«Our association was born as Martí taught us: with the new pines and the old pines forming a formidable bundle. And not the product of a willful act or for image purposes, but as a logical consequence of our deepest essences. There are no generational contradictions in the revolution for a simple reason: because there is no envy or lust for power among its children. ”
LETTER FROM THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF FIDEL CASTRO RUZ, TO THE NATIONAL CONSTITUTIVE CONFERENCE OF THE ACRC
The ACRC was founded on December 7th, 1993. This organization brings together more than 300 000 Cuban citizens who have contributed to uniting the efforts of its members to face the challenges imposed by the attacks towards Cuba; it is the fruit of the struggles of our people to achieve the objectives of social justice, freedom and independence of those who sowed the seed of the nation by marching to the battlefield to achieve independence.
The organization is run by the Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces and maintains working relationships with political, mass and social organizations and institutions, as well as with similar international counterpart organizations.
The founding president was the Commander of the Revolution Juan Almeida Bosque. It is a self-financed social organization, with its own legal team, voluntarily made up of combatants with the right to belong to it and its operation is based on the use of activism.
Its main objective is to unconditionally defend the Revolution, in all fields through the active participation of its members in the political and ideological struggle and in the tasks of armed defense and internal order, the development of patriotic, military and educational, internationalist work among the combatants, their families and the population, especially with the youth and children, the strengthening of the unity among the associates with greater age, health, economic and social difficulties in the efforts to solve their problems .
Who are its members?
Cuban citizens who maintain a moral and political conduct in accordance with the principles of the Revolution and Socialism and who are duly recognized as combatants of:
- Rebel Army.
- Clandestine Fight.
- Playa Girón.
- Fight Against Bandits.
- Internationalists
- Members of the FAR and the MININT, with 10 or more years of service, active, retired or pensioned.
- Parents of fallen in defense of the Revolution.
- Awarded by the Council of State for acts of courage and heroism.
- Founders of the Border Battalion with the North American Naval Base at Guantánamo.
- The 15 women responsible for militias in the first course of lieutenants of the National Revolutionary Militias.
- Reservists from the FAR and MININT who have had 15 or more years of service in these institutions or the sum of both.
Honorary members of the ACRC may be Cuban or foreign personalities, as well as members of related organizations in other countries, of recognized prestige and that maintain an outstanding attitude in the defense of the Cuban Revolution, which will be approved by the National Directorate.
How is it structured?
It is structured on the basis of the territorial principle (nation, provinces, municipalities, popular councils, circumscriptions) and to fulfill its missions and functions it has basic branches, agencies and associations.
The branches are the conferences that are held every five years in municipalities, provinces and nationwide. The National Conference is the supreme body of the ACRC. The agencies are the national, provincial and municipal directorates elected to direct the Association between one conference and another. The National Directorate is the highest governing body among national conferences.
The municipalities of Camagüey and Santiago de Cuba, due to their size and for their better functioning and direction, have districts. The municipal (district) directorates rely on working groups created in the territories of the popular councils, as auxiliary bodies to facilitate the management of grassroots associations. The Base Association is the support of the organizational and functional structure of the ACRC and is created as a rule in the demarcation of a constituency.
How is it link with organizations, agencies and institutions?
The ACRC carries out a joint work with the Office of the Historian of Camagüey city and with the Educational Institution, supporting the development of all patriotic activities for the knowledge of local history, as well as in function of carrying out actions, aimed at educating the population in the historical and cultural values of the city.
Also in the conformation of plans and projects related to commemorations and celebrations of a historical nature and in the project of care and maintenance of historical sites, from the popular councils through their associates.
Translated by: Aileen Álvarez García
