"We must put all our trust in reaching the victory; but if we were destined to failure, we would have to behave ourselves like brave men, despite of defeat. Anyway, what it happens on Moncada Garrison will be released some day; it will be part of the history, and our willingness to died for the homeland will be followed by all young people in Cuba.

“Abel Santamaria Cuadrado"
ABEL SANTAMARIA SQUARE

Due to his character, organizational skill, discretion and honesty, Abel Santamaría Cuadrado was appointed second leader of the revolutionary movement by Fidel, who would placed on him the responsibility for leading the revolutionary struggle, in case he fell down in the heroic deed at the Moncada Garrison.

Along with his sister Haydee, Santamaria joined the group of those who stormed Moncada and Carlos Manuel de Cespedes Garrisons in the province of Villa Clara.

That charismatic young man was born in the municipality of Encrucijada, on October 20, 1927, belonged to a proletarian family. Santamaria started to work, being too young, in a sugar mill, called first “Constancia”, and after Abel Santamaria, where he learned about struggles of the sugar cane workers.

Santamaria moved later to Havana city to study there, but he had to look for a job, first at the textile mill “Ariguanabo”, and then the Pontiac cars agency.
He studied the third year of high school; he used to read a lot of Marti and participated in the production of the underground newspapers "They are the same people" and "The Accuser."

He was on charge of creating conditions in the province of Santiago de Cuba, where he travelled alone, to receive those who would storm the Garrisons and collect weapons at Granjita Siboney.

Although Santamaria wanted to be on the front line of battle along with Fidel to protect his life, he dutifully agreed to go with those who would back the attack from Saturnino Lora hospital.

Before carrying out the mission he said: “We must put all our trust in reaching the victory; but if we were destined to failure, we would have to behave ourselves like brave men, despite of defeat. Anyway, what it happens on Moncada Garrison will be released some day; it will be part of the history, and our willingness to died for the homeland will be followed by all young people in Cuba. “Abel Santamaria Cuadrado


PABLO AGUERO GUEDES

He was born in Caibarien, on August 9, 1935. Pablo Agüero Guedes moved, along with his parents, to Havana city, where he took up his residence. Aguero worked at Lisa’s tannery and later at the construction sector, as an apprentice.

On July 24 evening, he left for Bayamo, located in the eastern province of Granma, together with his comrade-in-arms to storm that city, being this a parallel action with that of Moncada Garrison. He was killed in actions after the battle.


OSVALDO SOCARRAS MARTINEZ

Osvaldo Socarras Martinez was from Santa Clara city, located in the central province of Villa Clara. He was born on November 27, 1918, in the bosom of a humble family. Looking for better conditions of life, Socarras left for the capital of Havana, where he worked as a barber and also at a parking in front of the Central Park.


The hostile environment, in which he lived, turned him into a man of strong character, and rebellious against to oppression and exploitation. An example was his statement for the newspaper “Today” in an interview, in which Socarras expressed his contempt for the coup on March 10 and stated that "The Cubans poor people only obtained from that government huger and poverty, increasingly bigger."

The young man would later contact to the comrades Ameijeiras brothers and meet later Fidel, who was very impressed with him. In occasional visit to the city of Santa Clara, Socarras said to his father: "I met the man who will free up Cuba; he is like Marti in person."


ELPIDIO SOSA GONZALEZ

"I'm going to die; I am sure of that. But the cause we are defending does not allow delay. I am tired of that tyrant since he reached the political power," said Elpidio González before going to the province of Santiago de Cuba.

Gonzalez was from Sagua la Grande (March 4, 1929) and came from a peasant family. He spent childhood and adolescence in his hometown, studying there until the eighth grade, and was a salesman at “Hilos Capitolio” Company.

Gonzalez travelled later with his relatives to the capital of Havana, where he found a job on trade business. He joined the Orthodox Party and met Fidel Castro as well as other revolutionaries. He was a young man with progressive ideas, much admired by his comrades. He gave his 300 Cuban pesos pay for the revolutionary movement.

