Tag: travel

General Vo Nguyen Giap, and the Vietnamese people’s defeat of U.S. imperialism

General Vo Nguyen Giap, August 25, 1911 – October 4, 2013

_______________________________________________________________________

“It wasn’t me, but the Vietnamese people who won the Vietnam war. You call me a legendary general, but I think I’m no different from my soldiers”.

– General Võ Nguyên Giáp

_______________________________________________________________________

By Carlos “Carlito” Rovira

Vietnam’s General Võ Nguyên Giáp is one of the most outstanding revolutionary figures in history to provide military leadership in modern times. Thanks to Giáp’s superior strategy, poor village peasants were transformed into a formidable guerilla army called the Viet Minh which became the People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN). Against often seemingly insurmountable odds, the PAVN went on to defeat two imperialist powers, France in 1954 and the United States in 1975.

The young Võ Nguyên Giáp and Ho Chi Minh.

General Giáp was a most trusted confidant of the iconic Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh. Giáp was a firm believer that doing the impossible was not impossible, when it came to waging struggle to end tyranny and human suffering.

In May 1941, under the occupation of both French and Japanese imperialism, Giáp became leader of the Viet Minh, the military component of the League for the Independence of Vietnam, organized by Ho Chi Minh. Giáp’s leadership in the tactics of conventional and guerilla warfare was decisive in defeating Japanese, French, and U.S. imperialism.

Personal tragedies resulting from horrors caused by French colonialism profoundly affected Giáp which played a big role in molding his fury, resilience and revolutionary disposition. In 1938, he fled North to China to avoid arrest by pursuing colonial authorities.

My portrait of General Võ Nguyên Giáp. 20″ X 24″, acrylic paint on canvas.

In 1940, his wife Nguyen Thi Quang Thai, also a leader in the Communist Party of Vietnam, was arrested. She experienced extreme torture including being forced to watch the murder of her parents and other family members. Nguyen eventually died while in the Hoa Lo Prison. Her sister also arrested was tortured and guillotined.

General Giáp’s military talents and skill were developed without any formal military schooling or training. He became attracted to military science by studying the history of warfare in different countries, the military writings of China’s Communist leader Mao Zedong and the classic Art of War by Sun Tzu.

In September 1973, Cuba’s President Fidel Castro Ruz made a secret and symbolic trip to Vietnam where he was warmly greeted by General Giap. Fidel Castro was the only head of state to visit Vietnam during the war.

General Giáp’s skillfulness in strategy and tactics proved decisive on March 13, 1954, at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. Vietnamese combatants humiliated and painfully stunned the better trained and equipped French Army by smashing their ability to fight.

Giáp masterfully developed guerilla tactics which he passed on to other Vietnamese combatant leaders to apply like the iconic Nguyễn Thị Định, an exemplary fighter who became the country’s first female military general.

General Giáp was the leading figure of the People’s Army during the war against U.S. imperialism and their South Vietnamese puppets. He was the architect and organizer of the famous Ho Chi Minh Trail which served as a secret supply route for guerilla fighters in the Southern occupied portion of the country.

The Ho Chi Minh Trail.

The Ho Chi Minh Trail went through the jungles and tunnels of neighboring countries Laos and Cambodia. This network was used as a secret thruway to transport weapons and supplies. The engineering of this project was so sophisticated that the U.S. Air Force and Special Forces failed to detect its locations in order to destroy them.

In 1968, General Giáp masterminded the famous Tet Offensive. Under Giap’s command this military offensive achieved the desirable political outcome. The revolutionary Vietnamese forces created extreme turmoil to counter false claims made by Washington officials that the National Liberation Front of Vietnam (NLF) was losing the war.

However, the opposite proved to be the case when U.S. casualties increased dramatically as a result of the fury the NLF unleashed with immense firepower throughout Vietnam. The growing number of body bags containing remains of American G.I.s could no longer be concealed from the mass media.

And when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. presented his famous speech at Riverside Church in New York City, titled “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence“ it added to a major shift in public opinion. Opposition to the war ignited everywhere in society, especially among the youth who were distressed about being drafted for military service. Once the Tet Offensive began young men of age were increasingly refusing to enlist or evading the draft.

