CIENFUEGOS.– Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee and President of the Councils of State and Ministers, presided during the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the historic uprising here against the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista in 1957, led by Navy officers, sailors, and civilians.

The event featured cultural tributes by several artists, including a speech by Kenia Viscay de la Cruz, who reaffirmed the commitment of Cuban youth to the Revolution.

Lidia Esther Brunet Nodarse, Central Committee member and Party first secretary in the province, stated, “Cienfuegos is a spirited city, a perennial cauldron of ideas and projects in development. The longstanding affection of its inhabitants is redoubled today, thanks to a process of collective identification which emerged on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of this important date in our city.”

Brunet recalled Fidel on the first September 5 without his physical presence, as did Roberto Morales Ojeda, Political Bureau member and minister of Public Health, who presented the event’s closing remarks.

In his speech, Morales emphasized that those who rebelled on September 5 are a permanent source of inspiration on the road to constructing prosperous, sustainable socialism. Sixty years have transpired since that 1957 dawn and the courageous uprising, he noted, adding that recalling the events constitutes a commitment by younger generations.

Also attending the commemoration were other members of the Political Bureau and Central Committee Secretariat; Rebel Army Comandante Julio Camacho Aguilera, leader of the 1957 actions; combatants and family members of those who fell in battle.

Following the act, the people of Cienfuegos marched in a massive pilgrimage to the pantheon in Tomás Acea Cemetery where the remains of martyrs and heroes of September 5 rest.