On December 7th, 1989, 31 years ago, the Cuban people, together with their mothers, fathers, children and wives, with the shared pain, bid farewell the children who offered their lives in fulfillment of one of the most just and beautiful causes of every revolutionary “Internationalism”; as defined by Commander in Chief Fidel Castro.

The wise decision was adopted by the highest political leadership of the country to carry out the funeral service of the fallen in international missions on a day like today.

The preparations

The preparatory work was carried out over the course of several months, the preparation of the remains and the transfer to Cuba, as well as the work in the municipalities and provinces in order to ensure the necessary conditions for it.

The remains of the fallen combatants on the African continent began to be received on the national soil from November 27th with the solemnity and the honors they deserved.

More than 400 thousand combatants and civil collaborators had written innumerable pages of heroism and sacrifice in this noble endeavor, as a sample of our best traditions, of altruism and unlimited loyalty to the revolution, which will be imperishable examples for future generations of Cubans.

The ceremony

At the national ceremony of farewell to the mourning internationalist combatants who fell in African lands, held in the Cacahual Mausoleum where the mortal remains of Lieutenant General Antonio Maceo Grajales and his assistant Francisco Gómez Toro rest, from day 6, fifteen ossuaries were exhibited on behalf of all the provinces and the special municipality of Isla de la Juventud.

To which the Commander in Chief Fidel Castro carried out the last honor guard together with the President of the People’s Republic of Angola José Eduardo Dos Santos, invited by the Cuban government. The Vice President of Ethiopia Berhanu Bayth was also present.

Fidel bid the farewell

In the central words of farewells, the commander in chief said:

“The memorable date on which the most illustrious of our soldiers, Antonio Maceo, fell together with his most illustrious assistant, was always of profound significance for all Cubans. His remains lie here, in this sacred corner of the homeland.

“By choosing this date to bury the remains of our heroic internationalist combatants who fell in various parts of the world, mainly in Africa, where Maceo’s ancestors and a substantial part of our blood came from, December 7th will become a day of remembrance for all Cubans who gave their lives not only in defense of the homeland, but also of humanity.

The values

In this way, patriotism and internationalism, two of the most beautiful values ​​that mankind has been able to create, will be united forever in the history of our country”.

In the lands of Agramonte

From six o’clock in the afternoon on the 6th, the people of Camagüey paid a well-deserved tribute to the mortal remains of the 159 children of this land as the funeral caravan passed along Finlay Avenue, from the Ignacio Agramonte International Airport.

Also from the different starting points of the capital city and all the way to the different municipalities, the people saw the passage of the caravans with the heroes in profound silence.

At eight o’clock in the evening the remains of the combatants were exposed in the rooms of the Ignacio Agramonte Provincial Museum in the city of Camagüey.

The people…

Until almost midnight, a sea of ​​people filed before the remains of their compatriots. The museum’s doors would reopen at eight in the morning on December 7th so that the endless line of men, women and children would pay tribute to those who have fallen in the line of duty.

The people of Camagüey were accompanied by the member of the Political Bureau Pedro Miret Prieto, comrade Pedro Ross Leal, Fidel Castro Díaz-Balart, the Hero of the Republic of Cuba Orlando Cardos Villavicencio, among others.

In a speech to the people of Camagüey, Fidel Castro Díaz-Balart expressed: “that for him it was an honor that they had appointed him along with other comrades, both from the FAR, the Party and other organizations, to pay tribute to the heirs of the Major”.

The Camagüey hero could only express: “in Ethiopia 39 comrades died in combat and that if he had been the number 40, he would feel the pride that his remains would receive equal homage in the homeland, my heart is too oppressed to say more, it is the truth”.

The last honor guard was carried out by Pedro Miret Prieto, together with Lázaro Vázquez, Cándido Benítez and Bertha Acosta, first secretaries of the provincial and municipal bureaus of the Party and the UJC respectively.

The farewell

At 1:40 pm, as in the rest of the country, the funeral procession departed for more than two kilometers that separate the museum with the cemetery through República, Ignacio Agramonte, Cisneros and Cristo streets to the entrance of the cemetery.

The Invader Hymn shook the Avenue of the Martyrs as the heroes passed by. Only tears, respect and absolute silence were the reflection of the pain for the men who are received in the land where they were born.

The farewell words were in charge of Cándido Benítez who highlighted:

“(…) Cuba’s internationalist mission in Angola strengthened the fighting spirit of our people (…) We are convinced that they have only physically disappeared, our people will keep them in mind, they will live as the most reliable example of internationalism made by Cuba. (…) Our people are aware that in this glorious feat there is an anonymous hero, forger of that great liberating feat: The great Cuban family (…) ”.

In other places the tribute continued

In Florida, the remains of Lieutenant Colonel Alejandro Jarpe Zurita were buried since Friday the eighth. His ossuary was exposed in El Cacahual since December 7th in the funeral services celebrated in the place where Antonio Maceo and Panchito Gómez Toro rest.

The arrival of the remains of the former helicopter pilot, who died on July 18th, 1981 when his plane rushed ashore at the Camagüey airport, was received with the military honors corresponding to his hierarchical rank.

Pedro Miret Prieto, Lázaro Vázquez, along with the other members who have accompanied the people of Camagüey, were present at the ceremony.

All the way along the central highway on both sides of it and up to the entrance of the cemetery; the people showed respect for the hero.

Translated by: Aileen Álvarez García