1944 and 1952-1959, died on August 6, 1973 at the age of 72. Born in Banes, Cuba in 1901, Batista began his career in Cuban politics in the 1930s, when he joined President Gerardo Machado's cabinet and was later appointed to lead the Cuban Army. In 1940, he was elected President of Cuba and held the office until 1944, when he resigned and left the country. In 1952, he launched a military coup d'etat and became dictator of the country for the next 7 years. During his presidency, he received much criticism for the corruption of the government and human rights abuses. In 1959, he was overthrown by Cuban revolutionaries led by Fidel Castro. Batista retreated to exile first in Portugal and later in Spain, where he lived for the remaining fourteen years of his life. He died on August 6, 1973 in Spain.