When we talk about heritage buildings in Camagüey, the birthplace of El Mayor is among them, but not many know that the ground floor of the house in the 50s of the last century, hosted three businesses: the Mail Bar, Quico’s tavern and the one that concerns us today: World Radio

Víctor Hernández Atienzar, was one of the workers of that store specializing in radio and television transmission equipment, he is the only survivor of that group and he invited me to go back in time.

The World Radio store

As he tells us, the space occupied by the establishment was the last one on Independence Street; it was not very large since it was the second in the business belonging to the marriage of Juan Jiménez, a member of the popular party and his wife, the journalist Conchita.

The headquarters of World Radio was on Republic Street No 474, next to the Colón Hotel. Their headquarters provided transformers and accessories for the rebel army’s radio platform, including what ended up being Radio Rebelde.

Víctor was only 15 years old at that time, he worked with his friend Eduardo Estrada Misa, who was the specialist in transmitting platforms, who influenced his ideals and convinced him to collaborate with the revolutionary cause. There, with the utmost discretion, they sold July 26th bonds, copies of La Historia me absolverá, newspapers and bulletins with liberal ideas and everything that could help raise funds to send to Sierra Maestra.

A sad story

It was 1958, exactly on December 16th, outside everyone gathered outside the store and commented on the sad event, four young people had been massacred and their bodies were lying on the sidewalk of Independence Street, near Maceo Square.

Victor is moved when he remembers, his eyes are filled with tears; he dry swallows and confesses that he could not resist the concern of going to see which of his colleagues from the revolutionary movement were among the victims.

It was very sad, he says, they were very young, he only recognized one of them, it was Juan Feliz Quintanilla. Grief shook him; he went to sit in Agramonte Park to forget the images and return to work.

Back on World Radio and when he told his comrade Misa, he received a great scolding for exposing himself to the soldiers and then sent him to wash his face and hide.

He never forgot that event and over the years he keeps it in his memory, because among the victims was also José Ramón Sánchez. An elementary school was named after this martyr, school that has been sponsored for years by the Association of Combatants, to honor such courage, today captured in a plaque that indicates the place of the tragic event.

Translated by: Aileen Álvarez García