Gerardo Machado Morales assumed the presidency of Cuba on May 20, 1925. In the midst of a society convulsed by revolutionary movements, the Machado government sought a solution to the Cuban crisis.
To give political stability to the country, it applied economic reforms combined with repression. His program, far from solving the crisis, aggravated it. The transport workers' strike began in July due to economic demands, and in August it became a revolutionary general strike that involved the entire country.
In August 1933, one of the largest town demonstrations took place in San Antonio de los Baños. The Shirt Factory, the tobacco companies and the Commerce employees, paraded with red flags and banners. In support of this strike, all shops were closed and not even street vendors went out to sell.
For this purpose, a Joint Action Committee was created, composed of workers, students, intellectuals, peasants, soldiers and police, in order to fight openly against the dictatorship. The force of the popular struggle grew and Machado lost his last support: the United States and the Army. On August 12, 1933, Machado fled the country, beginning the period called by some scholars as the Machadato without Machado.
The revolutionary struggle continued. After the failure of the general strike of March 1935 and the closure of the Círculo de Trabajadores, the Ariguanabo unions began to reorganize. The Committee for the Fight for the Freedom of Political Prisoners was founded. A movement began, which led to numerous demonstrations.
Signs were painted on the walls; they fought for the claim to the work of the displaced workers; a great campaign was carried out with the motto Amnesty first, elections later! Special mention deserves the active role played by the Ariguanabo women in the political struggles of the Republic of Cuba.