The immortal presence of Fidel Castro in Havana (+ Photos)

Act of postmortem homage to Fidel Castro in Havana. (Photo: Gabriel García Galano)

The news reporting the passing of Fidel Castro caught by surprise most of the inhabitants of the Island. Unexpectedly, it happened at daybreak of November 25th. Just a few could learn about it, first-hand. This event took the society unprepared.

Our population, whose thought was that Fidel would continue to be alive, with his physical presence, with his writings and reflexions, welcoming presidents and friends of Cuba, of our Revolution; even though his showing up in public were occasional. Our people simply was unprepared.

But the inertia, as a result of the astonishment, immediately changed to counterattack death; so that, the figure of the Commander in Chief would not leave without his due tribute, without the evocation and respect which Cubans owe to him.

Havana University was one of the first to attack, and in different faculties work teams were organized in the social networks, beginning with the Communication Faculty, and in the Higher Institute of International Affairs Raúl Roa, who even since daybreak started a campaign to remember the figure of the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution.

Havana University. (Photo: Gabriel García Galano)

In the Saturday early hours, the university flight stairs, was taken by force by students of the Magna house of advanced studies of the Cuban capital, who organized a huge concentration with signboards, flags, photos and catchphrases; while, they stand guard of honor in an improvised leading position next to the Alma Mater, the flight of stairs Fidel climbed several times; either as a student, or prime minister or president.

The people from Havana did not delay to manifest their affliction, respect and admiration. Many people hanged their Cuban flags in the balconies with signboards of gratefulness on the doors of their houses and pictures as honor to the memory of the leader who left for immortality, exactly the same day he undertook the journey to free the Island from the oppressing yoke of the tyranny.

Car in Havana full with graffitis as related to the figure of the Cuban leader. (Photo: Elena Iglesias)

Other samples of recognition arrived, and there did not miss those enthusiastic people who even made up their cars with photos or turned them in moving graffitis, with phrases allusive to Fidel, to last, from the attentive lens of the cameras, in immortal images which move around the world.

From abroad arrived the hug of the friendly people to accompany Cuba in these sorrowful moments. Manifestations of support were present in brother countries; such as Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia. Argentina, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador; from Africa and Asia, Germany or Denmark. They did not leave us alone.

That Sunday, there was a hard work. The Square of the Revolution started to be prepared for the Cuban to pay tribute to our Commander, in two hard days which finished on Tuesday, November 29, with a ceremony to be remembered forever by the Antilles Nation.

During the postmortem homage, men, women and children ratified their compromise with Cuba; at the same time, foreign dignitaries evoked the figure of Fidel. How much did it mean in the history of many states; as Namibia, Bolivia or South Africa.

Monday and Tuesday of homage

Tribute to Fidel in the Revolution Square of Havana. (Photo: Twitter)

Thousands of Cuban attended The José Marti’s Memorial to pay the last tribute to the Antilles leader. Endless lines from the 6:00 hours of Cuba until past the 22:00 overfilled the surroundings of the Square.

The capital city inhabitants besides paying homage to the historic leader, gave their signature from the hundreds of places habilitated for the occasion of being loyal to the concept of Revolution, outlined by the Commander May 1st, 2000.

The people from Havana sign the oath to be loyal to the concept of Revolution. (Photo:
Javier Acosta Elejalde)

Girl from the locality of Alamar, in the municipality of East Havana, in the act of depositing a flower to pay homage to Fidel. (Photo: Javier Acosta Elejalde)

Vigils were organized in the universities, poems were recited, and conversation activities were carried out. The song, “I die as I lived.” Joined the other song called “Riding with Fidel,” in a fusion of strings, which patiently waited the time to go out to say “until forever, Commander” to Fidel being now incorporeal, was on board another Caravan of Liberty, to leave his beloved Havana for his beloved Santiago.

Wednesday, the departure. Clad in olive green, mourning bands on the arm, the soldiers raised solemnly the urn with the ashes of the leader, and carried them up to the vehicle, where covered with a Cuban flag, started his journey to the appointment with José Martí in Santa Ifigenia, Santiago of Cuba, the territory where everything began on July 26, 1953.

Havana got together alongside the streets by where would pass the caravan which transported the ashes of the Commander in Chief towards the place of his definite custody. (Photo: Gilberto González García)

The funeral procession advanced through the streets of the Capital, crowded with the people, who waved flags, got together and cried intensively and saw him pass, but still his name is chanted, because Fidel is not gone, Fidel is still alive in every one of them, because from this moment on every Cuban is a Commander in Chief.

The simultaneous ceremony with the concentration in the Antonio Maceo Revolution Square of Santiago de Cuba, this Saturday, December 3rd gathered in the University of Havana, students from the different levels of learning. But mainly, university students, to pay the last homage to Fidel Castro.

Conversation activities, display of feature stories, and moments of declamation of poems, and songs, talks with personalities and outstanding sportsmen and women shaded the night of that 8th work day of national mourning in honor to his figure.