Armando, a professor in Manzanillo, regrets the manipulation of the image of the hero by the Cuban regime
14ymedio, Carlos A. Rodriguez, Manzanillo, Cuba, 29 January 2025 — “We have objectified Martí to the point of exhaustion, we have limited him to a photo, a slogan, a piece of marble, and children and young people increasingly see him as a more distant reality,” reflects Armando, a secondary school teacher in Manzanillo.
On the 172nd anniversary of the birth of the apostle of Cuban independence, the usual tributes were observed in Granma province. Pilgrimages, parades, special matinees, and vigils were held, but a growing apathy was noticeable among the already scarce public. “We are stuck in time. We have become monotonous and repetitive.” noted one observer, a local professor.
From the largest city to the smallest, most intricate village, there is a street, a school, or a monument bearing his name. However, “a society that considers itself as embodying Martí must be able to build upon his legacy, and I think we’re moving backward in this regard,” adds the professor.
“We must see Martí for what he truly is: a visionary, but above all, a human being with a solid ethical foundation and great wisdom. That is why I dislike certain manipulations about his person and his work. Martí was a profound patriot, an advocate for independence, and an anti-imperialist. However, it is questionable how his ideas are forcibly linked to a Marxist process. Of course, I cannot say this in class,” he says with a rueful smile.
“And even less can I say that they should have held a referendum to build Fidel’s tomb next to the mausoleum of El Maestro. The elders say that in the past, even for constructing a fountain or a plaque, one had to seek permission from the municipalities. That was not the case at the Santa Ifigenia Cemetery in Santiago. But nobody would dare to change that now. Fortunately, it’s not my subject, so I limit myself to telling my students that José Julián was brave and exceptionally intelligent.”
Manzanillo has a primary school, an avenue, and a cinema all named after the apostle, and even a replica of his birthplace on Paula Street in Havana. However, Martí Avenue is filled with ditches that mar its appearance, the cinema has yet to fulfill its social purpose, and the Cultural Center, which includes the replica, has not yet realized its privileged position on the city’s promenade.
“Meanwhile, Lázaro, an elderly man who describes himself as a patriot since childhood, laments. In those years, it was common to have photos of ‘el Apóstol‘ in the homes of communists. Not a partisan orientation; it was something that came from within. Now, everything has changed. On January 27, we used to have a Noche Buena Martiana, a vigil that crowded the poet Navarro Luna’s house. I can no longer attend because of my health. Today, those who go do so because they are summoned by their work. In my time, we went as if going to mass, to pay homage to the greatest Cuban. And that’s it.”
When asked about his dreams and frustrations as an octogenarian, Lázaro disarms us. “At my age, I no longer dream. I would have wanted another city, another country. A truly Martian one. Beautiful, prosperous, even if I continued to carry sacks at the port. So I content myself with praying to Martí at night. And I ask for his forgiveness, like I would to the baby Jesus, for all the stains that have been placed on his name.”
Translated by Gustavo Loredo
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