Cuba: El Uvero was not only a military victory, but a seed of hope

Images via the PCC

By Katherin Hormigó Rubio and Odette Elena Ramos Colás, translated from the Spanish

Between the Caribbean Sea, which bathes the southern coasts of Cuba, and the foothills of the Sierra Maestra, just almost 100 km from the Heroic City, Santiago de Cuba, lies the town of El Uvero, in the municipality of Guamá.

There, on May 28, 1957, one of the most significant battles of the revolutionary struggle was fought, marking the coming of age of the nascent Rebel Army.

Today, 68 years later, at the Obelisk dedicated to the Martyrs, which pays tribute to the seven compatriots who fell in action and just a few meters from where Commander in Chief Fidel Castro fired the shot that started this action, the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, arrived to pay tribute to them at a commemorative event.

The Cuban president was accompanied by Roberto Morales Ojeda, a member of the Political Bureau and Secretary of Organization of the PCC Central Committee, and Beatriz Jhonson Urrutia, a member of the Party's Central Committee and First Secretary of the political organization in the province.

A floral wreath was placed in front of the Uvero Monument on behalf of the Cuban people, evoking the significance and legacy of this action.

Hundreds of residents of the town of Guamá arrived at this sacred site of the nation to pay tribute to the heroes and martyrs and remember those who sacrificed their lives for the nation's freedom. They are also called upon to keep their memory alive for future generations.

Dr. Leodan Suárez Martínez, a specialist in General Medicine in the municipality, expressed the pride and responsibility that comes with being a young doctor born in a land that was a fruit of the Revolution, since it was the Revolution that changed the desolate landscape of the town.

We are committed to historical continuity, faithful to the legacy of Fidel and Raúl Castro, Camilo Cienfuegos, Che Guevara, and so many other heroes who made the previously unattainable dreams of the children of workers and peasants come true, he stated.

He encouraged young people to embrace revolutionary work because the future of the country lies in their hands; let us move forward, he said, with the conviction that victory belongs to those who fight without surrender.

Poems and songs enlivened the commemoration, which was also attended by leaders of the Party, the government, the Union of Young Communists, the Federation of University and Secondary School Students, mass organizations, the Union of Cuban Historians, the Revolutionary Armed Forces, and the Ministry of the Interior.

Beatriz Johnson represented the transformation that the revolutionary process brought to the town of El Uvero, where teachers, doctors, art instructors, engineers, and many other professionals are trained today.

She recalled details of the battle and remembered those who fell in that feat, Lieutenants Julio Díaz González and Emiliano Díaz Fontaine, and the combatants Eligio Mendoza Díaz, Gustavo Moll Leyva, Francisco Soto Hernández, Anselmo Vega Verdecia and Emiliano R. Sillero Marrero.

Sixty-eight years after the event, Cuba faces a complex economic situation, exacerbated by the brutal U.S. commercial and financial blockade against out country. But, as before, we are responding with unity, national dignity, and resilience—values ​​that mark the path to victory, she said.

Jhonson Urrutia also emphasized that, just as in El Uvero 68 years ago, "today resistance paves the way to victory." "El Uvero was not just a military victory, but a seed of hope," he asserted.

With the heroic march of July 26th and cries of "to die for one's homeland is to live," the simple ceremony concluded, honoring the courage, morale, sacrifice, determination, triumph, and blood shed in the battle of El Uvero, which continues to guide the Cuban people in their current challenges and toward their present and future victories.

From El Uvero, another encounter with history

On the occasion of the commemoration of the 68th anniversary of the Battle of El Uvero, the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba (CC PCC) and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, held a meeting today with prominent young people from the province of Santiago de Cuba.

History was the main focus of the exchange, which was also attended by Roberto Morales Ojeda, a member of the Political Bureau and Secretary of Organization of the CC PCC; Beatriz Johnson Urrutia, the first secretary of the political organization in the territory; and Manuel Falcón Hernández, governor.

