By Marlen Carrasco Barrientos, translated from the Spanish
Much more remains of that glorious July 26, 1953 than the marks of the bullets on the wall. On that day, a milestone in the history of this people, a people which does not bow in the face of adversity and injustice, was written with blood, sacrifice and courage.
For Cubans it also meant a hymn to dignity and the beacon that illuminated the way to a future with a new destiny.
This event marked a before and after, paving the way for achieving autonomy and for the voices of the inhabitants of this island to resonate strongly.
We will give our lives if we have to to defend the conquests of July 26 because it freed us; the world got to know Cuba thanks to that event, said José Antonio Sánchez Cortina, a worker with the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba (CCPCC).
It is a symbol of freedom, sovereignty, independence, and it was essential in overcoming the hardships we were experiencing at that time, he added.
Emilia Ojeda Méndez, an employee of the CCPCC, says that it was an historical event of great importance that was brewing, an act which demonstrated a deep love for the country. It was an event, she said, that made Fidel a disciple of José Martí, fighting tirelessly to win for the people the sovereignty we enjoy.
The 26th was the starting point, the forceful demonstration of courage and the absolute determination to change the course of Cuba.
Among the handful of brave fighters for a new dawn, a titan shone, a hero with a fiery gaze, the Eternal Commander.
"You may be victorious or defeated in a few hours, but hear this well, comrades! This movement will triumph anyway," he said before starting the attack.
More than six decades have passed and those words are still valid, because this legacy drives us to look to the future with the same rebelliousness and confidence of that time.
It created a process of unity of the revolutionary forces, of the sense of loyalty, dignity and political courage that showed the path to end the dictatorship, said international analyst Francisco Delgado Rodríguez.
The young journalist Ariel Pazos Ortiz said that current generations must stay consistent with the legacy of the men and women who who achieved this great feat, a legacy synonymous with resistance and unity. It is also a privilege to have the presence still of some of those leaders such as Army General Raúl Castro and Commander of the Revolution Ramiro Valdés, who today guide us with their wisdom and are symbols of the nation.
Although the final triumph was not achieved that day, the seed of hope was planted that would grow until its dreams were fulfilled. The fight was hard, against a powerful and ruthless enemy that we managed to challenge and defeat.
Like an impregnable fortress, the Moncada, today Ciudad Escolar 26 de Julio, is still standing, a symbol of one of the greatest achievements of the work of the Revolution.
The assault was a heroic deed that symbolized a struggle for independence and equality, transforming an oppressed people into a steel giant with its sights set on a future where sovereignty was the final destination.
This work was translated and shared via a License CC-BY-NC
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