He was born in Camagüey city on September 8th, 1917. He was always a man of great qualities with a firm and reserved character, for which he earned the esteem of those who knew him. His frequent trips gave him the opportunity to experience the horrors, outrages, injustices and crimes that were committed, which is why he further increased his rebellion against the regime, wanting to join the comrades who were fighting in the Sierra Maestra.

Revolutionary activity

He joined the just cause during the clandestinity, he was the one who supplied medicines for the fighters who were in the Sierra Maestra. His home was used to hide weapons, but Batista’s henchmen began to suspect his revolutionary activities and this led to it being searched.

On May 5th, 1958, leaving Victoria de Las Tunas for Manzanillo city, Oroquieta was arrested by henchmen of the dictatorship at the time he was having breakfast. When he was brutally put into the Jeep in which they took him, they fractured his arm and later transferred him to a demolished sugar mill where they beat him to make him speak, but Víctor stood his ground and did not say a word.

There were so many blows that the young man received that he fell dead, then they put him in a sack along with two gallons of gasoline. Driving in a Jeep, they reached the Nuevo neighborhood in Manzanillo, where they burned his body.

Such savagery made ID the body difficult. His remains were found in the excavations made in the surroundings of Manzanillo.

Translated by: Aileen Álvarez García