One of the original protagonists of the Cuban revolution, Juan Almeida Bosque, has died

international | miscellaneous | news report

Saturday September 12, 2009 15:52

by IshtarCelt

Almeida Dies of heart failure

One of the original protagonists of the Cuban revolution, Juan Almeida Bosque, has died of heart failure at the age of 82, according to state media.

Almeida was one of several vice-presidents in the Council of State under Raul Castro.

He was the only black commander in the Cuban leadership.

From a poor Havana neighbourhood, Almeida was in the group of guerrillas led by Fidel Castro which eventually seized power in Cuba in 1959.

Almeida top right

One of the original protagonists of the Cuban revolution, Juan Almeida Bosque, has died of heart failure at the age of 82, according to state media.

Almeida was one of several vice-presidents in the Council of State under Raul Castro. He was the only black commander in the Cuban leadership.

From a poor Havana neighbourhood, Almeida was in the group of guerrillas led by Fidel Castro which eventually seized power in Cuba in 1959.

He went on to become a general in the armed forces, a member of the politburo of the Communist Party and the third-ranking member in the Council of State.

State-run media announced his death, declaring he would remain "in the hearts and minds of his compatriots". Sunday has been declared a national

day of mourning, and flags will be flown at half-mast. There will be no lying-in-state, in accordance with Almeida's wishes. He will be given a military funeral

at a later date.

Almeida - a former construction worker - reportedly became friends with Fidel Castro while studying at the University of Havana in 1952.

Cuban President Raul Castro, left, and Vice President Juan Almeida Bosque attend a session of the National Assembly of Popular Power in Havana, on 1

August 2009. Almeida could often be seen at the side of Fidel and Raul Castro. He participated in the failed 1953 assault on the Moncada military barracks

in Santiago de Cuba, and was among those sent to jail. Following an amnesty, the rebels were released and in 1956 they went to Mexico to regroup and

prepare for a fresh assault. Almeida was on board the Granma boat when it sailed back to Cuba carrying the small group of fighters that would launch the

insurrectionary campaign from the Sierra Maestra mountains. He was promoted to the rank of commander during the mountain campaign. Outnumbered in

one of the early battles, Juan Almeida is said to have stormed to the front shouting, "Here, nobody surrenders!"

It became a slogan of the revolution.

often seen at Fidels side

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Comments (5 of 5)

He was also pivotal in the development of AfroCuban music.

by iosaf

Sat Sep 12, 2009 18:48

My favourite founding father of the Cuban Revolution, meaning those who steamed off on the Granma from Mexico with Fidel Castro and his little brother to fight the revolution was the anarchist Camilo Cienfuegos, perhaps because of his style (he never wore complete military uniform as is depicted in the movie "Che") perhaps because of his mercy and humanity & perhaps because he didn't live till the end. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camilo_Cienfuegos

After Cienfuegos for me the finest founding father was Juan Almeida Bosque. True he was not named as a commandante of the revolution durings its opening shots, neither for that matter was Che Guevara, but undoubtedly played a role of leadership with bravery and honour at the side of Fidel through the slow and relentless campaign to take Havana and consolidate alliances of both political and paramilitary nature along the way.

For those interested in how his passing is being marked in Cuba, here is the first report of his death along with some details of national mourning (this Sunday 13th of September) and how respects may be paid at a variety of monuments and shrines around the island.
http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/2009/09/12/nacional/artic0....html That report comes from Granma, the official organ of the Cuban communist party and its newspaper which of course bears the name of that first boat.

But he was more than simply the black man in the revolutionary core

He was also a composer and his artistic merits perhaps complimented in the distant days of Mexico and the formulation of the plans of the 28th of July movement those of the other artist in the crew, Cienfuegos.

Those who know nothing about Cuba, her peoples, her long and often bloody history, her resistance against both Spanish and US domination, her exploitation, the near slavery of her people reduced to the brothel of the carribean, her revolution, her heroes, her oratory, her vision, her maturity, her slight peeling at the edges, her allowances of 5kg of rice beans to every pensioner, her punk music scene, her immortal cars..........at least have heard her music.

It's surely a musical tradition which we associate with skilled old performers. Even before the album and movie La Buena Vista Social Club had repopularised the dance rhythms & love songs of a private members club in Havana of the 40's and 50's, there was something universally beautiful about Latin American dance forms such as salsa, chachacha, congo, bolero and mamba. The music survived its dancers' costumes reducing it to a mere soundtrack for a brothel and yankee fantasies of exotica to be what it is now. The only historically credible (from a musicological p.o.v.) fusion of African music with European traditions.

It was to this tradition, sometimes termed a "creole" that Juan Almeida Bosque belonged. His was a voice and instrument in the song of AfroCuban music and a force which brought it not only widespread respect but helped forge the unmistakable sound of Cuban music today.

I've leave ye with a Youtube link to a song composed by Juan Almedia Bosque, called "Lupita" which was written to the "Virgen of Guadalupe" the patroness of Mexico., shortly before they boarded Granma and went to Cuba. The Cuban revolutionaries were very conscious of their catholic folklore and culture. I imagine somehow they sang that song on the way.

RIP

Commandante Almeida Bosque - revolutionary and composer of Cuba

Caption: Video Id: B_MtGR8DwwM&hl=es Type: Youtube Video
"Lupita" a farewell to Mexico and her saint so the revolution of the poor be blessed.

RIP

by Celia S

Sun Sep 13, 2009 11:15

Que acueste en paz Comandante Juan Almeida Bosque

CS

by Cuban republican

Sun Sep 13, 2009 19:28

RIP to a great revolutionary a musical ambassador and inspirational to all.

Codladh Sámh

adios hermano

by li'l lulu

Mon Sep 14, 2009 10:38

Farewell to a comrade who brought blessings to his brothers materially & spiritually.

42 years since a CIA operative shot one of the few men known only by his first name.

by Benicio del Toro

Thu Oct 08, 2009 11:26

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Che

"I think anyone who buys a t-shirt of Che has gotta be cool. If I see someone with a Che t-shirt, I think, 'He's got good taste'."
— Benicio Del Toro, portrayed Guevara in the 2008 biopic Che

* In the 1998 film Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Johnny Depp depicting Hunter S. Thompson awakens from an adrenochrome overdose and stands in front of a picture of Che Guevara stuck to a Mexican flag. Benicio Del Toro who co starred in the film (and would later play Che Guevara in Che), has stated that Thompson kept a "big" picture of Che in his kitchen.

* In the 2003 documentary "Breakfast With Hunter", acclaimed author Hunter S. Thompson can be seen in several scenes wearing different Che Guevara t-shirts.

"I don't want people to use my father's face unthinkingly. I don't like to see him stitched on the backside of a pair of mass-produced jeans. But look at the people who wear Che T-shirts. They tend to be those who don't conform, who want more from society, who are wondering if they can be better human beings. That, I think he would have liked."
— Aleida Guevara, daughter of Che Guevara

42 years with Comandante Ernesto Che Guevara

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One of the original protagonists of the Cuban revolution, Juan Almeida Bosque, has died

Comments (5 of 5)