By MSc. Maria Inés Álvarez Garay (*)
«That the tanks do not stop until the mats are wet with the water from the beach, because every minute that these mercenaries are on our soil entails an affront to our country.» Fidel Castro
Between April 17th and 19th , 1961, troops from the 2506 brigade under the command of the United States government landed on Cuban shores to promote a military intervention on the island, and suffered the first great defeat of imperialism in America.
They were days of tension and confrontation with an event that marked an important point in the endless list of hostility and aggression that, since the triumph of the Cuban Revolution, on January 1st, 1959, Washington has promoted against the Antillean nation.
Thanks to the correct leadership of Fidel and the preparation of the people for combat and international solidarity, in just 72 hours victory was achieved.
60 years have passed and our people continue to face battles in other areas, also showing that we continue to triumph.
To remember those days is to remember Fidel’s intervention on the corner of 23 and 12, in Havana’s Vedado, current municipality of Plaza de la Revolución, during the burial of the victims of the mercenary bombings:
“This is the socialist and democratic revolution of the humble, with the humble and for the humble. And for this revolution of the humble, by the humble and for the humble, we are ready to give our lives ”.
That April 16th, 1961 is a doubly glorious date, because in addition to proclaiming socialism, the current Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) was born, the legitimate heir to the Revolutionary Party of José Martí of 1892, and of the first Marxist-Leninist party founded by Carlos Baliño and Julio Antonio Mella, in 1925. The PCC, which keeps the people united in the face of challenges that the new times bring and leads us to victory.
Today the people of Cuba are waging another Giron, the same but different: the same because they defend with the same courage as in that of ’61 their convictions, their values and the conquests of an invincible Revolution that has shed so much valuable blood.
It defends the principles of solidarity and the love of freedom and full equality, defends justice and the right to live in peace, without interference, sanctions and genocidal blockades.
They are still those warriors who do not fear death, but face it and defeat it, we are eternal victors.
This Giron is different because, now we do not use weapons to defend ourselves, we are a peaceful army capable of collapsing mountains, climbing the highest peaks, reaching the darkest places, to defeat death.
We are an army of tireless warriors who do not bow to adversity, slander, and the discredit of the same enemies, who do not get tired of harassing, and overwhelming us.
Worthy Cubans are made of a special, resistant material, we are robust Caguairans who are strengthened by injustices and deny and speak very loudly with all our truth, showing every day the value and results of our actions along the world, doing good , sowing love and humanity.
Monster from the north, this Giron is also ours, we fight against Covid-19, in many countries of the world and we develop our science to find the vaccine that will save our people and humanity. There is no doubt, our fight will be long but the victory will always be ours.
(*) Professor and collaborator of the Cuban Medical Brigade in Gambia
"An Island on a Continent" 