After the revolutionary triumph, Camagüey celebrated May 1rst, 1959, with the presence of the Commander Camilo Cienfuegos. His historic speech is remembered in a tarja that shelters the own scene, where its meeting with the people took place, 60 years ago, in the Casino Campestre.

As we walk down the street after the bus stop, the rush or the landscape absorbs us and we rarely stop to look at Camilo’s modest reminder with the workers.

The Comandante’s words with that call for unity, which is maintained today with the same force for Cubans, claimed that they were moments of being well united, raised the problems to be solved and expressed that “we had to move forward with the revolution.”

In that bustling meeting, the brave people of Camagüey applauded Camilo with admiration and respect, it was an exchange between equals, no one imagined that he would return months later for his eternal farewell. I stop for a while on the side bench at the tarja and while I look in the story – a grandfather with his grandson holding hands – approaches the site and tells him about the event.

Today to appreciate the simple monument, erected by the CTC in 1999, which perpetuates the celebration of that historic May 1rst, together with the “guerrilla of the eternal smile”, and the approaching workers’ party, the Camagüeyans proud of our history , as Fidel we must ask ourselves … Am I doing well Camilo?

Photo: Frank Flores Albor

Translated into English by Laura Evelyn Villamar De Armas