Fidel's first promises to the people of Holguín
- Written by Redacción ¡ahora!
- Published in Holguin
- Hits: 54
On February 26, 1959, just weeks after the triumph of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro spoke for the first time from the balcony of the La Periquera Provincial Museum in Holguín, addressing a crowd in Calixto García Park and the Government House.
He expressed that meeting the Holguín people was a fulfilled desire, confessing his joy at visiting the city for the first time.
The meeting's goal was to identify the territory's main concerns and needs, aligning with the revolutionary ideals of basing actions on popular demands from the early months of victory.
In 1959, Holguín had a small colonial hospital and lacked schools, like the rest of the country; however, the desire for its own university stood out.
Fidel warned that problems wouldn't be solved immediately but asked for trust and promised the province would have its university and solutions to its issues.
“Holguín has nothing to fear,” he affirmed, assuring the population would receive all benefits in the most pressing áreas.
He kept his promises: in 1973, the University of Holguín opened as a branch of the University of Oriente, gaining autonomy in 1995 for its excellence in research and teaching; in 1965, he inaugurated the Vladimir Ilich Lenin University Teaching Hospital.
Later, the Octavio de la Concepción y de la Pedraja Pediatric Hospital, the Lucía Ñíguez Surgical Clinical Hospital, the University of Medical Sciences, and other higher institutes were built, transforming health and education in the province.
Historian Marlene Martínez Pupo from the La Periquera Museum highlights that 67 years later, all promises materialized and continue benefiting Holguín.
On the centenary of Fidel Castro's birth, the province remembers those first words from February 26, honoring his promises and defending every achievement that they symbolize in education and health in Holguín. (Source: ACN)
