The socialist leader who established a communist regime in Cuba after the 1959 revolution is Fidel Castro. After leading a successful guerrilla campaign against the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista, Castro assumed power and initiated radical reforms, including land redistribution and nationalization of industries. His government aligned closely with the Soviet Union during the Cold War, which led to significant political and economic changes in Cuba while promoting anti-imperialist sentiments on a global scale.