If you walk through La Vigia neighborhood, you will surely have noticed a store at the intersection of Jaime Noguera and Perucho Figueredo streets, called El Teniente.

But … do you know after whom was it named? I found out some time ago, by chance, and my efforts did not stop until I learned about the person to whom this denominator honors.

How did i find out?

It turns out that this institution, belonging to the trading company, offered various products, especially cleaning products, in addition to the basic basket of its neighbors. One day in search of chlorine I arrived there and talking with some consumers it occurs to me to ask after whom it was named.

The response was energetic: after the best delegate we have had in this district, Víctor Hernández. Then, I went in search of that 80-year-old man, so loved by the community and we went back to 1978 to know about the early days of the store.

Our Victor

With that multifaceted combatant we have discussed various issues, but I did not imagine that he was also a Delegate of the People’s Power in the first term of this body in 1976; and that it cost him a lot of sweat, first, to obtain authorization to build the winery and then to unite all the consumers of four old grocery stores, which were frequently vandalized due to their deterioration.

Thus, began the construction of this building that lasted for almost two years.

Victor’s experience in construction to which he dedicated 39 years of his work life, was very useful to take care of every detail of the task; where the neighbors were the workforce.

The final work

Finally, December 7th, 1978 arrived, the day set for the inauguration and opening of the winery. The day before, the head of the construction brigade, the representative of the Federation of Cuban Women in the area and the business department in charge met to agree on the name they would give it.

The response was immediate and by unanimous decision there was no other than El Teniente, the military rank of his delegate and by whom he was affectionately called in that atmosphere of camaraderie, in which the construction of the building took place.

As the date approached, it was very pleasant to browse the neighborhood and know who owes the honor, the name of that winery in the neighborhood of La Vigía; one more story of our community.

Translated by: Aileen Álvarez García