I woke up early as usual on January 1, 1959, got dressed and went out the side door into the driveway and across the small field and street to my friend’s house. The house was the humble “bohío” with a thatched roof. Nobody was up. I crouched under the open window and listened to the morning radio show, “Radio Reloj.” Two reporters take turns reporting the news, while a loud ticking comes through marking each minute. At the top of the minute, the time is announced, and the news continues.
As I listened, the news was interrupted by martial music,“The Stars and Stripes Forever.” How ironic that at the birth of the Cuban revolution, American marching music was played. This went on for several minutes, then an excited voice came on the air with a bulletin: “Fulgencio Batista has left the island!! The 26 of July Rebels are victorious!! Cuba is free from tyranny!! Long Live the 26 of July movement!! The bulletin was followed by the rebel hymn of the 26 of July.
I was overwhelmed. What so many of us had been waiting for, had finally happened. Now Cuba could experience real democracy under the democratic leadership of the Movement and guided by Comandante en Jefe Fidel Castro.
I ran home to tell my family what had just happened. Little did know then that the jubilation of the moment would to ashes ten months later.1959 Two days later, I followed with my brother and his friends downtown to find out more about the rebel victory. I remember watching men taking out gaming tables and roulette wheels out on the street, pouring gasoline on them and burning them. They were expressing their hatred for Batista’s corruption. Other men with baseball bats were smashing parking meters to shake loose the cash, also part of the corruption.
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