The country was consumed in protests. Many people who never attended a demonstration were now compelled to take a stance against the hypocritical politics of the War in Vietnam, especially in Black and Brown communities who were disproportionally the ones to be killed.

Units of the People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN).

The Tet Offensive caused havoc for war planners at the Pentagon, as U.S. military forces became demoralized and resentful to the military brass. Many who were already in uniform serving in Vietnam staged acts of insubordination or rebellion. The Tet Offensive had a psychological affect on combat soldiers there and U.S. military personnel everywhere.

General Giap’s achievements for the liberation of his people are tremendous and continue to inspire millions throughout the world. His wisdom in strategy and tactics also serve as inspiring lessons for other oppressed people. Giap’s leadership in battle against a more powerful foe reaffirmed that colonizers, tyrants and white supremacists are not invincible.

Long live the legacy of General Vo Nguyen Giap and the heroic Vietnamese people!

Long Live the Heroic July 26, 1953, Attack on the Moncada Barracks!

Para la versión en español: https://carlitoboricua.blog/?p=14812&preview=true&_thumbnail_id=14826

_________________________________________________________________________

“Demagogues and professional politicians want to make the miracle of being good in everything and with everybody, necessarily fooling everyone in everything. Revolutionaries will proclaim their ideas bravely, define their own principles, and express their intentions to deceive no one, neither friends nor foes.” – Fidel Castro Ruz, from History will absolve me.

_________________________________________________________________________

By Carlos “Carlito” Rovira

In the early morning hours of July 26, 1953, approximately 160 rebels led by the 27 years old Fidel Castro Ruz, simultaneously attacked two military outposts of the U.S.-puppet regime of Fulgencio Batista. The Moncada Barracks in Santiago, Cuba and the Carlos Manuel de Cespedes Barracks in Bayamo, Cuba were targeted. The Moncada Barracks was the second largest garrison in the country.

Among the notable freedom fighters who partook in the attacks were Fidel Castro’s brother, Raul Castro, along with Haydee Santamaria and Melba Hernandez – the only women of the group.

Melba Hernandez (left) and Haydee Santamaria after their capture.

Fidel Castro was motivated to organize these bold actions in response to the discontent felt throughout Cuba for the illegal ouster of outgoing President Carlos Prio Socarras. He was deposed by Fulgencio Batista, who staged a military coup on March 10, 1952.

Although Batista was a candidate for the presidency, according to polls it did not appear as if he would win the election due to his unpopularity from a previous term he served as President of Cuba from October 10, 1940 to October 10, 1944.

Due to the military coup, scheduled elections for the presidency and Parliament were abruptly cancelled. Castro was among the candidates running for a seat in parliament.

As a result of the Cold War, an essential part of the U.S. global strategy was the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) covertly organizing military coups, such as Cuba in 1952, Paraguay 1954, Guatemala 1954, Argentina 1955, Honduras 1956, Colombia 1957 Venezuela 1958, El Salvador 1960, Peru 1962, Ecuador 1963, Honduras 1963, Brazil 1964, Argentina 1966, Peru 1968, and Panama 1968.

Haydee Santamaria, Celia Sanchez among other members of the Rebel Army in the Sierra Maestra.

Although the rebels were eager to fight for their beliefs despite the danger involved, their determination defined courage and sacrifice. In the midst of gunfire and intense chaos of battle at the Moncada Barracks is where the glorious Cuban Revolution was born.

The inexperienced combatants suffered from being ill-prepared to challenge better trained and equipped government troops. As a result of tactical mistakes, many were tortured and killed after their capture. Amongst the martyrs were Haydee Santamaria’s brother, Abel Santamaria who had his eyes gouged out, and her fiancé, Boris Luis Santa Coloma who had his genitalia dismembered. The two revolutionaries were heinously tortured to death by Batista’s henchmen.

Moncada Barracks in the aftermath of the battle.

Fidel Castro managed to escape and hide in the forest for several days until he was able to negotiate his surrender through an intermediary in the vicinity.

However, what initially appeared to be a devastating defeat for the rebels eventually proved to be the opposite. Fidel Castro was correct by predicting the attacks would trigger an irreversible revolutionary storm consuming all sectors of the population.

