Fidel’s Brilliant Leadership to Win the Liberation War
The brilliant leadership of Commander in Chief Fidel Castro Ruz in an action, for the first time jointly, of the First, Second and Third guerrilla fronts, was highlighted when commemorating the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Palma Soriano (about 56 km from Santiago de Cuba).
In a synthesized recount of the events of that December 27, 1958, the first secretary of the (Communist) Party in the municipality, Idania Téllez Robert, pointed out that, far from being yet another victory, the surrender of the dictatorship’s troops and the entering of the rebel forces into the city ended up in a masterful strategy worked out by Fidel.
The tyranny had undergone constant military strikes for several days, in which a thousand officers and soldiers were caught, an abundant stock of weapons and ammunition of different systems and calibres, which gradually demoralized Batista’s army in the eastern region. And it was then possible to seize Santiago, and thus the Cuban Revolution triumphed.
It should be remembered that from Palma Soriano instructions to the people of Cuba, including the general strike slogan, as well as to all rebel commanders anywhere in the country, would be transmitted by Radio Rebelde, and from here Fidel sentenced: “The history of ’95 will not be repeated! This time the Mambises* will enter Santiago de Cuba!”
In the massive political-cultural ceremony to commemorate this date, the members of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, Lázaro Expósito Canto and Beatriz Johnson Urrutia, the highest political and government authorities in the province, presented acknowledgements to outstanding collectives and personalities in the accomplishments dedicated to the anniversary.
The official highlighted, among other works, the rehabilitation of the Camilo Cienfuegos special school, the elimination of illegal power lines in Melilla, Tamarindo, and other places; the repair of 14 kilometers of roads in areas of the Plan Turquino*, and the fulfillment in housing projects, coffee harvesting, production of bee honey and pork.
As part of the extensive program of provincial activities for the Revolution’s 60th anniversary, the album Así te recueramos, Comandante, dedicated to one of the great protagonists of these struggles, the Commander of the Revolution Juan Almeida Bosque, was presented at Siboney Studios, of the Recordings and Music Editions Company (Egrem).
On the occasion, the decisive contribution of the Hero of the Republic of Cuba in the creation of the Santiago studios was recognized. In the words by Jorge Luis Pullal, the producer of Almeida’s extensive musical work, themes were chosen such as No me olvides, Amor, Este camino largo, Mejor concluir y Vuelve pronto.
In addition, the instrumental Variaciones para Juan Almeida, by José Luis Cortés (El Tosco) at the flute, and Décimas a Juan Almeida, by the poet Ariel Lardouyet. Of course, in giving the phonogram its name, the composition Así te recordaramos, Comandante, with lyrics by Brigade General (r) Roberto Valdés, and tunes by Ricardo Leyva, could not be missing.
(Taken from Granma in Spanish)
Written by Jorge Lora