He just said about the Moncada: "We will do what have to. I probably will not see the revolution, but Cuba will be born as a new, pure and different country."


ROBERTO MEDEROS RODRIGUEZ

The martyr  Roberto Mederos Rodríguez was from Sagua la Grande (February 21, 1929). Being a boy, he moved to the capital together with his parents. He developed his working life at the bookshop- philately-house "Venice". His political bent were initiated there, and were directed towards the approach of the group led by the comrade Eduardo Chibas.

For his revolutionary activities with students, Mederos was persecuted. He actively collaborated in the revolutionary movement, together with Elpidio Sosa, Juan Manuel Ameijeiras, Nico Lopez brothers and other comrades.

The contribution of those from Villa Clara to the July 26 heroic action has proved, in general way, the existence of the same feeling of the Cuban young people at that time, who created a vanguard movement not allowing the National hero Jose Marti passed away, after being his centenary.


RENATO ROSELL GUITAR

Among those preparations related to the epic July 26, 1953 the efforts previous the Moncada and Carlos Manuel de Céspedes Garrisons storming are highlighted; and many people had to do with it. All members of the revolutionary movement contributed to the achievement of that aim, although there were crucial figures such as Renato Guitart Rosell, the main organizer of that event, an effective collaborator, and "an unforgettable example."

Precisely, Fidel Castro had considered that the most difficult of those actions was not just to attack and storm the garrisons, "but the great effort carried out related to organization, coordination, acquisition and removal of resources, amidst the secrecy, and starting from scratch."

Moreover, the principles of the July 26 Movement were based on discipline, discretion and perseverance of those members, who are more than 500 000 people carefully selected among the best Cuban young people at that time.

Only this way, it was possible that 153 combatants travelled from the western to the eastern region without the slightest detail was leaked, without the repressive forces of the tyranny could envision such a confrontation. This shows the patriotic quality of the leaders and activists of this movement, even when nobody else knew about it, and after was called: "July 26 Movement."

Renato Guitart Rosell was the only one from Santiago de Cuba who lived in Villa Clara, and knew of the storming. He was also the first one who died because of a confrontation with the soldiers of the tyranny.

Guitart was born on November 2, 1931 in the bosom of a wealthy family in Santiago de Cuba; however he grew up with Marti’s ideas and sense of duty for his homeland and freedom of it during his childhood and adolescence.

For that reason, it was no a surprise that barely having meeting Fidel and those who following him, Guitart would join one of the revolutionary groups belonged the movement. In second level, he did other activities such us practicing sports, going to high-society clubs. Maritime business, in which he was interested in, left behind.

The young man, who had a deep looked and a constant smile, soon would be among the organizers of that battle. He joined the movement and travelled in many occasions from Santiago to Havana and vice versa to fulfil Fidel’s instructions.

The plane of the Moncada Garrison, disposition of forces and weapons inside the fortress, the internal movement of their troops, all this was researched by Renato, which was crucial at the time of schedule the storming.

He was on charge of buying weapons and other supplies as well as finding those places in Santiago de Cuba and Bayamo, where those 153 members of July 26 movement would be accommodated. He arranged for accommodation, and houses rent.

Along with Fidel and Ernesto Tizol, Guitart found “Granjita Siboney”, future place of quartering and starting point of the members towards Moncada garrison very early in the morning, on July 26. He finally commanded a vanguard squad of eight men, who had the strategic mission of storming the sentry post number three and cross the entrance of the fortress.

Absorbed in the combat at 5:15 in the morning, he bravely was to fight. Suddenly, several shots blinded his life. He was one of the six revolutionary combatants killed in military actions.

On December 16, 1954, Fidel wrote to Rene, Renato´s father, from inside a cell in the Prision Model: "Words are unnecessary  when feelings speak by themselves;  it is necessary to guess what you are feeling and you can not express, even if you could (...)Renato is and will be forever and ever among us, and he will be increasingly in the hearst of all Cubans, because he represents ideal, value, dignity, and was an unforgettable example. He was one of those who knew that those who fall in battle never die. "

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