Sixth Conference of the Association of Combatants of the Cuban Revolution concludes in Havana

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By Angelica Paredes Lopez, translated from the Spanish

Firm in their conviction that Cuban revolutionaries are not losing sleep over present difficulties and that the only path forward is to continue the struggle with optimism and faith in victory, the Sixth Conference of the Association of Combatants of the Cuban Revolution (ACRC) concluded this Saturday in Havana. The closing session was chaired by Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, leader of the Cuban Revolution, and the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez.

The Universal Hall of the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces was the setting for the two-day event that brought together delegates from across the country, representing key figures in the nation's living history.

The final session was also attended by Political Bureau members Esteban Lazo Hernández, president of the National Assembly of People's Power and the Council of State; Roberto Morales Ojeda, Secretary of Organization of the Party Central Committee; Army Corps General Álvaro López Miera, Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces; Major General Lázaro Alberto Álvarez Casas, Minister of the Interior; and Brigadier General José Amado Ricardo Guerra, Secretary of the Council of Ministers.

As in all these decades of struggle, the front line of the memorable meeting included the Deputy Prime Minister, Commander of the Revolution Ramiro Valdés Menéndez, and the Commander of the Rebel Army José Ramón Machado Ventura.

Other leaders from the Party, the State, and the Government, as well as political and mass organizations, the Revolutionary Armed Forces, and the Ministry of the Interior also participated.

Precisely 147 years after the historic Baraguá Protest, at this emotional event and for his extraordinary merits, Raúl—founder of the ACRC—received a simple and well-deserved recognition from the combatants, representing members from across the country.

Raúl received the gift from Major General José Antonio Carrillo Gómez, who was confirmed at this Conference as National President of the Association of Combatants of the Cuban Revolution.

Likewise, Commanders of the Revolution Ramiro Valdés Menéndez and Guillermo García Frías, along with Rebel Army Commander José Ramón Machado Ventura, were recognized for their role, dedication, example, and loyalty over the years.

On this day of tribute and commitment to the defense of the Homeland, recognitions were also given to valuable comrades who formed part of the organization's first National Directorate: Army Corps General Joaquín Quintas Solá, Reserve Major General Ulises Rosales del Toro, Major General Ramón Pardo Guerra, Reserve Brigadier General Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez, and Reserve Lieutenant Colonel Pérsida Chibás Ponce.

In summing up this meeting, the First Secretary of the Party Central Committee and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, dedicated his opening remarks to Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz, Honorary President of the Association of Combatants of the Cuban Revolution; and to Commander of the Revolution Juan Almeida Bosque, founding president and first leader of the Association, "made up of seasoned combatants of both sexes and all generations, whose service records for the Homeland make us deeply proud."

Díaz-Canel especially emphasized that Army General Raúl Castro Ruz remains here, "firmly among us and with his foot in the stirrup, a phrase of his that expresses in words what he is demonstrating in life: that a revolutionary combatant never retires."

"The ACRC, a bastion of the Revolution born in difficult and uncertain days for Cuba and the world, has nurtured this heroic lineage for more than 30 years, with the purpose of uniting, in a single force, the experience, honor, and commitment that spring spontaneously from the best human values ​​of our combatants," the Cuban leader emphasized.

In his speech, Díaz-Canel stated that "the Association of Combatants of the Cuban Revolution is a space of unity, ideas, and action, where the founders of the Revolution and its followers converge, closing ranks in the fulfillment of the sacred duty of defending it until their last breath."

Founded on December 7, 1993, with the stated purpose of preserving historical memory and defending the achievements of the Revolution, the ACRC, the President said, " today has the mission of adjusting its objectives to meet the challenges of the current complex context, with the firmness and clarity that have guided us in other times as difficult as the present."

Later in his speech, convinced that "the life of every combatant of the Revolution contains a history lesson, yet its greatest value is for the future, for all the lifeblood it brings us in terms of wisdom, spiritual and revolutionary strength." The President of the Republic went on to say to say to combatants that "the Revolution is strengthened by you in the communities, which are its main sphere of action, due to the prestige you have and the legitimacy you have earned in real battles for the independence and sovereignty of the Homeland and other sister nations."

The men and women gathered in the Universal Hall of the FAR, along with many others across Cuba, enjoy the admiration and affection of an entire people who recognize their heroism and daily battles. Therefore, Díaz-Canel emphasized that "the power of the example shown by the members of this Association is invaluable; and we cannot rest in our efforts to ensure that young people increasingly see combatants as a beacon of dignity."

"There are no essential production and defense activities, today's strategic fronts, in which some of the nearly 300,000 combatants are not present, because the Association is a powerful moral army that we can count on!"

After reflecting on the challenges Cuba faces in a very complex, but not impossible, internal and external environment, Díaz-Canel emphasized the importance of always preserving national unity, "the impregnable bastion of the Revolution," as Raúl has expressed on several occasions.

In the final minutes of his speech, the president echoed the sentiment expressed by the Army General on the 65th anniversary of the Triumph of the Revolution: "For Cuban revolutionaries, difficulties do not keep us awake at night; our only path is to continue the struggle with optimism and unwavering faith in victory."

And to sustained applause, Díaz-Canel concluded his remarks: "Hard times don't keep us awake at night, because of, among other important reasons, everything that the fighters of the Cuban Revolution taught us and continue to teach us every day."

During the closing session of the Sixth Conference of the Association of Combatants of the Cuban Revolution, the elected National Directorate was introduced. Along with its president, Major General José Antonio Carrillo Gómez, Brigadier General Delsa Esther "Teté" Puebla Viltre and Reserve Brigadier General Juan Rafael Ruiz Pérez were also confirmed as vice presidents of its executive committee.

The occasion was also a good opportunity to highlight the commendable work carried out by the provincial directorates of Matanzas, Cienfuegos, Ciego de Ávila, Granma, and Guantánamo.

At the end of the day, before a standing ovation, the Army General bid farewell to those present with "a hug," an expression of his eternal admiration and loyalty for his comrades in constant combat.

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