SANTA CLARA. —Thousands of young people from Villa Clara paid tribute to the Heroic Guerrilla, Che Guevara, on the 47th anniversary of his murder, with a massive march in which they also called for the release of the Cuban antiterrorists who remain imprisoned in the United States.
The starting point for the march was the command headquarters of the Ciro Redondo Column No. 8 established by Che in 1958, at the Universidad Central Marta Abreu de Las Villas, with the route following that of the guerrilla leader on his approach to Santa Clara.
Led by Julio Lima Corzo, a member of the Party Central Committee and first secretary in Villa Clara, the gigantic concentration, which brought together students from all higher education institutions in the territory, sported July 26, Cuban and other nationalities’ flags, plus photos of the Cuban Five, demanding the immediate release of Gerardo Hernandez, Antonio Guerrero and Ramon Labañino.
During the march, the participants remembered the first martyrs of the Battle of Santa Clara and stopped at the statue known as “El Che de los niños” (Statue of Che and Child), located at the Provincial Party Committee headquarters, a building that also served as command headquarters of the guerrilla leader, and at the Tren Blindado Monument.
At the end of the march a concert in tribute to Che was held in Vidal Park.
FROM BOLIVIA TO THE MEMORIAL
Paulino Leon Soria Saucedo, Ambassador of the Plurinational State of Bolivia to Cuba, stated that Che is more alive than ever in the memory of Bolivians and is a symbol of the revolutionary struggle of all the exploited peoples of the world.
Having paid heartfelt tribute to the Heroic Guerrilla, before the Che Guevara Sculptural Complex and Mausoleum where his remains are buried, the honorable Soria Saucedo explained that the current Bolivia could not have grown or developed as it has, if it had not soaked up the ideals and the ethical and moral sense of Che, whom he considers a universal paradigm.
WE WILL BE LIKE CHE
This October 8, the young pioneers of Santa Clara surrounded the Che Guevara Sculptural Complex, to evoke the figure of the man whose name they have repeated many times stating, “We will be like Che”.
Very early, a group of 36 pioneers wearing starry black berets performed the traditional changing of the flowers at the Memorial where the remains of those who Fidel justly called, the Reinforcement Detachment, lie.
In a solemn atmosphere, the children cried out “Present!” when the name of each of the fighters was mentioned, after which they went on to lay red carnations at their tombs.
Later on, at the Ernesto Guevara School, located in the José Martí Neighborhood, 104 first grade pupils received the neckerchief that identifies them as members of the José Martí Pioneers Organization, handed over by their parents and family, a scene repeated throughout the country.
