A Lesson on Unyielding Revolutionary Character

The solid arguments expressed by Lieutenant-General Antonio Maceo turned out to be the trigger for the continuity of the war cut short by the despicable Zanjón Pact

Rosa Pérez López

Heroic and significant clashes can be fought off the battlefields. Battles in which the roar of arms is replaced by the firm voice with words similar to future calls of cornets.

That was the clash on March 15, 1878 in Baraguá, when the solid arguments of Lieutenant-General Antonio Maceo turned out to be the trigger for the continuity of the war cut short by the despicable Zanjón Pact.

Ten years of battles had exacted a high price from the glorious liberation army, beyond the wear and tear of death: the price of autocratic leadership, regionalism and racism, like burdens which were gradually undermining the fighting spirit of the rebels and especially their unity.

The long for peace ensued then, as an epilogue of such an honorable struggle, but without the much needed independence. And there were probably tears of impotence among the fighters forced to lay down their redeeming weapons; and there must have been grief in the machetes for not hearing the “a degüello” calls, announcing so many onslaughts.

Only the titanic figure of Maceo stood up in front of General Martínez Campos, with an intransigent warning: “Hostilities will resume”. But despite his efforts it was not possible to go on, since ten years of war had taken their toll in the glorious liberation army.

That virile stance of the one who does not accept to lay down weapons, his morale and his ideas, apart from being embedded in our history as one of the most honorable pages, has been repeated over and over by Cubans for 140 years, because those men who carry in themselves the mettle of many a man and do not crawl in the face of defeats have never disappointed their Homeland.

That is the characteristic courage of General Antonio, which has multiplied since that 15 March in our people. These are his lessons of unyielding revolutionary character, which are renewed every day in us, for those who want to exact from us the high price of disunity; lest nobody could impose peace without independence on us; lest nobody forget that every day the Cubans are ready to stage a new Baraguá.

Translated by ESTI