Young people from different social sectors, university students, and 16 of those who achieved the highest scores on the higher education entrance exams spoke with the president, among other topics, about social media, the electricity situation, and agricultural work.

Adrielis Jardines, a local historian, recounted the events of May 28, 1957, when Fidel Castro, leader of the armed insurrection fighting from the hidden enclaves of the Sierra Maestra Mountains in southern eastern Cuba, gave the unequivocal signal for the start of the battle at dawn with his accurate shot at the radio equipment shelter at the barracks in the mountain town of El Uvero.

Days earlier, Batista's soldiers had received reinforcements in weapons and men, but the rebel victory was overwhelming, as their strength multiplied in what was a difficult, bloody, and tough battle from the start.

He stated that the proposed objectives were met during the event, including recognizing the presence of the guerrillas in the Sierra Maestra and proving that Fidel Castro was alive.

Dariel Gutiérrez, an electrical engineering student at the University of Oriente (UO), spoke of his involvement with the university's projects related to the installation of solar panels at the school itself. He also noted that they spend one week a month working in electrical installations in their provinces to gain further experience in their field.

Díaz-Canel explained to those present the complex energy situation in the country, the strategy for maintaining power plants, and how the installation of photovoltaic solar parks must continue to increase gradually.

He addressed the difficulties with the lack of fuel and lubricants and emphasized the need to continue raising awareness among the population and to encourage them to use energy rationally.

"We're interested in helping young people explain the current situation in their neighborhoods and communities so they can understand the work being done to improve it in the coming months, despite the U.S. government's economic strangulation of Cuba."

The battle at El Uvero, he said, demonstrated that revolutionary determination can overcome adversity, and that is part of its legacy. That's why we cannot give up. He thanked the students for their willingness to always be there wherever they are needed.

Libia Illas, a history professor at the Party faculty, discussed this work with cadres and reserves and said it was important for young teachers of the subject to experience it firsthand, given that they are teachers of principles and values.

Other participants from related programs, such as studying Marxism, spoke about the "Our Past is the Present" projects, degree theses linked to the teaching-learning process of local history, and even proposed the creation of a museum to keep history alive as a basis for building the country Cubans want and need.

The blood shed was not in vain. The young people of Uvero, Guama, and Santiago will continue to support this Revolution, because in this community the Moncada Program is being fulfilled.

A very moving intervention was made by young María Karla, who is currently completing her active military service as part of her training as a future journalist.

Reading history isn't the same as feeling your roots at the scene itself, so she expressed her gratitude for the meeting where she also shared her experiences in the air defense brigade, recognized the discipline and the knowledge acquired, and said that no young woman should hold back because the training is worth it.

The Cuban president noted his concerns about the living conditions during military service as well as the connection of those serving to their future careers, saying this has to continue improving.

The day was also an opportunity for eight of those present to receive from the First Secretary of the Party their membership cards certifying them as members of the Young Communist League.

The best thing about this meeting, Díaz-Canel noted, is that you can repeat it with your comrades, your family, your community. We are commemorating the 68th anniversary of the Battle of El Uvero and the 60th anniversary of Fidel's inauguration of the Monument and his address to the people about the significance of this event.

This was a well-planned battle that demonstrated the humanism of the Revolution from its very beginning, and where those who would later become the leaders of the Rebel Army began to stand out: Fidel, Raúl, Juan Almeida, who received three wounds in combat, and Ernesto Che Guevara, a doctor and guerrilla fighter.

The heroism and collective determination strengthened the morale of the revolutionaries and the confidence of the population, who were beginning to learn about them in the Sierra Maestra, and showed the conviction to always continue until victory despite adversity.

Today, our main task is to continue advancing over difficulties with determination, fortitude, courage, and bravery, just like those who fought in 1957 at El Uvero, the Cuban President concluded.

This work was translated and shared via a License CC-BY-NC