M - 26 - 7

M - 26 - 7 ; Sierra Maestra, Cuba, 1957.

The education within the 26th of July Movement, especially in the camps and rebel-held areas of the Sierra Maestra (1956-1958), centered on three main pillars: Political and Ideological Doctrine, the Moncada Program, and the overthrow of Batista, with an emphasis on restoring the 1940 Constitution, social justice, agrarian reform, social awareness, discipline, and morale. This was followed by Military Instruction and Guerrilla Tactics, including guerrilla techniques, key leadership skills, weapons use, survival, and orientation. Finally, there was a plan encompassing civic education and literacy, literacy instruction, medicine and healthcare, and propaganda and press coverage. The curriculum blended social justice ideology, guerrilla military training, and basic education to transform both combatants and peasants into active agents of revolutionary change.

That day, around 9:00 in the morning, the blazing sun beat down on every corner of the Sierra Maestra. A chill ran through the soldiers as they went about their duties, which included washing clothes, training, studying, or, in some cases, standing guard around the Revolutionary camp. Fidel Castro was teaching cleaning, weapons handling, and marksmanship; Raúl was in charge of the male troops with routine training; Camilo was teaching the female guards the theory of the Revolution; and Ernesto was finally teaching medical courses to interns.

The young man, who that day was in charge of managing some documents, was Fidel's right-hand man, one of the soldiers closest to the inner circle of those Commanders, almost part of the sub-sergeant guard. Above all, he was involved in espionage, classifying traitors, and battle techniques, such as maps and routes. He was sitting at a wooden desk made there, in a tent open at the sides, preparing some mate.

“Ink is memory, memory is a stain, and that stain will remain imprinted on every page you write on.”