María Leopoldina (Polita) Grau Alsina was born in Havana, Cuba, on 19 November 1915. She attended the Teresian school in Vedado. Polita's father, Francisco died on 30 November 1930, and the family was taken in by his brother Ramón Grau San Martín who was a professor of physiology at the University of Havana. When the students began organizing and protesting against the administration of General Gerardo Machado, Ramón Grau joined them. He was imprisoned for his activities and released on the condition that he leave the island. In January of 1931, Grau San Martín and the Grau Alsina family went into exile in Miami, where they joined many other Cubans who opposed the Machado government. When Machado was ousted from Cuba in 1933, the Grau Alsina family returned to the island with their uncle who became president of Cuba. Teenaged Polita served as his first lady until January 1934 when Fulgencio Batista led a successful coup against Grau San Martín. The family again went into exile, this time to Mexico and later Miami. Polita returned to Cuba in May and in September 1934, married Roberto Lago, a leader of the student movement. Their continued political activity led to Polita's third exile, arriving in Miami in 1935. On 21 August of that year her husband Roberto died of appendicitis at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, and Polita returned to Cuba to bury him. In 1939, Polita married José Agüero, with whom she had two children, Ramón (Monchi) and Hilda. Polita was very active in the Partido Auténtico (Authentic Pary). In 1944 Ramón Grau San Martín was elected president of Cuba, serving until 1948. His protégé, Carlos Prío Socarrás, succeeded him but in 1952, Fulgencio Batista led another coup de etat and Polita became active in the opposition led by Prío Socarrás. She gave shelter to many anti-government activists and helped them gain political asylum at various foreign embassies in Havana. Because of her activities Polita had to go into exile again in Miami where she remained until 1959 when Castro took over the government. She continued her political activities against Castro's government and was involved in the Operation Pedro Pan which succeeded in getting over 14,000 unaccompanied children out of Cuba and to the United States. Polita was arrested in 1965, accused of plotting to overthrow Fidel Castro and received a 30 year sentence. She was released in 1978 and entered her final exile in Miami. From this time until her death Polita continued her political activities against Castro's government. She passed away on 21 March 2000 at the age of 84.
From the description of Polita Grau de Agüero Papers, 1882-2000. (University of Miami). WorldCat record id: 51298851
