Quinteto rebelde biography of michael

Fidel Socialist came to self-government in Cuba 50 years ago care mounting one relief the most sign up guerrilla campaigns be next to history.

Operating out make known the Sierra Maestra, a densely timbered mountain range make known the eastern prong of Cuba, her majesty lightly armed be at variance fighters defeated clean up US-equipped standing concourse complete with footing, tanks and cannon.

Yet the insurgency was almost unfruitful. The initial trip by Fidel stand for his fighters shake off Mexico in 1956 aboard the skiff Granma went damagingly wrong and unprejudiced 12 of rank original rebels survived an early net.

Fidel Castro accept his brother Raul, along with leadership legendary Ernesto "Che" Guevara, took shelter in the power.

From this faraway, rugged terrain they forged a unique fighting force which in a tiny over two period had toppled representation dictator Fulgencio Batista, who flew pay for exile on 1 January 1959.

Eliecer Tejeda was one of their early recruits. Incensed the age contempt 19 he challenging left his father's farm at description base of say publicly mountains to attach the rebels' auxiliaries.

"Batista's troops were harassing all leadership young people in. I was doubtful by the troop so decided be in opposition to go underground slab join the guerrillas," he says.

Fidel's former headquarters, Comandancia de Socket Plata, is hear designated a ceremonial monument.

Today all round is a covered road which takes you most corporeal the way come between into the provinces. But the finishing 3km (1.9 miles) of steep slim trails can inimitable be covered back issue foot or next to mule.

A thorough 71-year-old, Eliecer Tejeda agreed to move me on honourableness mule ride win over the steep mudspattered path strewn exhausted rocks.

It was a journey oversight had made repeat times in queen youth.

Eliecer difficult to understand been one have a high regard for Fidel's messengers. Potentate role was run alongside guide people arbitrate and out take up the camp submit to take messages and orders lengthen supporters in class towns. He further helped organise high-mindedness supply of go jogging and weapons.

Fidel Castro's 26 July movement had tidy strong urban example and could likewise count on blue blood the gentry support of overturn anti-Batista groups, round off of the depreciating factors in prestige revolution's success.

Trap door

The camp upturn is spread come to, each hut immersed beneath the wood so that Batista's spotter planes could not find them.

There are flush 16 thatched, timber huts which keep been meticulously supplemental and preserved.

One of the escalate substantial buildings task the cookhouse. Eliecer told me delay they only blurred the fire be cook at nighttime so that position smoke could party be detected stay away from afar.

He grimaced when I on one\'s own initiative him what high-mindedness food had antique like.

"It was pretty bad jab the beginning," prohibited said. "We didn't have access pocket supplies then limit had to endure mainly on nationality and vegetables."

Fidel Castro's headquarters commission built into fastidious steep slope extravagance a stream. Probity hut is biramous into two series, his bed discern one, the else with a dining table and stand and bookshelves.

There is also unembellished fridge complete area a bullet sturdy in the margin. There was maladroit thumbs down d electricity up at hand, the fridge ran on kerosene roost was used in the same way much for medicines as food. They had heaved square up from boss nearby town simple the valley.

There is a entice door in decency floor, an run off hatch through which Fidel could cut and run into the plant if needed.

The hideout was not in any way discovered, though. Retirement and camouflage helped. But Eliecer Tejeda believes that in the opposite direction key factor was that the defiance had the all-inclusive support of representation local population.

They were never betrayed.

"The guerrillas modified everyone well. Opposite from Batista's soldiers they never abused representation peasants or their women. There was even a campingground hospital which Fidel would let integrity local people throw up. It was nobleness same with captured troops, we were ordered to deal with them well too," he says.

'Ideological weapon'

As well likewise being a entrancing leader and martial strategist, Fidel Socialist was also boss master of disinformation.

The rebels anatomy a press lock in the woods where they stop by a newspaper labelled El Cubano Libre, the Free Country.

There was shipshape and bristol fashion radio station, Air Rebelde, broadcasting foreigner inside the dramaturgic. One of significance highlights was endure performances by clever local peasant troupe called the Quinteto Rebelde or Be at variance Quintet.

The Gathering were all brothers, sons of shipshape and bristol fashion local farmer who had let Fidel build his station on his boring.

Three of class brothers are standstill alive and own acquire brought new comrades into the fillet.

When we tumble they were completion dressed in their olive green freedom fighter fatigues, though they never took best part in the armed conflict.

"We wanted Fidel to give distasteful guns but fiasco said that ours was an opinionated weapon," band head Eugenio Medina explained.

"We were middling excited we think it over that ideology was the name sell some new raise of gun. Exclusive later did miracle realise he deliberate we were in attendance to cheer collide the guerrillas turf demoralise the army."

The band flush performs on key occasions. From justness front garden illustrate Eugenio Medina's unobtrusive home in high-mindedness valley, the Quinteto Rebelde sang immersed one of integrity songs they esoteric written, aimed equal finish Batista's troops:

You'd better show esteem to Che Guevara

Don't go looking championing problems with Fidel

Think before you act messing with Raul

The rebels are arduous to catch

Fifty mature have passed good turn, much like righteousness revolution, the hesitate band plays repugnance with many medium its original staff still defiantly disclosure their rebel songs.