A tiny island located a few hundred miles off the coast of Florida, Cuba has been the epicentre for cigar and rum lovers from across the globe. Ask anyone with a fascination for rum or cigar and he/she would tell you that quest for smoking different cigars or drinking varied rums isn’t fulfilled unless one has his/her hands on a Cuban one! However, this is just a side of the coin - Cuba is home to the cha-cha-cha dance form which originated in the country and some of world’s greatest baseball players. Yet still, listing Cuban accomplishments and achievements wouldn’t be complete, until one mentions the triumphs and deeds of Cuban men who have though their revolutionary work played an instrumental role in shaping the country’s identity on the world platform.

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Birthdate: June 14, 1928

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Rosario, Argentina

Died: October 9, 1967

Argentine Marxist revolutionary, Che Guevara, was a major figure of the Cuban Revolution. A physician by profession, he developed radical views upon witnessing the injustices in the world and joined Fidel Castro’s revolutionary 26th of July Movement. Assassinated in 1967, he remains both a revered and reviled historical figure.

 2 

Yoel Romero

(Cuban Professional Mixed Martial Artist and Former Freestyle Wrestler)

Birthdate: April 30, 1977

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Pinar del Río, Cuba

Widely considered one of the most athletic competitors ever in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Yoel Romero is often compared with the greats of the sport. A former freestyle wrestler, Romero earned Cuba a silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics.

 3 

Eddie Cibrian

(American Film and TV Actor)

Birthdate: June 16, 1973

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Burbank, California, USA

Height: 6'2" (188 cm)

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 4 

Joey Diaz

(Comedian, Actor, and Host of Podcast, "The Church of What's Happening Now.")

Birthdate: February 19, 1963

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Havana, Cuba

Joey Diaz began his career as a stand-up comedian and then graduated to acting, appearing in projects such as My Name Is Earl and Spider-Man 2. He is now known for his appearances on the podcasts The Joe Rogan Experience, The Church of What's Happening Now, and Uncle Joey's Joint.

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Birthdate: July 31, 1992

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Santa Clara, Cuba

Died: September 25, 2016

José Fernández was a Cuban-American baseball player who played for the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball from 2013 to 2016. Renowned for his skills as a pitcher, José had four pitches in his armory: a four-seam fastball, a slurve, a changeup, and a sinker. He died at the age of 24 when a speedboat, which he was piloting, crashed.

Birthdate: August 29, 1980

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Cojímar, Cuba

Cuban-American actor William Levy started as a model and then appeared on Spanish reality shows such as Isla de la Tentación. He has lent his voice to the dubbed version of Planet 51. He has also appeared in series such as Star and telenovelas such as Cuidado con el ángel.

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 7 

Aroldis Chapman

(Cuban-born American Baseball Player Who Plays as a Relief Pitcher )

Birthdate: February 28, 1988

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Holguín, Cuba

Height: 6'4" (193 cm)

 8 

Oscar Nunez

(Cuban-American Actor and Screenwriter )

Birthdate: November 18, 1958

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Cuba, Cuba

Height: 5'9" (175 cm)

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 9 

Luis Ortiz

(Cuban Professional Boxer)

Birthdate: March 29, 1979

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Camagüey, Cuba

Height: 6'4" (193 cm)

 10 

Jose Canseco

(Cuban-American Former Major League Baseball (MLB) Outfielder and Designated Hitter)

Birthdate: July 2, 1964

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Havana, Cuba

Height: 6'4" (193 cm)

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 11 

Jose Marti

(Cuban Nationalist, Poet and Philosopher)

Birthdate: January 28, 1853

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Havana, Cuba

Died: May 19, 1895

Son of Spanish immigrants, Jose Marti spent his childhood in a strife-torn Cuba and attended high school on financial aid. Marti’s poems, essays, and articles were laced with his patriotic vigor to free Cuba from the Spanish rule. He died battling on the field at Dos Ríos.

