The work owes its name to the homonymous Matanzas neighborhood and gave rise to the dance known as danzón (or habanera). The public danced it for the first time on January 1, 1879, in the old Liceo Artístico y Literario de la Atenas de Cuba (today Sala White).

The documentary ¿Qué es el Danzón?, directed by Armando Linares, highlights: “It was derived as a result of the transculturation of the European contradanza that arrived at the beginning of the 18th century via the Spanish courts, due to the taking of Havana by the English in 1762 and at the end of the 18th century due to the migration of French settlers and blacks and mulattoes from Haiti to Cuba”.

As a danceable manifestation, it comes from a piece of paintings that was performed in Matanzas at the end of the 19th century. The body and spatial movements of this new genre were slower, cadenced and with greater creative freedom than previous dances, which denotes the process of stylistic transformation that Cuban ballroom dance underwent from the contradanza.

“The danzón became more varied than the dance; Specific instruments would star in each particular part in the melodic conception, constituting a distinctive element of this genre, what would be known as: part of the violin, part of the flute, part of the clarinet, according to the function and intervention of each one”, affirmed Maritza Cuba Núñez , director of Patrimony of the city of Matanzas.

Dancers were allowed to wear wing collars, jackets, vests, skirts, long skirts, and tight corsets without worrying about suffocating rhythms. It gained great popularity and acceptance among the population in a short time.

Doctor Ercilio Vento Canosa, historian of the city of Matanzas, stated that its emergence provoked political controversy on the part of the repressive press organs that described the dance as immoral for being a music of black origin. On the other hand, its defenders recognized it as Cuban music and a step towards the Spanish and Creole cultural separation.

The danzón was danced in pairs, up to a number of twenty, who executed square pieces, figures and steps with movements adjusted to the beat of the music. In later times, ladies used conspicuous fans.

According to the website Memoria de Cuba, by the writer Jorge Molina, the danzón has as a unique and novel characteristic in its time, the quality of alternating danced parts with breaks.

With the emergence of other dances such as the danzonete, the cha-cha-cha and the mambo, the danzón fell into decline in popular preference. However, since 2013 the dance has held the distinction of being the intangible heritage of Cuba and cultural organizations carry out actions to rescue the elegant steps of a danzón couple from the years.

The president of the Venezuelan Consortium of Aeronautical Industries and Air Services (Conviasa), Ramón Celestino Velásquez, reported through his Twitter account that the company will link Havana with the state of Falcón, in the northwest of the South American country.

He indicated that these commercial flights will allow “to consolidate integration, cultural, commercial and tourist exchange between two sister peoples. Let’s keep moving forward!” he pointed out.

According to the audiovisual that accompanies the tweet, Conviasa will leave Falcón every Saturday at 11:00 a.m., local time, with scheduled arrival in the Cuban capital at 2:00 p.m.

The return will be with departure from the José Martí international airport in Havana at 10:00 local time, and arrival in Venezuela at 1:00 p.m.

(Taken from Latin Press)

Lieutenant Colonel William González Hernández, head of the Civil Defense in Matanzas, explained to TV Yumurí that around one in the afternoon last Monday, the young man along with his girlfriend was near the coast where they practiced underwater fishing. After the third dive he did not return to the surface, so his girlfriend sought help.

The rescuers of the Fire Department searched with their five divers throughout the afternoon for the boy. “Due to inclement weather and the night, the search was postponed until Tuesday, when we found the body 400 meters from the north coast and 37 meters deep.”

The emergency, rescue and rescue mechanisms have been activated since Monday in search of the young man. Photo: Matanzas Civil Defense.

The body was rescued by divers from the Red Cross, Civil Defense and family and friends on Tuesday morning. The paramedical services also attended the scene to help the family, as well as the experts.

“The cause was a blackout. With this he loses oxygen, which does not reach his brain, and then he goes to the bottom of the sea and drowns.

In the course of 2022 in the province of Matanzas, this is the third case of drowned people who practiced immersion and fishing.

The Civil Defense system and the authorities of the province of Matanzas mourn the death and convey condolences and condolences to his family and friends.

