Career
In 1957, Pedro Díaz Lanz joined Fidel Castro"s rebel group in Santiago, Cuba. He was employed as a commercial pilot with the airline Aerovías Q. He later acted as head of the Revolutionary Air Force, and during 1958 he smuggled weapons and ammunition from Costa Rica and Florida into Cuba by air. After the Cuban Revolution on 1 January 1959, he was confirmed as head of the new Revolutionary Air Force as well as Castro"s personal pilot.
Within months, he became vocal about his opposition to the influence of communists on the new revolutionary government.
Diaz Lanz piloted and Marcos threw the leaflets down from an open bomb hatch. The unsuccessful gunfire from armed forces on the ground caused injuries and deaths, leading to unsubstantiated reports of bombs being dropped from the aircraft.
Díaz committed suicide with a gunshot wound to the chest in 2008 at the age of 81 after years of poverty and depression.
