The Cuban People Bid Farewell to a Legendary Hero of the Revolution
The Cuban people bid farewell to a legendary hero of the Revolution who left an indelible mark on the most enduring pages of revolutionary history: Commander of the Revolution Ramiro Valdés Menéndez.
Ramiro Valdés Menéndez embodied the quest for justice born in the humble neighborhoods of Cuba, the timeless ideals of José Martí, and the unbreakable brotherhood that united him with Fidel Castro. He symbolized an unyielding will that never surrendered, even in the darkest moments of the revolutionary struggle, and that succeeded in turning the impossible into reality.
As one of the bravest organizers of the attack on the Moncada Barracks and one of the decisive figures of the Revolution through the discipline and leadership he demonstrated in the Sierra Maestra, Commander Ramiro Valdés Menéndez became, after the triumph of the Revolution, an unbreakable shield against every threat directed at his country. Entrusted with guaranteeing internal security and founding the Ministry of the Interior, he went down in history as the first Minister of the Interior of socialist Cuba.
Valdés Menéndez also played a fundamental role in the development of Cuba's industry. In every responsibility he assumed, he combined the seriousness of a statesman with the humility of a guerrilla fighter. He bequeathed to Cuban revolutionaries the conviction never to raise the flag of surrender and to remain faithful to the people and to the nation's independence, even under the most difficult circumstances.