Lieutenant Colonel William González Hernández, head of the Civil Defense in Matanzas, explained to TV Yumurí that around one in the afternoon last Monday, the young man along with his girlfriend was near the coast where they practiced underwater fishing. After the third dive he did not return to the surface, so his girlfriend sought help from him.

(Tomado de TV Yumurí)

Díaz-Canel arrived at the super tanker base in Matanzas. Photo: Presidency of Cuba/ Twitter. The first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic Miguel Díaz Canel Bermúdez arrived this Thursday at the industrial zone of Matanzas to check the recovery program of the supertanker base after an unprecedented fire that occurred due to an electrical discharge on August 5.

This recovery program includes the demolition of the tanks, and they are currently working on number 51, according to Líver Sanz Toledo, head of investments at the Matanzas Territorial Division of Fuel Marketing (DTCC-Matanzas).

In an exchange with managers and workers from various entities, the president inquired about the details of the work being done to dismantle the damaged tanks, as well as the design of the new tanks.

It’s been hard, but we’re going to get through it, he said.

The president inquired about the working conditions of those who are dismantling and cleaning the entire Zone. According to the authorities of the territory, accommodation and food are guaranteed and in the next few hours a medical post should be installed here for them.

(Con información de Presidencia Cuba y TV Yumurí)

Yirmara is not going to like this chronicle, but I have to write it. I have forced myself to do it. Naive me, who believes that a text can be at the height of a journalist like her.

If someone talks about Yirmara Torres, immediately there will be someone who says “teacher”, “news chief”, “president of the Union of Cuban Journalists in Matanzas”, “reporter to all”. To this we must add that Yirmara is a journalist at the foot of danger, and she showed it to us —in case anyone doubted it— in the coverage of the worst fire in the history of Cuba, which occurred at the Matanzas supertanker base.

She served as president of the provincial Upec, worrying about the journalists who suffered burns when she blew up the first tank and the fire wanted to devour the first thing in front of it. She visited them, called them. She had coffee with them.

And, because humility also lies in not wanting perks when she holds a position, she Yirmara put the transportation of the Upec de Matanzas based on the coverage of the fire. I will always repeat, wherever I stop, that Cubadebate owes the coverage we did to Yirmara Torres.

I don’t know how she manages it, but in addition to providing us with her house for a few hours of sleep for almost a week, and in addition to taking care of her work as president of Upec, Yirmara did not fail to report the incident even one single day

On Monday, August 8, at three in the morning, one of the explosions caught us at her command post, very close to the area of ​​the fire. It was the first time I felt fear, the heat hit you in the face and my hands were shaking. Yirmara noticed. She was serene. There is nothing more rewarding than in moments like that, someone telling you that everything is going to be alright. That was Yirmara.

Yirmara was also the one who came with teary eyes to give me the best news she received that day. In a voice message from her, a young firefighter told her: “Honey, I’m the boy you interviewed, I’m alive.” If there is one thing a journalist cannot lack, it is sensitivity, and Yirmara has more than enough, just as she had the courage to approach danger and keep an entire country informed.

There is one thing we all agree on. Yirmara doesn’t like to talk about herself, she prefers —and it’s nice that she does— to highlight the work of others. For this reason, I am sure, Yirmara will not like this chronicle.

(By: Andy Jorge Blanco/ Cubadebate)

Matanzas is recognized for its natural values. Precisely, the sinister described as the first of this magnitude in the history of Cuba occurred very close to the bay, in an area close to different towns that were seen under the smoke coming from the place of the disaster.

The newspaper Girón spoke with Oscar García Martínez, delegate of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (Citma) in Matanzas, about the environmental impact of this event in the territory and the work that has been carried out to monitor and reduce damage to the environment .

—What were the main damages detected at first from the environmental point of view?

The main damages are to the atmosphere, that is, to the quality of the air, as in any fire. During the days that the fire lasted, we established a work system that allowed us to monitor the main polluting gases. Strong convective activity in the fire caused that plume of smoke to rise. The levels of contaminants measured were low, they do not compromise human health.

