In the legacy of its heroes and martyrs, the ethics and firmness of Cuba
09 December 2024
128 years after the physical disappearance of the Lieutenant General of the Liberation Army, Antonio Maceo Grajales, and his young assistant, Captain Panchito Gomez Toro, the Mausoleum of El Cacahual, in Havana, witnessed once again the commitment of the new generations with the ideals that have forged the history of Cuba.
The tribute ceremony was led by Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, who laid a wreath -along with those of Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, leader of the Cuban Revolution, and another from the Cuban people- to honor the patriots who have sacrificed their lives to defend the Island from those who have tried to take it.
Major General Vicente Rodríguez Miró, director of the Revolutionary Armed Forces Academy (FARs) General Máximo Gómez, recalled the figure of Maceo as an outstanding military strategist who showed a deep sense of discipline and unwavering loyalty to our nation. "His political thought and revolutionary intransigence shine in the historic Baraguá Protest, in which he defended the flag of the cause with an unwavering commitment to the absolute independence of Cuba."
The tribute revered, at the same time, the 35th anniversary of Operation Tribute and the 90th anniversary of the birth of Frank País García.
Representing the Cuban youth, cadet Xander Hernández García, a first year student of the specialty of Tactical Command in Motorized Infantry, recalled the Baraguá Protest, and argued that it was a key moment in history, which raised the morale of the people in the face of treason. "Today, young Cubans will not let that flag fall, at whatever price it takes," he said.
He also made mention of Captain Panchito Gómez Toro, who chose to die rather than surrender the body of his chief, becoming a symbol of courage for the new generations.
He emphasized that young people who choose a military career are heirs of a resilient people, ready to defend their sovereignty against any threat.
At the ceremony were members of the Political Bureau Roberto Morales Ojeda, Secretary of Organization of the 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.
