Juan Almeida Bosque facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Juan Almeida Bosque
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Almeida in 1963
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| Born | February 17, 1927 |
| Died | September 11, 2009 (aged 82) |
| Political party | Communist Party of Cuba |
Juan Almeida Bosque (born February 17, 1927, died September 11, 2009) was an important Cuban leader. He was one of the first commanders in the Cuban Revolution. After the revolution succeeded in 1959, he became a key member of the Communist Party of Cuba. When he passed away, he was a Vice-President of Cuba's Council of State. He received many awards, including the title of "Hero of the Republic of Cuba".
Contents
Early Life and the Cuban Revolution
Juan Almeida was born in Havana, Cuba. He stopped school at age eleven and became a bricklayer. He became good friends with the revolutionary leader Fidel Castro. In March 1953, he joined the movement against the government of Fulgencio Batista.
On July 26, 1953, Almeida joined Fidel Castro and his brother Raúl Castro in an attack on the Moncada Barracks in Santiago de Cuba. He was arrested and sent to prison with the Castro brothers. In May 1955, he was released from prison. He then moved to Mexico.
Almeida returned to Cuba with the Castro brothers and Che Guevara. They sailed on a boat called the Granma. Out of 82 revolutionaries, only 12 survived the first landing. Almeida was one of them.
During the fighting, Almeida is often said to have shouted, "No one here gives up!" This became a famous slogan of the Cuban revolution. However, the words were actually spoken by Camilo Cienfuegos. Almeida was also known as a very good marksman.
After the landing, Almeida continued to fight Batista's forces. He fought in the guerilla war in the Sierra Maestra mountains. In 1958, he became a Commander. He led the Santiago Column of the Revolutionary Army. As a Black man in a high position, he showed that the revolution was breaking away from Cuba's past unfair treatment of Afro-Cubans.
After the Revolution's Success
After the Cuban Revolution succeeded in January 1959, Almeida led large parts of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba. During the Bay of Pigs Invasion in April 1961, he was a major. He was in charge of the Central Army, based in Santa Clara, Cuba.
Later, he was promoted to general. He became a member of the central committee and political bureau. He also held many other government jobs. He was given the special title of Commander of the Revolution. When he died, only two other people still held this title.
In 1998, Fidel Castro named Almeida a "Hero of the Republic of Cuba". Almeida also led the National Association of Veterans and Combatants of the Revolution. He wrote several books, including a popular series called Military prison, Exile, and Disembarkation. He was also a songwriter. One of his songs, "Dame un traguito" (meaning "Give me a Sip"), was very popular in Cuba.
His Passing and Tributes
Juan Almeida died from a heart attack on September 11, 2009. On September 13, a memorial service was held in the Plaza de la Revolución in Havana. Many other ceremonies took place across Cuba. A national day of mourning was announced, and flags were flown at half-mast.
Fidel Castro, who had not been seen in public for a while, sent a wreath. Raúl Castro also sent one. Other important government and Communist Party members attended the service.
Many countries also paid tribute to Almeida. The President of Vietnam, Nguyễn Minh Triết, sent a message. He called Almeida a great friend of the Vietnamese people. The Secretary of the Colombian Communist Party also sent his condolences. In Moscow, Russia, a musical tribute was held. A collection of Almeida's songs was planned to be released in Russian.
Almeida did not want his body to lie in state for public viewing. He had a military funeral at a special burial place in the mountains near Santiago de Cuba. This was an area where he had fought during the revolution.
In 2013, a sculpture of Almeida was placed on the outside of the Teatro Heredia in Santiago de Cuba. The sculpture was designed by Enrique Ávila González. It includes the famous quote, “Aqui no se rinde nadie” (Here no one gives up).
Sources
- Castro, Fidel, with Ramonet, Ignacio. 2007. My Life ISBN: 1-4165-5328-2
- Fernandez, Jose Ramon. 2001. Playa Giron/Bay of Pigs: Washington's First Military Defeat in the Americas. Pathfinder ISBN: 0-87348-925-X ISBN: 978-0-87348-925-6
- Franqui, Carlos. 1984. Family Portrait with Fidel. ISBN: 0-394-72620-0 ISBN: 978-0-394-72620-5
- Rodriguez, Juan Carlos. 1999. Bay of Pigs and the CIA. Ocean Press. ISBN: 1-875284-98-2
- Thomas, Hugh. 1998. Cuba: The Pursuit of Freedom. Da Capo Press. ISBN: 0-306-80827-7
- Almeida Lives Today More Than Ever by Fidel Castro, Monthly Review, September 13, 2009
See also
In Spanish: Juan Almeida Bosque para niños