“A monitoring network made up of a total of 16 observers and specialists distributed throughout the most vulnerable areas was established, and they informed us every three hours about the state of the environment, if they felt irritation in the eyes, mouth and nose. In addition, the fact that visits to the Primary Health Care system have not increased means that there was no affectation associated with this event. The team, coupled with this, established measurements at five points. The indicators demonstrated compliance with Cuban standards in the environment.

“Another important element is the quality of the water in the bay. From the first moment, barriers were established to prevent a possible spill into the sea. From the second tank, there was a spill that was contained thanks to this measure. In any case, sampling is also carried out in the bay that corroborates from the visual and the contamination that there is no damage right now”.

—Matanzas has experiences regarding the containment of hydrocarbon spills. Did the studies carried out on this subject allow us to react more quickly?

As it is one of the most important provinces in terms of oil extraction and marketing, experience has been acquired from the Civil Defense and it is already known how to act in the face of a phenomenon of this type, according to research by science centers. Although it reached a large scale and we had never experienced a spill associated with a fire, the key is to be able to immediately design the observation points, the ways to control and mitigate this type of event.

—The studies carried out respond to a more immediate stage. Do you intend to develop other research on the long-term effects?

The measures mentioned correspond to the first stage. In this second phase, of recovery, we are going to follow up with another monitoring system that covers aspects related to the soil, agricultural production, traces in the milk of cattle; that is, a series of elements that allow knowing the real magnitude of the impact of the incident. The investigation can last two months.

“Then we are going to do a long-term analysis, we plan to extend it up to two more years with other parameters, to re-evaluate soil, vegetation and food chains. We will use well-designed indicators and a sampling system for the area of ​​the cone of influence of the pollutant cloud”.

—In one of the reports from Citma, they explained that the cloud contained sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, among other substances. Did these concentrations dissipate with his disappearance?

These gases come from combustion, once extinguished the flames go down considerably. Some columns of smoke may still be produced in the area due to the emissions, but now that the danger has passed, the focus that caused the increase of these pollutants into the atmosphere has disappeared, therefore the emissions are in the range in which we are used to living. the Matanzas.

—How do you deal with the population reports? Were people’s testimonials helpful?

Many townspeople joined the network of observers, alerting us if there was any anomaly. There is also a commission by the Citma subgroup of the Defense Council that deals with the situations described. We attend the place, evaluate and recommend how to act. All the cases have been related to the rains. We always warn about the need not to be exposed to it because the waters were loaded with particles that gave a black color. For example, in rural areas such as the Yumurí Valley and Corral Nuevo, the rain left a kind of soot, but it did not cause health consequences or compromise crops or livestock.

—Have acid rains been reported in Matanzas? What is the difference between this phenomenon and that blackish substance detected?

The combination of very high concentrations of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide in the atmosphere, together with the occurrence of precipitation, causes acid rain to occur. In that period there were no downpours, rather some drizzles. It is not ruled out that in a specific place it has rained more intensely with a level of acidity higher than normal, but so far we have no reports where the pH of the water is acid. In the case of water with that dark color, it is about suspended particles.

—What is expected for the next few days according to science?

Everything indicates that what happened in the fire stage does not seem to have compromised any aspect for the future. In any case, we continue with the scientific investigations and if we discover something new, we inform it. Next month we will have an environmental impact assessment in which we will explain the most recent results. If any indicator is altered, we will analyze it and follow up on it.

(Taken from Girón Newspaper)

With all honors, the people of Matanzas fired this Sunday members of the Cuban Fire Department from Pinar del Río, Artemisa, Havana, Mayabeque, Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Ciego de Ávila and Sancti Spíritus, after facing the fire in the base of super tankers.

On the esplanade in front of the Mártires del Goicuría primary school, once a barracks converted into an educational center, the gratitude of the citizens and the main authorities was publicly expressed to the heroes and those who died during the incident caused by an electric shock on August 5 last. .

Yunisexky Bernal Lóriga, first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) in this main town, said that upon learning of the tragic event, the brave firefighters did not hesitate for a minute to start their trucks and leave for Matanzas.