Authentic revolution, regardless of its origin, will have certain shared patterns. The courageous action taken by Castro and his team was reminiscent of the 1859 attack on Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, led by the legendary anti-slavery abolitionist John Brown. Although both battles ended in failure with the loss of many courageous lives, each of these events ignited the flames of a revolution in the respective countries.

Fidel Castro Ruz being interrogated by Batista’s military officials.
Fidel Castro Ruz prison photo.

Batista’s police and military committed many human rights abuses causing many Cubans to favorably cheer the daring Moncada attack. Citizens lived under the constant threat of incarceration, beatings, and death for merely voicing disapproval for Batista, especially the most oppressed Afro-Cuban population.

This situation gradually weakened the regime, especially after Fidel Castro, a trained lawyer, presented as testimony one of the most famous speeches made in the 20th Century as part of his own defense entitled “History will absolve me.” 

Castro’s words were very damaging to Batista. Despite government censorship, the news media was unable to hide Castro’s defiant militant spirit. He used the setting of a courtroom to discredit in detail the regime’s corrupt and fascistic practices on the people.

After the court sentenced Castro to fifteen years imprisonment, his speech was smuggled out page by page to be published and widely circulated in pamphlet form. Consequently, a broad mass movement emerged demanding the release of the political prisoners and removal of the Batista regime.

Fidel Castro in the Sierra Maestra Mountains.

It was Fidel Castro who originated the name “July 26 Movement” to commemorate the martyrs who sacrificed their lives during the failed attempt to seize control of the Moncada compound.

Turmoil and unrest can best describe the situation in Cuba during this historic time. As the frustration and desperation of the people rose, spontaneous demonstrations that usually resulted in violent clashes with government troops took its toll on the people as well.

In May 1955, two years after the Moncada attack, Batista was pressured to grant Fidel Castro and his comrades a general amnesty. A powerful mass movement was becoming increasingly overwhelming for Cuba’s ruling class.

Fidel Castro and his comrades were released from prison after receiving a general amnesty.

While compelled to make a tactical concession to the freedom fighters in the face of public opinion, Batista and his cronies that included the Mafia, did not realize that the seeds of revolution had already been planted and were now taking root among the Cuban people.

Moreover, Castro and most of the newly released political prisoners went to Mexico to plan the next phase of the struggle. In Mexico, Fidel Castro met for the first time Ernesto Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos-two figures that became leaders of the Rebel Army.

While Fidel Castro was in Mexico, the tasks of the movement were carried out by Celia Sanchez, Vilma Espin, Haydee Santamaria, Melba Hernandez, Frank Pais, Raul Castro, and Juan Almeida Bosque.

They established propaganda committees throughout Cuba; an intelligence network; smuggled weapons to the Rebel Army in the Sierra Maestra Mountains; developed communications between the freedom fighters in Mexico and Cuba, and so on.

The organizational sophistication of these revolutionaries has made it possible for the Cuban Revolution to survive to this day under the most oppressive circumstances caused by U.S. imperialism. However, the Cuban Revolution has proven beyond any doubt that imperialist tyranny is not invincible.

What began with the attack on the Moncada Barracks, the seizure of power on January 1, 1959, and beyond, will continue to inspire future revolutionary struggles for the complete emancipation of humanity.

LONG LIVE THE CUBAN REVOLUTION!

Haydee Santamaria: Heroine of the Cuban Revolution

_________________________________________________________________________

“Moncada achieves greatness through the courage of those who die and those who live. Moncada would have been nothing without the courage of those who died there and those who lived.” – Haydee Santamaria

_________________________________________________________________________

By Carlos “Carlito” Rovira

Haydee Santamaria was a courageous heroine of the Cuban Revolution. She played a significant role in the July 26, 1953, attack on the Moncada Barracks, in Santiago De Cuba – the battle that marks the start of the Cuban Revolution.

Along with Haydee Santamaria’s close comrade Melba Hernandez, they were the only women among the 150 revolutionary combatants in this historic event.

After the failed Moncada assault and while in custody, Batista’s henchmen attempted to intimidate Haydee Santamaria using horror. The interrogators showed Haydee the gouged eyes of her brother, Abel Santamaria, and the dismembered genitalia of her fiancé, Boris Luis Santa Coloma. The two revolutionaries were heinously tortured to death.

Melba Hernandez (l) and Haydee Santamaria (r) after their arrest by Batista soldiers.

