SANTIAGO DE CUBA – The city commemorated the 69th anniversary of the November 30, 1956 uprising with a solemn ceremony that echoed the revolutionary spirit of the past while reaffirming contemporary political commitments. The event marked the historic action led by Frank País that supported the landing of the Granma yacht, a pivotal moment in Cuba’s revolutionary struggle.
At Loma del Intendente, floral tributes were ceremoniously placed before the memorial plaque honoring the uprising. The offerings included wreaths from Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, revolutionary leader and former president; First Secretary of the Communist Party and President of the Republic Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez; National Assembly President Esteban Lazo Hernández; and one representing the Cuban people.
The ceremony, presided over by Beatriz Johnson Urrutia, First Secretary of the Party in Santiago de Cuba province, served multiple purposes beyond historical remembrance. New members of the Young Communist League received their membership cards during the event, while various organizations and entities presented their commitments in celebration of the upcoming 67th anniversary of the Revolution’s triumph.
The original 1956 uprising, as described by Frank País himself, demonstrated overwhelming popular support for the revolutionary cause. Citizens provided critical assistance to revolutionaries by caring for the wounded, concealing combatants, safeguarding weapons and uniforms, offering their homes as refuge, and monitoring army movements. This collective courage during the struggle’s most challenging moments created what País characterized as “a beautiful sight” of unified resistance.
The contemporary ceremony effectively bridged historical memory with current political symbolism, emphasizing continuity between the revolutionary past and present governance structures through the participation of both veteran leaders and new party members.