The fighter Roberto Coello Huerta returned every September 16th to the side of the black car. There, with his characteristic simplicity, he placed a hand on the worn metal, in a gesture of gratitude to his companions for their eternal struggle.
Once the event was over, where the attack on the prison van was remembered, Roberto, the young man from that feat, exchanged with those present.
He also, with healthy pride, shared from the microphone details about the historic operation organized by the July 26th Movement in the city, to change the fate of the revolutionaries who traveled there, with the purpose of being prosecuted by the prevailing regime.
This morning, as we commemorate the 65th anniversary of the assault on the prison van, we miss Coello. We recently learned that he left for eternity to reunite with his companions, so, at the beginning of the meeting, we asked for a minute of silence as a tribute to his memory.
The ceremony
Accompanied by the music of singer-songwriter Andy Daniel, by members of the Association of Combatants of the Revolution, Party authorities in the Cándido González District, the president of the Martiano Youth Movement, neighbors and workers from the adjacent enterprise; The new generations were reminded of the sacrifice of those young people of that time, to change the destiny of Cuba.
The member of the Association of Combatants, Félix Caballero Olazábal, on behalf of his companions, pointed out that the dedication of all those revolutionaries linked to the clandestine struggle cannot be forgotten, since they all postponed their dreams and family life to commit themselves to the libertarian cause.
Gratitude Notes
September is here and Marisol Ávila and Luis López, those in charge of the historic site, begin to polish details of the premises, which they keep clean and sparkling day after day, with the love and commitment with which they take care of their own home; This year the maintenance brigade from the Historian’s Office repaired the roof and replaced the sign that identifies the site, but there was no paint.
Given Marisol’s concern about the arrival of the anniversary, her neighbors from the Tú Kasa Mipymes, located next to the building, volunteered and took on the work of patching and painting the exterior.
Today, when carrying out the event for the 65th anniversary, with the historic site decorated, a moment was taken to thank these workers for their sensitivity to history and this event in particular; bold event that shook Camagüey city that morning in 1958, under the direction of Noel Fernández.
Translated by: Aileen Álvarez García