Haydee stood firm by her revolutionary convictions and refused to surrender information the torturers wanted. She courageously responded: “If you did that to them and they didn’t talk, much less will I.”

Although Haydee Santamaria and Melba Hernandez were given a short prison sentence of 7 months, as compared to 15 years Fidel Castro Ruz and others received, prison guards were no less lenient with their physical abuse. Santamaria and Hernandez were treated with the same vindictive hatred as were their male comrades. Santamaria and Hernandez were routinely beaten and tortured during their incarceration.

During the armed struggle Haydee became part of the all-women battalion called the Mariana Grajales Platoon. This unit part of the July 26 Rebel Army fought courageously in many incursions with government troops during the revolution, especially battles in the Sierra Maestra mountains.

Haydee Santamaria is among a long list of women warriors who made possible the victory of the Cuban Revolution, like her comrades-in-arms Vilma Espin and Celia Sanchez.

My portrait of Haydee Santamaria, painted in 2024. 20″ X 24″, acrylic paint on canvas.

Haydee Santamaria demonstrated bravery above expectation. In the period leading up to the decisive battles of the revolution she made several risky trips between Florida and Cuba to smuggle weapons and ammunitions for the guerilla army.

Following the overthrow of the Batista regime, like most members of the July 26 Rebel Army, Haydee Santamaria played an important and leading role in the uncertain and challenging period of consolidating Cuba’s revolutionary government.

Among Santamaria’s achievements was the creation of Casa De Las Americas, in April 1959. This entity served as an ideological cultural weapon which generated crucial support for the Cuban Revolution. It gave a voice to many visual, literary, and performing artists who used their renditions to convey the ideas of the Revolution to millions of people throughout the globe.

The world renown Silvio Rodriguez was among the many talents produced by what Casa De Las Americas set out to achieve as its mission. Silvio Rodriguez eventually led Cuba’s Nueva Trova movement which used the romanticism of music and song to legitimize the revolutionary cause in Cuba and all Latin America.

Haydee Santamaria was Director of Casa De Las Americas for two decades. Although Santamaria was not an artist herself, she understood the important role played by painters, musicians, writers, poets and other intellectuals in shaping the thinking of society throughout history. As a leader of the Communist Party of Cuba, Haydee’s contributions were politically geared by the new culture the Revolution was striving to create.

The Cuban Revolution has provided the world with many valuable lessons that pertain to the role of culture and art in the struggle for human emancipation. Such is universally applicable today under all circumstances.

From left to right: Haydee Santamaria, Celia Sanchez and Fidel Castro Ruz in the Sierra Maestra.

Sadly, the life of this revolutionary heroine ended in tragedy. Haydee unbeknownst to many people, was suffering from chronic depression. On July 28, 1980, to the shock of her close comrades, all of Cuba and the world, Haydee committed suicide.

Although her death was widely mourned, Haydee did not receive a state funeral. Many speculated that this decision was due to the unfamiliarity on how to respond when a government official unexpectedly takes their own life. Others attributed not having a state funeral to the deep religious influence of Catholicism in Cuba. Her battle with mental illness and eventual suicide was considered taboo and a “sin against God”.

Tragically, information and resources for those suffering with acute mental health issues such as depression, were not available then as it is today in Cuba.

Haydee Santamaria’s contributions continue to be a critical part of Cuba’s history and legacy. Her staunch bravery and strategic planning helped to shape Cuba into a powerful political example throughout Latin America, the Caribbean and many countries in the world for many generations to come.

LONG LIVE THE CUBAN REVOLUTION!

LONG LIVE THE LEGACY OF HAYDEE SANTAMARIA!

Long live the legacy of Comandante Celia Sanchez!

________________________________________________________________________

“We rebels… get far too much credit for winning the Revolution. Our enemies deserve most of the credit, for being greedy cowards and idiots.”                    -Celia Sanchez

____________________________________________________________________

By Carlos “Carlito” Rovira

One of the greatest heroines and leader of the 1959 Cuban Revolution was Celia Sánchez. This historic figure played a pivotal role in the revolutionary struggle that resulted in the overthrow of the notorious U.S.-puppet Fulgencio Batista.

Celia Sanchez was born on May 9, 1920, in the municipality of Media Luna, Oriente, Cuba. She grew up in a relatively affluent household and raised by her father, Dr. Manuel Sanchez, who practiced medicine. Celia’s mother died when she was a very young child.

