July 26th, the most revolutionary political proposal

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July 26th, the most revolutionary political proposal
Fecha de publicación: 
26 July 2024
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The events of July 26th, 1953 led to a new era in Cuba. Beyond their immediate repercussions, they were certainly the beginning of a new era in the new stage of the struggle for the people.

With the assault on the Moncada and Carlos Manuel de Céspedes Barracks, in Santiago de Cuba and Bayamo, respectively, young people —who were later known as the Centennial Generation— changed the method of promoting a change from traditional political institutions and organizations, mostly worn by the vices of that republic.

To understand the above, it is important to point out that the mechanisms of that bourgeois democracy ended in a resounding failure, if we see it from the perspective of the vast majority. The establishment of the Batista’s tyranny, after the coup d’état on March 10th, 1952, in turn, reached its peak with a crisis Cubans could not escape by the attempted traditional ways.

Thus, Fidel Castro and his comrades, vindicators of José Martí’s ideas, led an alternative to remove from power such tyranny and find comprehensive solutions to the problems of the nation. While other organizations, either left-wing or right wing, championed dead-end solutions in those days, they betted on the insurrectionary fight of a new generation, backed by the people.

Although the fighting of July 26th in the eastern side of Cuba resulted in a defeat, from the military point of view, the approach of that fight ultimately led to revolutionary triumph. Important leaders emerged from that feat, Fidel and Raúl Castro, Juan Almeida, Ramiro Valdés, Melba Hernández and Haydée Santamaría. Five years, five months and five days later, the July 26 Movement came to power.

More than seven decades have passed and Cuba is not the same. However, the deep legacy of July 26th deserves to be defended, beyond mistakes and failures, since these are not necessarily about principles.

The principles must endure, as must the memory of the men and women who left their blood on the path of the Cuban Revolution.

After the events of July 26th, the assailants were put on trial. The trials paved the way for the launch of what was called the Moncada Program, a program focused on problems for which no solution was in sight: housing, industry, health, land, education and unemployment.

Since then, there has not been a more revolutionary political proposal in this archipelago than the one for which people died in Santiago de Cuba in those days.

Translated by Sergio A. Paneque Díaz / CubaSí Translation Staff

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