Page "Bacardi" Paragraph 15

Portuondo and other Bacardí family members initially supported the Cuban revolutionaries, including Fidel Castro and the broader M-26-7 movement: Bosch personally donated tens of thousands of dollars to the movement, and acted as an intermediary between the revolutionaries and the CIA to assuage the latter's concerns.

Family members, employees, and facilities were put to use by the movement and the company supported the revolution publicly with advertisements and parties.

But their support turned to opposition as the pro-Soviet Che Guevara wing of the movement began to dominate and as Castro turned against American interests.