The party leader meant that the honorees exemplify with their attitude and altruism the precept of the National Hero José Martí: “the true man does not look on which side he lives better, but on which side duty is.”

That fire that did not stop, the immense curtain of polluting smoke that suffocated by the simple fact of looking at it, will remain forever in the memory of the people of Matanzas, but respect and admiration will also remain for the courage of those who transcended their fears, placated ours. and they defeated terror, he valued.

The ceremony, in which a minute of solemn silence was observed in tribute to those who fell in action, was presided over by Susely Morfa González, first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) in Matanzas, and Mario Sabines Lorenzo, governor of the territory , who gave recognition to the solidarity firefighters.

Yurisbel Estrada Carrasco, Chief of the Cárdenas Firefighters Command, thanked the work of colleagues from the rest of the country and also those from other sister nations, the Cuban Red Cross, rescuers, combatants, volunteers, and those who sent humanitarian aid.

The fire spread and caused the explosion at the supertanker base, in the industrial zone of this city; it was extinguished on the last 12 thanks to the work of specialized forces and media from Cuba, Mexico and Venezuela.

They recognize Mexicans and Venezuelans who fought the fire in Matanzas

Orders of Solidarity and a replica of Major General Antonio Maceo’s Machete were delivered to five chiefs and directors of the Mexican Army, PEMEX and PDVSA respectively, by the Secretary of Organization of the PCC and the ministers of the FAR and the Interior. Recognition of solidarity and contribution to extinguishing the fire at the Matanzas Super Tanker Base.

Friendship Medals were awarded to each of the members of the Venezuelan and Mexican contingent who, together with the Cubans, contributed to extinguishing the fire at the Matanzas Supertanker Base.

Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) and President of the Republic, in messages addressed to his counterparts in Mexico and Venezuela, expressed gratitude for the support in confronting the incident at the base of supertankers in this city.

During the award ceremony for Mexican and Venezuelan forces, Susely Morfa González, first secretary of the PCC in the province of Matanzas, read the letters from the head of state.

To Andrés Manuel López Obrador, president of the United Mexican States, Díaz-Canel communicated that in recent days the Cuban people faced with the strength and unity that characterizes it an accident that, due to its magnitude and destructive effects, ranks among the most devastating it has suffered. the country.

The resolute and decisive accompaniment of the Mexican brothers was very opportune and necessary, Mexico has been here, with its worthy children, running the same risk as us, together with the Venezuelan brothers, to all of them, President, I convey our recognition and gratitude, reads the message from the head of state.

He also thanked those who contributed and ensured the invaluable help from Mexico, and especially López Obrador for his friendship, and the immediate decision to provide such an important collaboration that the Cuban people will never forget.

The letter to Nicolás Maduro Moros, president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, states that the resolute accompaniment of the Venezuelan brothers was opportune and decisive, like so many other times, the sister Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela sent its worthy sons willing to run the same risk than the Cubans, together with the Mexican brothers.

Our recognition and gratitude extends to all of them, also to those who ensured the invaluable and prompt help and especially to you for your proven friendship, the Cuban people will keep in mind this noble gesture, it is assured in the president’s lines addressed to Maduro.

During the ceremony, 133 Friendship Medals were awarded, and five experts received

Por: Yurina Piñeiro Jiménez, Ismael Francisco

Ayer algunos decidieron homenajear al Comandante abrazando la ciudad de Matanzas. Kcho con su arte, Gerardo con su tropa en el barrio, Popi con sus valientes de escafandra en el lugar del siniestro…

“El mejor lugar para estar un 13 de agosto, -por la demostración de unidad, solidaridad y otros principios que nos enseñó Fidel- precisamente era Matanzas y por eso estamos aquí”, dijo ayer Kcho en el Taller de Lolo donde junto a obras de artistas contemporáneos dedicadas al Comandante estaban unos dibujos que realizaron los niños para honrar a los bomberos que participaron en la extinción del incendio en la Base de Supertanqueros.

