4. Two doves helped Fidel Castro consolidate power in 1959
The bloody Cuban revolution ended early on New Year’s Day 1959. A week later, the revolutionaries’ leader, Fidel Castro, made his first speech in Havana. He faced a hard task inspiring Cubans weary after years of civil war. Just as he promised to solve all Cuba’s problem without shedding a drop of blood, a miracle happened. Two white doves, international symbols of peace, landed on him and the podium! To superstitious Cubans, this seemed a divine sign. Historians are sceptical about how âaccidental’ this really was. Either way, Castro became Prime Minister soon afterwards, and led Cuba until 2008.