 12 

Yasiel Puig

(Cuban-born American Baseball Player Who Plays as a Right Fielder)

Birthdate: December 7, 1990

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Cienfuegos, Cuba

Height: 6'3" (190 cm)

 13 

José Raúl Capablanca

(Cuban Chess Player)

Birthdate: November 19, 1888

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Havana, Cuba

Died: March 8, 1942

 14 

Randy Arozarena

(Cuban-born Mexican Baseball Player Who Plays as an Outfielder)

Birthdate: February 28, 1995

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Pinar Del Rio, Cuba

Height: 5'11" (180 cm)

 15 

Pedro Zamora

(Cuban-American HIV/AIDS Activist and Reality TV Personality )

Birthdate: February 29, 1972

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Havana, Cuba

Died: November 11, 1994

 16 

Yoenis Céspedes

(Cuban-born Baseball Player Who Plays as an Outfielder)

Birthdate: October 18, 1985

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Campechuela, Granma, Cuba

Height: 5'10" (178 cm)

 17 

Tony Plana

(Cuban TV and Film Actor and Director )

Birthdate: April 19, 1952

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Havana, Cuba

Height: 5'7" (170 cm)

 18 

David Fumero

(Cuban-American Actor and Former Fashion Model)

Birthdate: December 29, 1972

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Havana, Cuba

Height: 5'11" (180 cm)

 19 

Jon Secada

(Pop Singer Who Co-wrote the Song 'She’s All I Ever Had' for 'Ricky Martin')

Birthdate: October 4, 1961

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Havana, Cuba

Jon Secada is a singer, voice actor, and songwriter. Having sold more than 15 million records, Secada is often counted among the best-selling Latin music artists. Apart from recording his own songs, he has also contributed as a songwriter for songs recorded by artists like Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, and Gloria Estefan. Secada has received two Grammy Awards so far.
 

 20 

Alberto Salazar

(American Former Track Coach and Long-Distance Runner)

Birthdate: August 7, 1958

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Havana, Cuba

Alberto Salazar is an American former long-distance runner who won the silver medal at the 1982 IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Rome, Italy. After his retirement from the sport, Salazar served as the head coach for the Nike Oregon Project and received the 2013 IAAF Coaching Achievement Award in Monaco. He was later banned for doping and sexual offenses.

 21 

Rudy Sarzo

(Bassist)

Birthdate: November 18, 1950

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Havana

 22 

Erislandy Lara

(Cuban-American Professional Boxer)

Birthdate: April 11, 1983

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Guantanamo, Cuba

Height: 5'9" (175 cm)

 23 

Yasmani grandal

(Cuban-born American Baseball Player Who Plays as a Catcher)

Birthdate: November 8, 1988

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Havana, Cuba

 24 

Camilo Cienfuegos

(Armed force officer)

Birthdate: February 6, 1932

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Havana

Died: October 28, 1959

Camilo Cienfuegos was a Cuban revolutionary who was part of the 1956 Granma expedition alongside Che Guevara and Fidel Castro. He went on to become one of Fidel Castro's top guerrilla commanders and played an important role in winning the Battle of Yaguajay, which earned him the nickname Hero of Yaguajay. Camilo Cienfuegos is revered as a hero in Cuba.

Birthdate: August 13, 1926

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Birán, Cuba

Died: November 26, 2016

Serving as the Cuban prime minister from 1959 to 1976 and as president from 1976 to 2008, Fidel Castro was one of the most prominent Cuban leaders in the history. As the longest-reigning non-royal head of the 20th and 21st centuries, Castro was responsible for making Cuba a communist state.

 26 

Minnie Minoso

(Cuban Baseball Player Who Played as a Left Fielder)

Birthdate: November 29, 1925

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: El Perico, Cuba

Died: March 1, 2015

 27 

Frank Sánchez

(Cuban Professional Boxer)

Birthdate: July 18, 1992

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Guantanamo, Cuba

Height: 6'4" (193 cm)

 28 

Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

(Cuban Baseball Player Who Plays as a Left Fielder)

Birthdate: October 10, 1993

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Sancti Spíritus, Cuba

Height: 6'4" (193 cm)

Birthdate: April 20, 1960

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Placetas, Villa Clara

Miguel Díaz-Canel is a Cuban politician and the current president of Cuba. As president of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel has made several international trips, visiting places like India, Azerbaijan, and Russia. He has also interacted with presidents and prime ministers of several countries. In 2018, he was honored with the prestigious Order of the Liberator by the government of Venezuela.

