HAVANA — The Cuban socialite who emptied her bank account and sold her diamond jewelry to support Fidel Castro when he was a little-known insurgent, has died. Natalia Revuelta Clews was 89.
Revuelta first caught the eye of the young revolutionary in 1952 and opened her home for Castro to plot a barracks assault the following year that is considered the start of the revolution. They later had an affair that produced a daughter, Alina, who as an adult became a harsh critic of the communist leader from exile in Florida.
Revuelta's caretaker, Carmen Garcia, told The Associated Press that Revuelta died Friday and had been cremated in a private family ceremony. Revuelta's longtime friend Natalia Bolivar said Revuelta had been sick after a recent fall.
