Articles of society

“This triumph is of great sporting significance, of great psychological significance, of great patriotic significance and of great revolutionary significance.” These were Fidel’s first words on welcoming home the volleyball players who had won gold medals at the 4th North, Central American, and Caribbean Volleyball Championships in Los Angeles, August 1975.

Since early this morning, November 28, Cubans of all ages have been arriving to the José Martí Memorial in Havana’s Plaza de la Revolución, to pay their respects to Comandante Fidel Castro and express their commitment to continuing the process of building socialism by signing his conception of Revolution.

The history of Cuba is forever joined to the figure of Fidel Castro, the man who led the most important social revolution in Latin America. Cubans, and many from around the world, have stories, an encounter, a longing, an impression linked to the life of the leader of the Revolution.

Two years, 10 months, and 20 days ago, I saw Fidel for the last time. It wasn’t the only time I was in the same room with him, but yes, it was the first time I was able to see him, hear him, admire him, close up… only a few steps away. It was January 8, 2014, in Romerillo. Being commemorated was the 55th anniversary of the Freedom Caravan’s entrance into Havana, and Alexis Leyva Machado (Kcho) had chosen the historic date for the inauguration of his “project of social utility,” Kcho Estudio Romerillo, Laboratorio para el arte (Laboratory for Art).

Conversations on the different days of the week are a common topic among Cubans; some don’t like Mondays, some say Friday is their favorite day, others that Sundays are boring. Whenever it comes up, I say that my favorite day is Saturday. In my mind and to my senses, Saturday represents the smells and sounds of what I feel to be our Cuban identity.

Armando Benito Sáez, a journalist from the weekly newspaper 5 de Septiembre in Cienfuegos and secretary of his local Party branch: “The loss is irreparable for our people. The leader has gone, the father, the brother, the friend of all Cubans, who taught us how to love and defend the homeland, above all else. He was a navigational chart, a compass, captain of our country’s voyage toward Socialism.

November 25, 10:29pm, the longest night. It’s a dark time for Cuba and the world. Fidel has died. They tried to kill him over 600 times, without success, because men like Fidel can’t be killed. They die when their time comes, trying to make a quiet exit. There’s silence even amid the deafening noise of the streets.

From all corners of the planet, recognition of the life and work of one of the great leaders of the 20th century and thus far into the 21st – the guerilla in the Sierra Maestra and international statesman who changed forever the history of Latin America and the peoples of the world: Fidel Castro.