Un día después de extinguido el fuego, en la Atenas de Cuba la tranquilidad de saber que ya no peligran vidas humanas unido al calor hogareño, les alivia un poco las quemaduras a muchos de los héroes de casco rojo o amarillo y les permite traer a la luz a otros titanes anónimos.

Ayer cuando Dilan escuchaba el reconocimiento del miembro del Consejo de Estado y coordinador de los Comités de Defensa de la Revolución, Gerardo Hernández Nordelo, hacia él y los otros rescatistas vecinos del consejo popular Peñas Altas, el joven aclaró quién era el verdadero superhéroe de su grupo.

“Yo quisiera que también se homenajeara a un hombre que no es rescatista ni bombero, pero de no ser por él que nos esperó a todos y se mantuvo allí a pesar del peligro cuando aquel tanque explotó, hoy ninguno de nosotros estaríamos aquí. Es él, el chofer de la guagua”.

No solo se compartió la gloria, sino también el sentir por los compañeros ausentes, aquellos que perecieron en el intento de apagar el volcán de llamas en los almacenes de combustible o los que no pudieron sobrevivir a las marcas del fuego en sus cuerpos.

Un minuto de silencio, unos rostros contrictos, las palabras de una mujer entrecortadas por la emoción; esa fue la manera de acompañar a los familiares allí presentes de algunos de los desaparecidos.

By: Andy Jorge Blanco, Irene Pérez

As soon as he enters the helicopter cabin, the pilot Aniel Santiesteban Alberteris puts on a life jacket and establishes communication with Bahía Control, from where he directs each air operation at the scene of the incident.

–Control Bay. H-141 taking off from the platform for the water intake.

Next to him, co-pilot Dairon González Espinosa signals to the flight instructor. Emerson Infante García has already checked the working parameters of the aircraft, engines, temperature, gases, oil. The blades of the MI-17 of the Air Force begin to turn and cause the grass, from where the machine rises, to move incessantly, raising the dust of the esplanade, like a whirlwind.

A bambi bucket hangs below the helicopter, an accessory with a maximum capacity of 2,500 liters of water. Since the fire broke out at the Matanzas Supertanker Base, several aircraft of the Revolutionary Armed Forces have flown over the area of ​​the incident. While firefighters attack the fire from various points on the ground, Cuban helicopters do it by air, pouring water. They come and go from the fire to the bay, from the bay to the fire.

Pilot Aniel Santiesteban. Photo: Irene Pérez/ Cubadebate.

Lieutenant Colonel Aniel Santiesteban explains how they carry out each of the operations:

“On the ground there is a pointer, who directs aviation and is a vital task. They send you in or out. Hold on. Watch out for the left. Caution on the right. An obstacle. They have a tank up front. an antenna. And they give you all that information.

“Riding in this type of exercise is very complex. We approach a meter from the water. The aircraft has an air power that creates a whirlwind. All the windows fog up. Practically the operation is carried out according to the instructions given by the technician to start the ascent or to descend a little more. The bambi bucket is operated and prepared by a weapons engineer who is also part of this type of preparation.

“That bucket has to reach the bay, make contact with the water, turn, fill and hang vertically to start the ascent, and then throw the water on the fire.”

Within two hours and thirty minutes, when they land at the Army General Staff, the crew will have made 30 emissions above the flames, which is equivalent to 75 tons of water in just one morning to put out the fire.

***

On Friday night, Aniel, Dairon and Emerson received a call from headquarters with the mission of extinguishing the fire at the Matanzas Supertanker Base. Aniel celebrated that day the 30 years of his wedding with Rebeca and had to get ready to go out first thing on Saturday.

From Military Unit 3710 of the Eastern Army Air Force, in Holguín, he took off the crew at dawn, and in the first light of day he surprised them while they were flying over Varadero. A few minutes later they arrived at the General Staff in Matanzas, enabled the aircraft and left on the first flight to the fire.

