Cuban leaders during this period in the country's history considered the USA their second home. As a matter of fact Machado is buried in the USA. But, Batista was less interested in Cuba as a nation so much as Cuba as an economic engine. He served one Presidency, took a break in the USA and returned to Cuba to be re-elected.
Batista basically became a dictator. He suspended the constitution, eliminated labor unions through prohibition of their right to strike and aligned with the wealthy instituting a widening gap between rich and poor. Cuba at this time was considered to be among the wealthier nations. It was the wealthiest in the Caribbean, although about a third of the population lived in poverty. Under his regime the rich became richer and the poor became poorer.
He was corrupt after returning for his second election and had aligned with what was then considered, the American Mafia.