 30 

Yordan Álvarez

(Cuban Baseball Player Who Plays as a Left Fielder and Designated Hitter)

Birthdate: June 27, 1997

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Las Tunas, Cuba

Height: 6'5" (196 cm)

 31 

Teófilo Stevenson

(Cuban Amateur Boxer Who Competed from 1966 to 1986)

Birthdate: March 29, 1952

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Puerto Padre, Cuba

Died: June 11, 2012

Height: 6'3" (190 cm)

 32 

Benny Paret

(Cuban Welterweight Boxer)

Birthdate: March 14, 1937

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Santa Clara, Cuba

Died: April 3, 1962

 33 

Guillermo Rigondeaux

(Cuban Professional Boxer)

Birthdate: September 30, 1980

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

Height: 5'4" (163 cm)

 34 

Orlando Hernández

(Former Cuban-born Baseball Player Who Played as a Pitcher)

Birthdate: October 11, 1965

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Villa Clara, Cuba

 35 

Hector Lombard

(Cuban-born Australian Bodybuilder, Mixed Martial Artist, and Former Olympic Judoka)

Birthdate: February 2, 1978

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Matanzas, Cuba

Height: 5'9" (175 cm)

 36 

Jorge Soler

(Cuban Baseball Player Who Plays as an Outfielder)

Birthdate: February 25, 1992

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Havana, Cuba

Height: 6'4" (193 cm)

 37 

Luis Tiant

(Former Cuban Baseball Player Who Played as a Starting Pitcher)

Birthdate: November 23, 1940

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Marianao, Havana, Cuba

Height: 5'11" (180 cm)

 38 

Danell Leyva

(Cuban-American Former Gymnast Who Competed for America and was a Specialist on 'Parallel Bars' and 'Horizontal Bar')

Birthdate: October 30, 1991

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Cardenas, Cuba

With his mother and stepfather both being national gymnasts from Cuba, Danell Leyva was bound to follow in their footsteps. The Cuban-American gymnast has won 2 silvers and 1 bronze at the Olympics. In 2020, he came out as pansexual and bisexual, hoping it would ease things for other LGBT individuals.

 39 

Al Jourgensen

(Singer, Music executive, Banjoist, Composer)

Birthdate: October 9, 1958

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Havana

Al Jourgensen is a Cuban-American singer, music producer, and musician. He is best known for founding the popular industrial metal band Ministry where he serves as the lyricist and frontman. Over the course of his four-decade-long musical career, Al Jourgensen has collborated with numerous other artists like Iggy Pop and Jello Biafra. He has also influenced numerous other musicians.

 40 

Yordenis Ugás

(Cuban Professional Boxer)

Birthdate: July 14, 1986

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

Height: 5'9" (175 cm)

Birthdate: June 3, 1931

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Birán, Cuba

Cuban politician Raúl Castro, brother of Fidel Castro, succeeded his brother as the Cuban president and reigned from 2008 to 2018. He was part of the 26th of July Movement and spent 22 months behind bars. He is the current First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba.

 42 

Mijaín López

(Cuban Greco-Roman Wrestler Who a Four-Time Olympic Gold Medalist and Five-Time World Champion)

Birthdate: August 20, 1982

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Pinar del Río, Cuba

Height: 6'5" (196 cm)

 43 

Yuriorkis Gamboa

(Cuban Professional Boxer)

Birthdate: December 23, 1981

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Guantánamo, Cuba

Height: 5'5" (165 cm)

 44 

Kendrys Morales

(Former Cuban-Dominican Baseball Player Who Played as a First Baseman and Designated Hitter)

Birthdate: June 20, 1983

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Fomento

 45 

Wilfredo León

(Cuban–Polish Professional Volleyball Player)

Birthdate: July 31, 1993

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

Height: 6'8" (203 cm)

 46 

Arturo Sandoval

(Trumpeter, Pianist, Composer, Jazz musician, Percussionist)

Birthdate: November 6, 1949

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Artemisa

 47 

Onel Hernández

(Cuban Footballer Who Plays as a Midfielder)

Birthdate: February 1, 1993

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Morón, Cuba

Height: 5'8" (173 cm)

 48 

Carlos Acosta

(Ballet dancer)

Birthdate: June 2, 1973

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Havana, Cuba

 49 

Javier Sotomayor

(Former Cuban Track and Field Athlete)

Birthdate: October 13, 1967

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Limonar, Cuba

Height: 6'4" (193 cm)

 50 

José Abreu

(Cuban-born Baseball Player Who Plays as a Designated Hitter and First Baseman)

Birthdate: January 29, 1987

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Cruces, Cuba

Height: 6'3" (190 cm)

Be it Raul or Fidel Castro, current and former leader of the Communist party of Cuba or Jose Marti, a Cuban national hero and Latin American litterateur, novelist Leonardo Padura or composer Ernesto Lecuona, sporting legends Ivan Dominguez, Jose Raul Capablanca and Jose Mendez or actor Mario Ernesto Sanchez and painter Pedro Alvarez Castello – Cuban men have been playing the role of a protagonist on the world’s cultural, economic, political and social stage. Know more about their life and works through this follow-up.