On September 8th, 1917, the revolutionary Víctor Díaz Oroquieta was born on Masvidal Street No.24, whom everyone knew as Tano. His family came from a middle class since his father was a collector of different institutions, therefore the family’s economic situation was good.

He was an only child and had no offspring. He studied at Pinson Schools and Escuelas Pías, with his favorite sport being swimming.

His travels made him know the injustices that were committed against the people, living the horrors and crimes on the part of the Batista dictatorship. All of this led to making contacts with colleagues from the underground movement.

All these hardships that the people were experiencing increased his rebellion against the regime, wishing to join the rebels who were fighting in the Sierra Maestra.

He was always a man of great qualities with a firm and reserved character, which is why he earned the esteem of those who knew him.

One of his main activities during the clandestinity was the supply of medicines for the Sierra. His home served to hide weapons, but the authorities became suspicious of his revolutionary activities and it was searched.

On May 5th, 1958, leaving Victoria located in Las Tunas for the city of Manzanillo, Oroquieta was arrested by henchmen of the dictatorship while he was having breakfast. By being brutally put in the jeep in which they took him, they broke his arm and then transferred him to a demolished sugar mill where they tortured him to speak, but Victor stood firm and didn’t say a word.

At the end of so many blows he died, and then they put him in a sack and took two gallons of gasoline. Driving in a jeep, they reached the Nuevo neighborhood in Manzanillo, where they scorched his body. Such savagery made identification of the victim difficult. His remains were found in excavations made around Manzanillo.

Translated by: Aileen Álvarez García