1959

IN IMAGES: 60 years since Fidel entered Havana triumphant January 8, 1959

IN IMAGES: 60 years since Fidel entered Havana triumphant
January 8, 1959, after a journey of more than a thousand kilometers taken by the Rebel Army across the island following the triumph of the Revolution, the Caravan of Liberty, led by Comandante en Jefe Fidel Castro, entered the Cuban capital

Author: GI news staff | informacion@granma.cu
january 8, 2019 10:01:1

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Columbia military base, now the Ciudad Escolar Libertad, Havana, January 8, 1959. Photo: Archive
Every year, Cuban youth and outstanding figures reenact the journey across the island of the Caravan of Liberty, led by Fidel from January 2 to 8 of 1959, culminating in a gala event at the former Columbia Military Base, now the Ciudad Escolar Libertad educational complex.

The caravan members participate in official events in each province along the route traveled by the triumphant Rebel Army, visit historical sites, combatants and relatives of the Revolution’s martyrs, among other activities.

Below, we offer iconic images of the 1959 Caravan.

THE CUBA OF TODAY

Today, 60 years after the Caravan of Liberty, Granma offers some examples of the achievements of the Cuban Revolution in key sectors:

EDUCATION

In preschool, primary, special and secondary education, the continuity of studies is guaranteed to 1,606,500 students.

Higher Education guarantees the enrollment of 155,000 students, cost-free.

CULTURE

Cubans enjoyed more than 9 million artistic and cultural activities across the island in 2018.

The state budget supports the operation of nearly 5,100 sports facilities, and more than 616,000 hours of radio and television broadcasting.

HEALTH

51% of the state budget goes to the health, social welfare and education systems.

More than 13,000 health institutions provide coverage to the entire population.

Cuba has more than 94,000 doctors, representing 8.2 doctors per thousand inhabitants, as well as 19,000 dentists, and 85,000 nurses.

At the end of 2018, for the second consecutive year, and with four fewer deaths than the previous year, Cuba saw the lowest infant mortality rate in its history, at 4.0 per thousand live births.

HOUSING

More than 2,568,000 homes have been built since the triumph of the Revolution.

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The people cheer Fidel and the bearded Rebel Army troops. Photo: Archive

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Fidel Castro enters Santiago de Cuba in 1959, accompanied by Celia Sánchez. Photo: Archive

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Fidel and Raúl Castro on the balcony of Santiago de Cuba’s City Hall. Photo: Archive

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The triumph of the Revolution. Photo: Archive

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January 3, Fidel meets Camilo Cienfuegos, who reports important developments in the center of the island. Photo: Archive

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Fidel enters Havana, January 8, 1959. Pictured as well are Juan Almeida Bosque, Camilo Cienfuegos, Augusto Martínez Sánchez and other rebel leaders. Photo: Archive

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Fidel enters Havana. Photo: Archive

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The Caravan traveled along the Malecón and up 23rd Street. At the Radiocentro, Fidel spoke with several artists, and amidst joyful crowds continued on to Marianao. Photo: Archive

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Photo: Archive

The event held in Havana to mark the arrival of the Caravan of Liberty lasted until 2:00am on the 9th. Photo: Archive

Cuban Revolution

José Ramón Fernández Álvarez dies

José Ramón Fernández Álvarez dies
The Hero of the Republic of Cuba and retired Brigadier General passed away in the early hours of Sunday, January 6, at the age of 95

Author: Digital news staff | informacion@granma.cu
january 7, 2019 10:01:25

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Photo: Granma archives
The Hero of the Republic of Cuba and retired Brigadier General, José Ramón Fernández Álvarez, passed away in the early hours of Sunday, January 6, at the age of 95.

Familiarly known as “El Gallego Fernández,” he was born November 4, 1923, in Santiago de Cuba. From a young age he participated in the revolutionary struggle against the Batista dictatorship, in conspiratorial movements with different military and political groups. He was imprisoned for almost three years on the Isle of Pines for these activities.

With the triumph of the Revolution, he joined the Revolutionary Armed Forces, participated in the fight against counterrevolutionary bandits, as well as in the direction of the battles in Playa Girón, under the orders of the Comandante en Jefe of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz.

Fernández held different responsibilities within the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, including director of the Rebel Army Cadet School, the School of Militia Officers of Matanzas, and the Militia Battalion Schools of the province of Havana, and was head of the Combative Training Directorate and FAR deputy minister.