During her early adulthood, Sanchez worked assisting her father’s medical clinic until she became inspired to be politically active, a change that came about in her life in response to Batista’s military coup on March 10, 1952. Celia’s political involvement led her to organize the July 26th Movement in the municipality of Manzanillo, Cuba in 1955.

Fidel Castro Ruz named the new entity the “JULY 26 MOVEMENT” to honor the martyrs that courageously attempted to seize the Moncada Barracks by force on July 26, 1953. Although the attack ended in failure with many revolutionaries killed by torture, the event sparked the Cuban Revolution.

My portrait of Celia Sanchez, painted in 2016. 24″ X 30″, acrylic paint on canvas.

Celia never hesitated to voluntarily take on tasks, including such that posed danger and required risking her life. This heroine’s passionate energy and uncompromising commitment to the revolution made her one of the most trusted comrades of Fidel Castro Ruz’s and Ernesto Che Guevara.

Cuba was militarily invaded and colonized by the United States, along with the Philippines, Guam and Puerto Rico, the consequence of the 1898 Spanish-American War. Although the United States gave Cuba the political status “Protectorate”, with cleverly disguised semblances of “independence”, it was actually another form of outright colonial domination.

What replaced Spain’s tyrannical rule in Cuba was a system exclusively serving the interest of U.S. monopoly capitalism which aimed to super-exploit the Cuban people. Cuba’s sugar, tobacco, textiles, and tourism was the target of U.S. billionaires while the people went further into the depths of poverty and despair.

Celia Sanchez with fellow guerillas in the Sierra Maestra mountains.

And because U.S. rulers were motivated by malicious intent it was natural for their less significant junior partners in the Mafia to behave like scavengers and turn Cuba into a haven for every kind of criminal activity. Havana became the epicenter of capitalist decadence endorsed by the native white elite.

While Batista government officials catered to the comforts of U.S. financial investors they viewed the Cuban people with disdain. Their disposition resulted in the deaths of 20,000 Cuban men, women and children, who were mercilessly shot, tortured and raped by police and soldiers of the Batista regime.

Celia Sanchez was a staunch Marxist–Leninist who desired to teach the doctrine she embraced and strived to embed its principles as the guiding light of the Communist Party of Cuba. She was among many in that experience who wanted to ensure the revolution’s anti-capitalist direction.

Celia Sanchez posing with her weapon.

In December 1956, Sanchez shared the responsibility for deciding the location where the Granma boat would land on Cuba’s coastal shores once it arrived from Mexico, filled with combatants ready to fight. She also took responsibility for recruiting and training from among the poor peasants and workers to provide reinforcements for the Rebel Army.

As the guerillas intensified their actions Batista responded by increasing repression on the populace to tighten his grip on power. The frenzy Batista demonstrated with terror only served to inspire mass support for the Rebel Army.

From l to r: Vilma Espin, Fidel Castro Ruz, Raul Castrol Ruz, and Celia Sanchez.

Along with other women combatants like Vilma Espin and Haydee Santamaria, Celia Sanchez play a pivotal role in organizing a broad network for smuggling weapons, food and medical supplies to the growing Rebel Army in the mountains.

These warrior women were compelled to fight on two fronts, against the ruthless Batista army on the one hand, and sexist traditions manifesting in paternalistic behavior from male comrades. However, through example the Cuban Revolution took many steps forward towards achieving women’s equality. This is a continuous ideological struggle in which Celia Sanchez played a big role initiating, as a leading combatant at first, then a government official.

Sanchez was the first woman to join the July 26 Rebel Army. And because of her experiences and courage under gunfire from enemy troops she earned a leadership role in the Rebel Army’s General Staff.

Celia Sanchez in the Sierra Maestra.

After the overthrow of U.S. and Mafia controlled Batista’s regime, it was of the utmost importance for the revolution to consolidate in order to guard against a counterrevolution and retain political power. Washington officials were furious in disbelief of what had occurred in “their backyard.” The more extreme elements of the U.S. ruling class were itching to call for military intervention.

Celia Sanchez’s leadership during this period was instrumental for consolidating the new revolutionary state. She served the Cuban Government as Secretary to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and in the Department of Services of the Council of State. Her many examples of valor served to inspire and galvanize support for the revolution among the youth.

