Cuban University Students Pay Homage to Unforgettable Leader Murdered in 1957
Havana, Cuba, Jul 16.- Cuba’s University Student Federation (FEU) pays tribute on Monday to outstanding youth Leader Jose Antonio Echeverria on his 80th birthday. Echeverria headed that university organization during the struggle against the Fulgencio Batista Dictatorship in the 1950’s.
On behalf of the Cuban people, the youths are scheduled to start the tribute-paying action for Jose Antonio in Cardenas City, his hometown, in western Matanzas province, with visits to a park named after the student hero and to his tomb in the local cemetery.
Jose Antonio Echeverria was murdered March 13, 1957 by Batista’s henchmen on a Havana street during a historic day in which a 15-university-student commando, organized by Echeverria, attacked the Presidential Palace to execute dictator Batista. The student leader took by surprise a radio station to announce that their mission had been accomplished, however the dictator managed to escape and many of the students were murdered.
Some of those who survived the action, along friends and colleagues of Echeverria will join the student tribute on Monday, FEU president Carlos Rangel told the Cuban news agency. The homage includes the screening of a documentary on the life of the student leader, by Mundo Latino Productions. The video recalls the values of Jose Antonio Echeverria, not only as a leader, but also as human being.
Rene Castillo, one of Echeverria’s colleagues in the struggle against the former dictatorship recalled the leading role of Echeverria at the University, his contribution to the struggle and his moral authority, according to an article on Juventud Rebelde newspaper.
Meanwhile, Julio Garcia Olivera, also a former university student and close colleague of Echeverria recalled the leader’s human values. “ At 24 he was very active and inquiring; he liked to play football, make jokes, drink beer and listen to Cuban singer and composer Benny More,” said Olivera.
Recalling the last moments of Echeverria’s life, Olivera cited comments by another hero who described the scene as saying that the student leader advanced towards a police car and shot his gun through a window: he fell on the floor and back on his knees again and shot at the car once more, and in that very minute a burst of gunfire finished his life.
In his political testament the student leader wrote that “If we fall, let our blood signal the path to freedom, because either successful or not, our action will lead to a commotion that will help us advance on our way to victory.” (Radio Cadena Agramonte).
