Apart from other low passions, personal interests, settling of scores, vendettas, executions and countless criminal actions, Cuban McCarthyst gangster practices or gansterism represented an effective means of corruption that would be used mainly against the old Communist Party and the vigorous workers movement led by Lazaro Peña.
The organization of gangsterism also allowed Dr. Carlos Prio Socarras, first from the Ministry of Labor and later as Prime Minister, to glide into the presidency of the Republic, and a second term for the Partido Autentico, with a vice-president who responded entirely to General Batista’s political-military faction. In a report to the National Auditing Office published by the press at the time, Fidel Castro, a young lawyer, accused President Prio for his close links with gangsterism:
[…] Prio is no stranger to dealing with gangs. They escorted him zealously throughout his political campaign. He assumed power overwhelmed with commitments.
[...] Thus, for example, apart from other smaller groups, Guillermo Comellas’ group was given 60 positions; the Tribunal Ejemplar Revolucionario received 110; Union Insurreccional Revolucionaria, 120; Accion Guiteras, 150 positions; Colorado’a group, 400 positions; Masferrer, 500 positions and Policarpo’s group, the most fearsome, 600 positions. This makes a total, according to data in my possession, of 2 120 positions which were being paid for services not rendered in the Ministries of Health, Labor, Interior and Public Works.
In some cases, the number of positions per person was alarming. Manuel Villa, for example, had thirty positions: Guillermo el Flaco (“Skinny”) had 28 positions; Pepe “El Primo” (Cousin) had 26 positions; the “Boxer” (I do not know his name) had 26 positions, collected from payrolls or fees under different names.
[...] The guns used for killing were paid by Prio.
The cars in which they commit these killings are paid by Prio.
The men who kill are supported by Prio.
[...] to conclude these lines written with utmost honesty and sincerity, I can only repeat the words of Jose Marti when he exhorted Cubans to the struggle: “For you, our homeland, the blood from the wounds of this world and the smiles of the martyrs as they fall. For you, our homeland, the sensible enthusiasm of your children, the satisfying pain of serving you, and the resolution of enduring to the very end!