in the country. Choteo humor mocked the political establishment and took a self-satirizing approach to portraying the "lack" of capabilities of the Cuban people. Martianismo also became the popular ideology of most of the Cuban political opposition. Before then the ideas of José Martí were less important compared to his image as an authentic Cuban founding father whose invocation gave legitimacy to opposition organizations. After the 1952 coup the ideas and image of José Martí had become so popular within the opposition that Martiano language was the common expression of opposition politics. Batista (whose rule was formalized after the 1954 general election) went on to rule the country until January 1, 1959, when he was forced into exile with his family (first to the Trujillo–ruled Dominican Republic, then Corporatist Portugal and eventually Francoist Spain). Batista's exile marked the climax of the Cuban Revolution, which started on July 26, 1953, with the attack on the Moncada Barracks in Santiago de Cuba, and saw Fidel Castro emerging as the new leader of Cuba. See also History of Cuba Timeline of Cuban history References Republic of Cuba (1902–1959) Political history of Cuba Military history of Cuba 1952 in Cuba March 1952 events in North America Conflicts in 1952 1950s coups d'état and coup attempts