Celia Sanchez being honored in a state funeral.

Sadly, on January 11, 1980, Celia Sanchez died after a long battle with lung cancer. Her death saddened many in Cuba and supporters of the revolution throughout the world, familiar with her feats. President Fidel Castro Ruz was known to be devastated having lost someone with whom he had developed a strong personal and political bond.

Sanchez always demonstrated selflessness and a passion for the emancipation of humanity. Her contributions to the revolution’s achievements are cardinal. She has secured a very special place for her legacy in the archives of the Cuban Revolution and the struggles for women’s equality throughout the world.

LONG LIVE THE CUBAN REVOLUTION!

LONG LIVE THE LEGACY OF CELIA SANCHEZ!

Tribute to VILMA ESPIN, a heroine of the Cuban Revolution

_________________________________________________________________________

“What did the triumphant revolution offer our women? A new life, filled with possibilities and prospects, in which their deepest dreams might become reality. A society in which that which is most precious to us all-our children’s future-would be assured. A different society, where the people would be masters and mistresses of their own destiny, where they would exert their rights fully, where new values would come into being. The triumph offered our women the opportunity to study and to work, it offered them economic security, thereby putting an end to oppression and hardship. It opened prospects of health care, of social security. For women, the revolution meant the opportunity to attain human dignity.” -Vilma Espin.

________________________________________________________________________

Para la versión en español: https://carlitoboricua.blog/?p=13709&preview=true

Salute to Vilma Espin, heroine of the Cuban Revolution

April 7, 1930 – June 18, 2007

By Carlos “Carlito” Rovira

One of the greatest highlights of the 1959 Cuban Revolution is the role played by women. Among the heroines of this historic event was Vilma Lucila Espin Guillois, better known as Vilma Espin. She was born on April 7, 1930, in Santiago De Cuba to a relatively wealthy family that taught her progressive values. It was during her formative years when she developed affinities for the poor.

Espin became politically active at a young age during her studies for chemical engineering at the University of Oriente, in Santiago de Cuba. She organized student demonstrations there against the 1952 military coup and dictatorship of the notorious U.S.-puppet Fulgencio Batista. In a country where poverty, misery, and turmoil prevailed compelled the young Vilma to question what the causes were for unpleasant things she witnessed.

Although the political status of Cuba was cleverly disguised with semblances of “independence” it was actually under a colonial-type domination by the United States. Cuba was militarily invaded and colonized along with the Philippines, Guam and Puerto Rico, the consequence of the 1898 Spanish-American War.

My portrait of Vilma Espin. 24″ X 30″, acrylic paint on canvas.

After completing her post-graduate studies at the Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts Vilma Espin became one of the first Cuban women to earn a degree in chemical engineering. When Espin returned to Cuba, she met with the 22-year-old Cuban revolutionary Frank Pais. Soon after, she eagerly participated in organizing the July 26 Movement.

Vilma Espin began working as a messenger between survivors of the failed 1953 Moncada Barracks attack exiled in Mexico and the anti-Batista movement in Cuba. After the disastrous arrival to Cuba of the Granma yacht carrying revolutionary combatants who engaged in a gun battle with pro-Batista troops, Vilma Espin joined Fidel and Raul Castro in the Sierra Maestra. By then Espin was a guerilla fighter herself.

After Espin proved her loyalty to the revolutionary cause by diligently performing her duties, she earned a leadership rank in the Rebel Army, alongside figures like Ernesto Che Guevara, Fidel Castro Ruz, Raul Castro Ruz, Celia Sanchez, Haydee Santamaria, Melba Hernandez, Camilo Cienfuegos, Teté Puebla, and others.

Eventually, the circumstances of political activity influenced the personal lives of Vilma Espin and Rebel Army leader Raul Castro Ruz. The two revolutionaries developed a romantic relationship and married shortly after the overthrow of the Batista regime. They established a family with four children, three daughters and a son. Their names are Deborah, Mariela, Nilsa, and Alejandro (Castro Espin).

Raul Castro Ruz and Vilma Espin.