At 35 years old, the oldest Dairon González Espinosa confesses that reality always surpasses any image:

“When we fulfilled that first mission, we realized that the magnitude that we imagined was too small compared to the flames. There were columns of smoke that reached 3,000 meters in height. And a wingspan of about a kilometer. And the flames soaring. A very great experience. Seeing all the fire trucks that were buried there, debris on the flames, that’s something hard, unforgettable.”

Major Dairon Gonzalez Espinosa. Photo: Irene Pérez/ Cubadebate.

A thick column of black smoke made it difficult for them to maneuver in the air and, at times, reduced visibility. The chemical substances that emanated from the combustion of crude oil penetrated into the cabin. That same day, the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment (CITMA) reported that there were approximately 3,200 particles in the air. The cloud of smoke contained sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, among other substances that were concentrated five kilometers high. The helicopters of the Cuban Air Force passed through there.

In the afternoon, a WhatsApp message moves me: “I am aware of everything and I hope this will end soon. My dad is over there too, he’s one of the helicopter pilots. Aniel is called, like me. I’m with the balls in the throat, but pa’lante. If they are there, risking it, you have to be strong”.

Nobody knows at that time, but when the Holguín crew returns to the Eastern Army base, they will have carried out more than 135 flight missions over the flames of the most important fuel reservoir in all of Cuba.

***
Lieutenant Colonel Aniel Santiesteban points out that, in order to face a scenario as complex as the one experienced in Matanzas in the first days of August, the crew receives prior preparation: “This is one of the exercises that requires the most professionalism and experience, since the water intake is carried out at very low heights above the surface of the sea and the launch is over areas with very complex situations, fires and the presence of chemical substances”.

He immediately adds that it is a team and that it is unfair to mention only the pilots or heads of the ship. “Emerson is the flight instructor, who tells us ‘launch, go down, go down, go down’, with the water there, a meter away. If this machine flies, it is thanks to a team that is on the ground, made up of technical assurance, engineers and aviation, who prepare and get the machine ready with all the liquids and fuel”, he says.

After filling the bambi bucket that hangs from aircraft H-141, the machine ascends to approach the flames.

Emerson Infante García es instructor de vuelo. Foto: Irene Pérez/ Cubadebate

Instructor Emerson Infante García indicates where to launch according to the points that, from the ground, the pointer needs. There are more than four Revolutionary Air Force helicopters doing the same job. At times, the flames exceed 100 meters in height. And you have to go down, with the fire almost touching the landing skids.

Multiple aircraft fly over simultaneously. Each one of the crews observes the airspace constantly. “The one that goes ahead alerts us, the one that goes behind also and in this way we help each other. We give each other feedback,” says Aniel.

***

On Thursday afternoon, 144 hours after the explosion of the first tank at the Matanzas Supertanker Base, Aniel, Dairon and Emerson’s aircraft landed in Holguín. On the networks I see a photo of the older Dairon, kissing his wife and his two-year-old girl. Hours before concluding his mission in Matanzas, he had told us about his three children, the eldest who turned 12 on Monday and who asked him about the fire and if he was putting on the gas chamber. He had told us about the other boy, five years old, and the youngest, two, whom he carries in one of the photographs.

I also see another image, of the two Aniel, father and son.

–I saw that the old man is already in Holguín –I write to him.

– He just landed. Here I am with him – he answers and sends me another photo of the two of them, embracing.

Until 10:00 a.m. m. This Sunday, August 14, 132 people were injured, of which 20 are hospitalized, two people died and 110 patients were discharged.

The 20 patients are hospitalized in six health institutions in the country.

Continuing the expert work, yesterday the forces were divided into two main directions, one group to continue the inspection and search actions at the scene of the incident and another group dedicated itself to carrying out the studies of the fragments of bone remains found.

As a result of the work at the scene, new bone fragments were found in different locations, which have been raised for expert study. The group dedicated to the study of the recovered bone remains proceeded to classify and describe them, with the aim of evaluating the possible data of identifying interest, in correspondence with the files that were prepared for all the disappeared.

Work continues today at the scene of the event, until the entire planned area is exhausted, as well as the study of the bone fragments found.

Medical assistance continues to all injured people by our health professionals, with the necessary resources for their care.

(Cubadebate)