Continue reading José Ramón Fernández Álvarez dies →

Cuban Constitution

A Constitution enriched by the contributions of the Cuban people

A text enriched by the contributions of the Cuban people
Secretary of the Council of State, Homero Acosta, presented December 21 a detailed report to the National Assembly of People’s Power on the results of the popular consultation process on the draft Constitution, including the most debated issues and significant changes to the text

Author: Granma news staff | informacion@granma.cu
january 3, 2019 09:01:27

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This process of popular consultation on the draft Constitution of the Republic of Cuba is a genuine expression of the democratic and participatory nature of our socialist system. Photo: Studios Revolución

THE proposed Constitution of the Republic of Cuba was described as a text that has gained in quality in terms of its wording and content, enriched by the proposals emanating from the people, in the report presented December 21 by Homero Acosta, secretary of the Council of State, during the Second Ordinary Period of Sessions of the National Assembly of the People’s Power’s Ninth Legislature, on the results of the popular consultation process.

The resulting document is a genuine expression of the democratic and participatory nature of our socialist system. The broad popular participation in the process reflected the high degree of cultural and political education of the Cuban people and their commitment and majority identification with the perfecting of the country’s political, economic and social system.

It also highlights the transparency, organization, responsibility and rigor with which the preparation and realization of the consultation assemblies on the draft Constitution were carried out, as well as the collection, processing and analysis of the population’s proposals at all levels.

DEVELOPMENT AND RESULTS OF THE CONSULTATION

As agreed by the National Assembly of People’s Power in its ordinary session of July 21 and 22 this year, the draft Constitution of the Republic was submitted to a popular consultation process August 13 through November 15, 2018.

Prior to the consultation, working infrastructure was established to collect and process all the information derived from it, and those responsible for chairing the assemblies were trained to ensure the smoothest process.

The popular consultation process saw:

• 133,681 meetings, of which:

79,947 were of the general population

45,452 were held among groups of workers

3,441 among campesinos

1,585 among university students

3,256 among high school students

8,945,521 people attended these meetings
1,706,872 comments were made, of which:
783,174 proposals

666,995 modifications

32,149 additions

45,548 deletions

38,482 requests for clarification

This information was processed according to each of the paragraphs of the document submitted for consultation, and those that were very similar were grouped into 9,595 standard proposals (each conformed of an average of 78 individual proposals).

Also evaluated were the 2,125 proposals submitted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX), received from Cubans residing abroad. Of these, 1,150 were modifications, 350 additions, 406 deletions and 219 requests for clarification. A total of 978 standard proposals were derived from these.

In total, the web page enabled by MINREX received 4,751 visits from 123 countries, although proposals were only registered from 58. The vast majority of these do not question the essence of the Cuban system.

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The deputies to the National Assembly of People’s Power undertook an exhaustive study of the changes to the document resulting from the popular consultation. Photo: Estudios Revolución

Continue reading A Constitution enriched by the contributions of the Cuban people →

Cuban Revolution

Speech by Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, at the central act to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the triumph of the Revolution, in Santiago de Cuba

After 60 years of struggle, sacrifices, efforts and victories, we see a free, independent country, the master of its own destiny
Speech by Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee, at the central act to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the triumph of the Revolution, in Santiago de Cuba, January 1st, 2019, “Year 61 of the Revolution”

Author: Raúl Castro Ruz | internet@granma.cu
january 2, 2019 18:01:31

As part of Our America, our respect and solidarity with sister nations has, and will be, invariable.

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Photo: Estudios Revolución

(Council of State transcript / GI translation)

SANTIAGO women and men;

Compatriots of all Cuba:

We gather today to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the revolutionary triumph of January 1st, and we do so again in Santiago de Cuba, cradle of the Revolution, here in the Santa Ifigenia cemetery, where the immortal remains of many of the best children of the nation are venerated, very close to the tombs of the National Hero, of the Father and Mother of the Homeland, and of the Comandante en Jefe of the Cuban Revolution.

I do not come here to speak in a personal capacity; I do so in the name of the heroic sacrifices of our people, and of the thousands of fighters who gave their lives over more than 150 years of struggle.

Continue reading Speech by Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, at the central act to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the triumph of the Revolution, in Santiago de Cuba →