In addition to serving as a political cadre in the Cuban government and Communist Party, Espin played an exemplary role in her professional field as a chemical engineer. She led the way to establish the country’s chemical industry, such as in biopharmaceuticals, industrial and medicinal gases, fertilizers, pesticides, and more.

Vilma Espin’s contributions in this scientific field proved valuable for Cuba’s medical research in vaccines and treatments for infectious diseases like Covid-19, HIV/AIDS, Ebola, as well as for cancer and so on. Long after her death, the achievements of her work continue to play a vital role pushing back on the vindictive U.S. economic blockade.

From left to right: Vilma Espin, Fidel Castro Ruz, Raul Castro Ruz, and Celia Sanchez.

As the moment for the seizure of power approached, Vilma Espin’s work as a leading intelligence operative for the underground spy network of the July 26 Movement proved decisive for demoralizing and neutralizing enemy troops. Along with another Cuban revolutionary heroine Celia Sanchez, Espin was responsible for maintaining a steady flow of weapons, food, and medical supplies for revolutionary forces in the Sierra Maestra Mountains.

Being well-versed in the intricacies of organization, Espin played a pivotal role in the creation of the new revolutionary government. She served as a member of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party from 1965 to 1989. She was chair of the Commission for Social Prevention from 1967 to 1971, director of Industrial Development in the Ministry of Food in 1971, President of the Institute of Childcare, and member of the Cuban Council of State in 1976. In addition, Vilma Espin served as Cuba’s representative on the United Nations General Assembly.

No one can ever dispute that Vilma Espin’s and Raul Castro Ruz’s daughter, Mariela Castro Espin, took after both her parents. It is evident that she was ideologically influenced by the ideals of the revolution during her childhood rearing. Today, Mariela is known throughout the world as a leading voice for LGBTQ+ rights in Cuba, as director of the Cuban National Center for Sex Education.

The Federation of Cuban Women

Vilma Espin was a bulwark for revolutionary ideas, upholding Socialism. She made it her life-mission to challenge backward traditions long established by the Roman Catholic Church, especially, that which justifies gender oppression. This is why Espin was an outspoken advocate for gender equality and in 1960 she set out to create the Federation of Cuban Women (La Federación de Mujeres Cubanas, FMC).

Members of the Federation of Cuban Women (La Federación de Mujeres Cubanas)

The FMC is an organized force with the purpose of empowering women in Cuba. Throughout its existence the organization has introduced and argued for enacting decrees that protect the interest of women. Vilma Espin served as president of the FMC until her death on June 18, 2007.

The FMC continues to be a vital organ of the Cuban Revolution. It follows the motto that without the participation of women would pose a hinderance to the aims of the revolution. This is what made the Communist Party’s support for the FMC a matter of supreme importance.

The FMC addresses issues of the utmost concern to women, such as:

  • A general pronouncement for women’s equal rights.
  • Intergration of women in politics and government administration.
  • Complete integration of women into the economy.
  • Adequate healthcare for women.
  • Childcare for the very young.
  • Women’s access to education.
  • Reorganizing households that keep women in subservient positions.
  • Creating self-defense classes for women to end physical abuse.

During the Bay of Pigs invasion, the Federation of Cuban Women picked up arms in defense of their country.

During the CIA-organized Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, Vilma Espin’s role in the FCW was vital. This powerful entity mobilized women of all ages for battle during a threatening moment when U.S. intervention seemed likely. They stood ready as part of an armed infrastructure composed of all mass organizations in Cuban society.

In the days leading up to the Bay of Pigs invasion the CIA conducted acts of sabotage on the country’s food supply. Many crop fields were viciously set ablaze. A state of emergency was called by the Cuban government. The Revolutionary Cuban Army and the various mass organizations, including the FMC, were mobilized. Thousands of armed women in organized contingencies were dispatched to farming fields throughout Cuba.

Despite the hardships Cuba faces caused by the U.S. economic blockade the FMC continues to be the most profound part of Vilma Espin’s legacy. What she symbolizes provides a big energy source for the continual resilience of the Cuban people.

This heroine’s name continues to inspire freedom-loving people throughout the world, especially those following in her footsteps in defense of the Cuban homeland. Vilma Espin’s countless examples of valor and selflessness surely point to her noble character, but at the same time sheds light on the moral strength and legitimacy of the Cuban Revolution.

LONG LIVE THE CUBAN REVOLUTION!