He served as the President of Cuba from 1948 until he was deposed by a military coup led by Fulgencio Batista on March 10, 1952, three months before new elections were to be held.

[2] Prío was assisted by Chief of the Armed Forces General Genovevo Pérez Dámera and Colonel José Luis Chinea Cárdenas, who had previously been in charge of the Province of Santa Clara.

With elections scheduled for the middle of 1952, rumors surfaced of a planned military coup by long-shot presidential contender Fulgencio Batista.

On March 10, 1952, Batista and his collaborators seized military and police commands throughout the country and occupied major radio and TV stations.

He also had two recognized children with his former mistress, Celia Rosa Touzet Masfera: Carlos Prio-Touzet, an architect, and Rodolfo (Rudy) Prío-Touzet.