viva fidel. >> for many cubans the years before 1959 were hard. the cuban peasants rarely owned the land they worked so hard to till. life in city slums were also depressing. the proletarian mob was a most unaware that there was another way to live. his support is not based on the poor but on the middle class. ironically it is the knowledgeable who form the advance army of the revolution area when the pied piper seeks to broaden the support, the poor are there to listen. many believe, few doubt. the revolution is a success. in the enthusiasm of the revolution, few cubans in the middle class believe that fidel castro will ever turn communist. at first he promises free elections, he acknowledges many of the traditional rights of citizens and the established institutions of government. but the election never takes place and the government becomes an instrument of coercion. the takeover is a success. >> tonight on "q&a" -- the president and ceo of the national council of laurent is a, that nations largest hispanic civil rights and advocacy group on th

viva fidel. for many cubans, the years before 1959 were hard. the peasants barely owned the land they worked so hard to till. for the urban masses, life in city slums was depressing. filth and disease flourished but most of these poor cubans suffered their life almost as if they were unaware there was another way to live. when fidel castro is ready to come out, his support is based not on the poor but on the middle class. ironically, it is the knowledgeable who form the advance army of the revolution. but when the pied seeks to broaden the support for bread and peace, the poor are there to listen. many believe, few doubt the revolution is a success. castro's brother raul is a self proclaimed communist. his close associate, che guevara, has participated in an unsuccessful revolution in guatemala. in the enthusiasm of the revolution, few cubans believe that fidel castro will ever turn communist. at first, he promises free at first, he promises free elections. he knowledge is the traditional rights of citizens and the established institutions of go