HOLGUÍN.—Full of joy and enthusiasm, as if 57 years had not passed, Adolfo Begdadi Herrera, accompanied by students of all ages, young workers and soldiers from the Revolutionary Armed Forces and Ministry of the Interior, recalled the arrival of the Rebel Army Victory Caravan’s to the region.
Begdadi spoke during the celebratory event held in the community of Oscar Lucero, once the headquarters of the Batista dictatorship’s Seventh Regiment, known for its brutal attacks on the revolutionary forces and the population which supported them. He emphasized that the Holguín of today, with its many health care centers and schools, is nothing like the region the victorious rebels saw in 1959, as they advanced toward Havana.
Joining Begdadi were revolutionary combatants Idinio Macías Samé, Ramiro Rodríguez Arias and José Amado Árias who were pleased to be surrounded by representatives of younger generations committed to defending the nation’s independence and dignity conquered on January 1, 1959
Elizabet Cuenca Peña, a student at Enrique José Varona High School, was one of the 57 youth which earlier in the morning had met a contingent from Granma in Cacocum, to continue the reenactment of the Victory Caravan’s 1959 march to the capital.
The 17-year-old expressed her amazement that Idinio Macías was only a few years older than her when he was chosen to join Fidel as part of the Caravan, a recognition of his role on the Frank País Second Eastern Front during the insurrection.
Also attending the dialogue between generations in Holguín were Ernesto Santiesteban, member of the Party Provincial Political Bureau and Julio César Estupiñán Rodríguez, president of the People’s Power Provincial Assembly.
Cuba will not renounce the principles and ideals for which generations of Cubans have fought
The economic plan and state budget for 2016 was approved by the National Assembly of People’s Power on December 29. It was reported that the Cuban economy has grown by 4%
Sixth Ordinary Session of the Eighth Legislature of the National Assembly of People’s Power Photo: Jorge Luis González
THE history of our Revolution is full of glorious chapters in the face of challenges, risks and threats, the President of the Councils of State and Ministers, Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, stated during his speech closing the Sixth Ordinary Session of the Eighth Legislature of the National Assembly of People’s Power, December 29.
The Cuban head of state noted that despite the economic crisis and the U.S. economic, commercial and financial blockade of Cuba, the island’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 4% this year, and will continue to grow in 2016, albeit at a slower pace.
He also noted that the number of foreign tourists visiting the country this year rose to 3.5 million; the highest number recorded to date; and reaffirmed the Cuban government’s intention to honor its commitments resulting from the agreements reached in the renegotiation of the island’s debt.
Regarding the issue of relations with the United States, President Raúl Castro stressed that Cuba has repeatedly advised the U.S. government that in order to normalize bilateral relations, the blockade must be lifted and the territory illegally occupied by the Guantánamo Naval Base must be returned, “as I explained in my statement in the Council of Ministers on the 18th, during which I also reaffirmed that Cuba should not be asked to abandon its independence cause, or renounce the principles and ideals for which generations of Cubans have fought, for a century and a half.”
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