Martí and Fidel: The Unbreakable Bond That Forged Cuba’s Revolution

A recently surfaced article from Cuban state media delves deep into the ideological and symbolic continuity between José Martí and Fidel Castro, presenting the two as foundational pillars of the Cuban Revolution.

The piece recounts a pivotal moment when Fidel Castro personally used a bulldozer to demolish walls of the infamous Moncada barracks—a symbol of the old regime—to begin construction of the 26 de Julio School City. This act is portrayed as a direct line from Martí’s vision of education and liberation to the revolutionary government’s earliest projects.

Drawing on the author’s personal experiences, including conversations with Fidel himself, the article emphasizes that Martí’s ideas of justice, anti-imperialism, and human dignity were not mere rhetoric but the blueprint for revolutionary action. The Literacy Campaign of 1961 is highlighted as a key achievement, directly fulfilling Martí’s belief that freedom requires knowledge.

The text also reproduces a remarkable 1961 exchange between Fidel and 106-year-old María de la Cruz Semanat, who had just learned to read and write. In the dialogue, María exclaims, ‘Martí was a prophet… and you, Fidel, are the liberator!’ Fidel humbly responds, ‘I am a disciple.’ This moment crystallizes the emotional and ideological connection between the two leaders.

Further, the article explores their shared views on the United States: admiration for its people and progressive traditions, but sharp rejection of its imperialism—a duality Martí himself lived in exile. The piece concludes that Martí is ‘the idea of good’ and Fidel is ‘ethics and dignity at a gallop,’ as Hugo Chávez once said.

By tying together historical events, personal anecdotes, and foundational revolutionary policies, the article offers a compelling narrative of continuity that remains central to Cuba’s political identity.

Article and image source: adelante.cu