Vilma is in the combat dressed in guerrilla

By Reinier Barrios Mesa
(barrios@rflorida.icrt.cu)

Many people said that April is the flowers month and precisely in this month was born one of the most authentic women of the Cuban history, who always was full of tenderness, affection and will.

Vilma Espin Guillot was born on April 7th, 1930 and from that date on her star shone so much like the stars from her Santiago; when she was a child she sang in the choirs from her school and when she was a young woman she participated in the different student protests that took place in the Santiago university, where Vilma consolidated her political and revolutionary maturity.

She went to the Sierra Maestra in the middle of those struggle times taking messages, fighting as any man and she fell in love of Raul Castro, to whom Vilma always had an smile in spite of that the time was not enough to attend the house, the family and the children.

She was the Vilma of all the Cuban women, who fought in the parliament, who participated in all the congresses and events where she work to unite wills and to look for the respect and the tolerance for whom were and are different people.

We dismiss Vilma of the life some time ago, but nowadays she continues in the combat, dressed in guerrilla because not even the death, the caprices and not even the time can extinguished the tremendous shine of this star that her tenderness was.

The convoy of the victory: 5 decades to remember

By Reinier Barrios Mesa
(barrios@rflorida.icrt.cu)

50 years after, the convoy of the victory come to Florida again, but this time the bearded men are young people and pioneers, who reissue that memorable day in which the rebel columns crossed by this territory.

Since January 1st, 1959, the people took the streets to receive the rebel combatants from the different columns that were arriving to the city: for the Cuban people this day a new era began.

When the convoy arrived to the capital of the country, many curious people went to see the rebels and the army that was defeated by the Cuban combatants who marched together and the message was evident: in the new era, all the people must march together in the construction of the new society.

One of those soldiers talked with the young people who were close to the convoy about the possibilities of study they will have with the revolution.

The people, who lived in Florida 5The convoy of the victory: 5 decades to remember years ago, welcomed the convoy of the victory and they understood the rebel soldier’s ethics as a symbol of the new era that began in Cuba.

The people from Florida are paying attention to the ceremony for the 50 anniversary of the Revolution

By Reinier Barrios Mesa
(barrios@rflorida.icrt.cu)

In spite of the people from Florida are celebrating the new year yet, they are paying attention to the ceremony that takes place in Santiago de Cuba to celebrate the 50 anniversary of the Cuban Revolution.

Since very early in the morning, the inhabitants from Florida putted Cuban and the July 26 flags in their houses and convoked all the family to share together the important event.

In this moment, the people who live in this municipality watch the television and listen to the radio to follow all the ceremony that it is homage to the triumph of this revolution that it is an example for all the nations in the world.

The people from Florida paid tribute to their martyrs

By Reinier Barrios Mesa.
(barrios@rflorida.icrt.cu)

A day of homage to the men who died in missions related to the defense of the country took place this Sunday in Florida, as part of the activities for the 19th anniversary of the tribute operation that honours the heroes and martyrs of internationalist missions and other actions in favour to the Revolution.

Since very early in the morning, the family of the combatants, the principal leaders and many people from Florida covered the streets of the city to place flowers in the cultural center “Luis Casas Romero” and in the bust of Antonio Maceo, located in the park “Jose Marti”.

The pilgrimage continued towards the cemetery, place where was developed a military ceremony, where the art instructors sang songs and recited poems that recalled the Giron days, the struggle against bandits, the Cuban mission in Angola and other actions to defend the Revolution.

In the pantheon of the men who fell in combat were placed flowers in the name of the Commander in Chief Fidel Castro Ruz, the minister of the Revolutionary armed forces and the people from Florida.

The ceremony celebrated this December 7th in Florida ended with the homage to the family of these martyrs to confirm once again the importance to bring to the present the history of more than 50 years of battles, guided by the proletarian internationalism and the love for freedom.

Jose Marti park, a part of the Florida’s identity

By Reinier Barrios Mesa.

(barrios@rflorida.icrt.cu)

Our Jose Marti park, admired by all the visitors, has an area of 8000 square meters. Inaugurated on May 20, 1944, in commemoration of the anniversary of the restoration of the republic.

These festivities marked the end of almost thirty years of class struggle in relation to the municipal park. A commission, guided by Julio Alvarez Quijano, promoted and obtained the land, with an eye to its future value for the city.

It was very hard to fight against disbelief, because many people couldn’t see the importance of such a little park. In the 1920s the commission began to lay out the land and planted eight palms in commemoration of the medical students executed in 1871.

Students from the territory planted a tree in commemoration of Arbor Day and placed a statue of our national hero Jose Marti. The absence of economic resources limited park construction briefly, but work continued during the 1940s.

The park plan calls for two kind of benches : one with arms and the other without.Each person contributed according to his or her ability to pay.

Park benches were made of granite and on their upper portion was inscribed the names of those in charge of this project wrote their names. his situation, brought as a result that when the park was ended seemed a publicity seat.

On 1953 began the reconstruction of the park to give it more aesthetic with wood benches. The Jose marti park is like the heart of the city, thanks to it the history had lived and its trees are symbol not just of cubanity but the homage too.


On its sculptures and statues, people have collocated remembers , memories and deserved honours and on its benches, the love have been always present, many lovers gave their first and last kiss in this place, so, this park is part of the Florida’s identity.

Celebrated in Florida the 52 anniversary of the Granma yacht disembark.

By Reinier Barrios Mesa.
(barrios@rflorida.icrt.cu)

With a patriotic and military ceremony, the members of the revolutionary armed forces from Florida celebrated the 52 anniversary of the Granma yacht disembark and confirmed the soldiers and officers commitment to star in each one of the missions and tasks assigned by the Communist Party from the territory.

With the participation of Jesús Camilo Polo Vazques, main political leader from the municipality, the combatants remembered the history of the struggle in the “Sierra Maestra”, stared in by the rebel army.

During the ceremony, a group of officers were promoted to a superior rank and was also recognized the work of other mates, which dedication and participation in heroic events deserve to be admired by all the Cuban people.

This ceremony is the beginning of the activities in salutation to the 52 anniversary of the Granma yacht disembark and the creation of the revolutionary armed forces, dates that have an special connotation this year because the Cuban revolution will has half a century next January 1st.

49 years of a quarter that became school

By Reinier Barrios Mesa.
(barrios@rflorida.icrt.cu)

The attempts to become Florida in a different city began since January 1959, when the revolutionary government took possession of the power and announced laws and measures that made possible to deliver the wealth
generated in this city to the inhabitants from the country.

On November 22nd, 1959, the old quarter of Batista’s army became an educational center named “Jose Marti”, where hundred of children knew for first time the numbers and the letters.

The walls that before the revolution triumph heard the cry of pain of the people were tortured by the rural guard, now heard the laughs of children, who have the dream to learn.

During the latest 49 years, the old quarter was the school of many people from Florida and its classrooms and other locals have been used as venue of important scientific and cultural events.

After a total repairing as part of the ideas battle developed in Cuba, the primary school “Jose Marti” has new benefits such as a new dining room, a large square, televisions in each classroom and an internal red that make possible the showing of videos and other educational materials.

The school that gives prestige to the name of the apostle “Jose Marti” is past and present, memory and tradition, it constitute a pride for the people who live here nowadays.