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Revolution only promised to return to the 1946 constitution and rid the Batista Dictatorship. As time went on the revolution lost its original goal as it was forced to assimilate different groups of insurgency until it ultimately became anti-American. Anti- American at the time meant communist

Taking on of Che Guevara, even though he theoretically would have no bearing on the Cuban constitution, taking on of eastern Cuban richer farmers with the promise to  rid  American control, etc)
-Germano

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Many would say that Castro's version of Nationalist Socialism deviated dangerously close to being Fascist and moving from extreme right to extreme left
-Aandie

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The idea of communism appealed to Castro - he was drawn to the USSR and China. He believed that the US was the source of all of their problems He also depended on the USSR for economic and military aid.

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Castro was from the beginning influenced by communist in Raul and Che. He portrays his ideas as nationalist to gain support of the people and to fulfill the ends of his revolution. He did not openly declare himself as communist because of an American threat, however, after that threat was inevitable, he revealed himself to be communist

(fleeing to Mexico to defend the revolution - after the Moncada attack -  supported from the beginning by soviet agents and Mexican communists)
-Germano

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He noted that communism would be the dominant force in Cuban politics: “There cannot be three or four movements.”

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On December 2nd 1961, Castro declared 'I am a Marxist-Leninist and shall be one until the end of my life'.

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He stated that “Marxism or scientific socialism has become the revolutionary movement of the working class."

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“Castro’s programme is pure nationalist” - by Eric Williams
Nationalised the sugar industry, businesses and farms.

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Initially his policies regarding Cuba we more Nationalist than anything else as he was attempting to develop Cuban Economy and in doing that, some of his policies were leaned more towards socialist methods. He nationalised a lot of land (25 billion USD worth of land) (nationalism) which he took from large cooperations and the wealthy, specifically non-cuban enterprises (socialist). This wasn't entirely socialist as the state owned the land that was taken away, however the workers gained much of the profits. He was nationalist where it benefitted him and Cuba and was communist when he found it prudent to be one. This was because scientific socialism allowed him to economically
- Aandie

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It appears his populist policies (e.g. to redistribute land to the people) were more towards being a Nationalist. When he said he was a 'Marxist-Leninist' (2 December 1961) it wasn't really about the ideology but more to secure his power (against the US during the Cold War and rise to power/consolidate the state) and receive aid from the USSR. So whether he was genuinely a Communist is questionable.
- Kathryn

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He was a nationalist until it was no longer prudent to not be a communist. After the Bay of Pigs invasion and the swift kick American policies in the region, he had to declare his side in 1961. Certainly some of his nationalist ideals overlapped with communist-esque goals (redistributing the land to Cubans rather than Americans, working for the betterment of social standards) but ultimately his intentions were nationalist in nature - freeing Cuba from international control (USA). However, to ultimately achieve this he had to side with another international power USSR
-Germano

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Castro was a self-declared Marxist-Leninist.
"I am a Marxist-Leninist and shall be one for the rest of my life" - Castro 1961
- Aandie

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-Took $25 billion dollars worth of land away from rich landowners-nationalizing it as oppose to giving it to Cubans, government had control of it, as oppose to the workers
-Nationalized factories, without giving them to workers, inherently un-communist as the state still exists, and it, not the workers, direct society.
-Took an anti-american stance, promoted defense of Cuba, allowed Soviet weapons and military to arrive and help them, this inherantly takes a militiristic and aggresive stance, focusing on defense.
-Made 30% of Business profits to workers, this is not communist as the workers were not in charge of the business themselves, yet they received a large share Socialism
-Cult of personality developed around individuals such as Che Guevara, as protectors and liberators of Cuba, as oppose to all workers around the world, the socialism applied to Cubans. It was designed to revolutionize Cuba, as oppose to leading to a global communist revolution.