Residents in Union de Reyes visit the site where Antonio Maceo camped.
He also recalled intimate moments from the life of the Bronze Titan, such as the oath his mother made her children take before a crucifix, committing them to the independence cause.
In honor of the 180th anniversary of Antonio Maceo Grajales’s birth, a discussion was held this Saturday at the historic site of Santa Polonia, located near the rural settlement of El Estante in this municipality. During the meeting, Yendry Castañeda, director of the Juan Gualberto Gómez Municipal Museum, highlighted the historical significance of the site, where Generals Antonio Maceo and Máximo Gómez camped on December 31, 1895, as part of the invasion of the West. From there, they planned significant actions in the area, including the Battle of El Estante, which took place on January 1st, 1896.
“Maceo’s time in this region ignited the struggle in the territory, with actions that extended into the following months, such as the uprising in Sabanilla del Encomendador,” Castañeda explained. He also recalled intimate moments in the life of the Bronze Titan, such as the oath his mother had her children swear before a crucifix, committing them to the independence cause. “That oath was kept by almost all members of the Maceo-Grajales family, including her husband, who was the first to fall in combat,” he noted. The event served as a means of reflecting on Antonio Maceo’s patriotic legacy and the relevance of his principles in national and local history.
The discussion included Arlen González Luis, first secretary of the Cuban Communist Party in the municipality; Yamile Collazo Amable, a member of the municipal bureau that oversees the political and ideological sphere; as well as students and representatives of political and grassroots organizations.
Photos by the author.
Written by Yaudel Rodríguez vento.
