Cuban poster showing Camilo Cienfuegos. By Cuban artist Raúl Martínez

Camilo Cienfuegos Gorriarán (February 6, 1932 - October 28, 1959) was a Cuban revolutionary born in Lawton, Havana City. Raised in an anarchist family, he became a key figure of the Cuban Revolution, along with Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, Raúl Castro and Huber Matos. Image File history File links Cuban poster showing Camilo Cienfuegos, 1969 This is a copyrighted poster. ... Image File history File links Cuban poster showing Camilo Cienfuegos, 1969 This is a copyrighted poster. ... Raúl Martínez (1927-1995) was a Cuban painter, designer and graphic artist. ... is the 37th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1932 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 301st day of the year (302nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Revolutionary, when used as a noun, is a person who either advocates or actively engages in some kind of revolution. ... This article is about the Cuban city. ... Anarchism is a generic term describing various political philosophies and social movements that advocate the elimination of hierarchy and imposed authority. ... The Cuban Revolution refers to the revolution that led to the overthrow of General Fulgencio Batistas regime on January 1, 1959 by the 26th of July Movement and other revolutionary elements in the country. ... Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (born on August 13, 1926) is the current President of Cuba but on indefinite medical hiatus. ... Ernesto Guevara de la Serna (June 14,[1] 1928 – October 9, 1967), commonly known as Che Guevara, El Che or just Che was an Argentine-born Marxist revolutionary, medical doctor , political figure, and leader of Cuban and internationalist guerrillas. ... This article is about the Cuban politician. ... Huber Matos was a Cuban revolutionary who successfully overthrew the dictatorship of General Fulgencio Batista along with Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, Camilo Cienfuegos, Raul Castro and others. ...

Political Awakening

In 1940 Camilo enrolls in the "San Alejandro" Plastic Arts Academy but soon after had to quit his studies due to financial restrictions. During this period he starts working as an apprentice in the "El Arte" fashion store in downtown Havana.

Around 1948 he starts to get involved in political issues, taking part in the popular protests against the rise of the bus tariffs.

Years later, in 1953, Cienfuegos travels to the United States in search of a better economical situation. He returns to Cuba indignated with the exploitation that, to his understanding, workers were subjected in the U.S.

In 1954 he became an active member of the underground students movement against Dictator Fulgencio Batista. This involvement lead him to be wounded by a fire arm on December 7, 1955, during a popular protest organized to honor Cuban independence hero Antonio Maceo. After being harassed by police and without work he decides exile himself and travels again to the U.S., in particular to New York City. From this country he was later expelled, when his residence expired, relocating to the Republic of Mexico Dictator is originally the title of a magistrate in ancient Rome appointed by the Senate to rule the state in times of emergency. ... General Rubén Fulgencio Batista (IPA: , ) y Zaldívar (January 16, 1901 – August 6, 1973) was a Cuban military officer and politician. ... This biographical article needs to be wikified. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... Motto: none Anthem: Mexicanos, al grito de guerra Capital Mexico City Largest city Mexico City Official language(s) Spanish Government  â€¢ President Federal Republic Vicente Fox Quesada Independence  â€¢ Declared  â€¢ Recognized From Spain September 16, 1810 September 27, 1821 Area  - Total  - Water (%)   1,964,375 km² (13th) 2. ...

In his stay in Mexico, Camilo meets Fidel Castro, who was organizing a revolutionary expedition that would return to Cuba to fight Batista. Thereafter Cienfuegos was one of the 82 revolutionaries who set sail aboard the yacht Granma in November 1956. Allegedly, he was the last one to board the yacht and was allowed to join because of his thinness. Granma is the yacht that was used to transport the fighters of the Cuban Revolution to Cuba in 1956. ... Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Guerrilla activities

The Granma arrived in Cuba on December 2. After a three day nightmare of swamps and mangroves, the rebels were surprised by the Cuban (Batista's) army at Alegría de Pío. The surviving rebels escaped in small and disperse groups and wandered for weeks in the Sierra Maestra mointains. Camilo was one of the twelve who survived the attacks and executions carried out by Batista's forces not long after they landed. He was able to rejoin Castro in the Sierra Maestra a month later. Sierra Maestra is a mountain range that runs westward across the south of the old Oriente Province from what is now Guantánamo Province to Niquero [1] in southeast Cuba, rising abruptly from the coast. ... Sierra Maestra is a mountain range that runs westward across the south of the old Oriente Province from what is now Guantánamo Province to Niquero [1] in southeast Cuba, rising abruptly from the coast. ...

In 1957 he became one of the top leaders of the revolutionary forces, appointed to the rank of "Comandante". In 1958, with the defeat of Operation Verano (Summer), Cienfuegos was put in command of one of three columns which headed west out of the mountains with the intention of capturing the provincial capital city of Santa Clara. Che Guevara was in command of another column and Jaime Vega was in command of the third. Jaime Vega's column was ambushed and defeated by Batista's forces. Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants Cuban Revolutionaries Cuban Government, Batista Commanders Fidel Castro General Eulogio Cantillo Strength 300 12,000 Casualties 80 800 ? Operation Verano was the name given to the summer offensive in 1958 by the Batistia government during the Cuban Revolution. ... Santa Clara is the capital city of the Cuban province of Villa Clara. ...

Cienfuegos with Fidel Castro in 1959. The team name Barbudos means "bearded ones"

Cienfuegos and Guevara's two columns reached the central provinces, where they joined efforts with several other resistance groups. Cienfuegos's column fought the Battle of Yaguajay in December and, after a hard fight, forced the garrison to surrender on December 30, 1958. This earned him the nickname "The Hero of Yaguajay". With Yaguajay captured, Cienfuegos's column was able to advance against Santa Clara in conjunction with Guevara's forces, and the other non-Castro forces from the Escambray front. Together, the two columns captured Santa Clara on December 31; most of the defending soldiers gave up without shooting. Batista fled Cuba the next day, and the guerrillas were victorious. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Combatants Cuban Revolutionaries Cuban Government, Batista Commanders Camilo Cienfuegos Captain Abon Ly Strength 450-500 ? 250 Casualties  ?  ? The Battle of Yaguajay, was a decisive victory for the Cuban Revolutionaries over the soldiers of the Batista government near the city of Santa Clara in Cuba during the Cuban Revolution. ...

Later, Cienfuegos would serve in the Cuban Army's high command, fight anti-Castro uprisings, and play an important role in the institution of agrarian reforms.

Politics and death

There has been debate as to Cienfuegos's political leanings. Many claim that he was anti-Communist, though it is not clear if that means he decried socialist ideals. Cuban author and historian Carlos Franqui suggests otherwise in his book, Family Portrait With Fidel. Franqui, one of Cienfuegos's closest friends during the Cuban revolution, asserts that Cienfuegos "sympathized with socialism" and that he followed the Marxist Che Guevara politically. Other sources tend to agree with Franqui. Both Cienfuegos's father and his brother, Osmany, were, and in Osmany's case still are, radical leftists. Pro-communism refers to opposition to baby eating. ... Carlos Franqui (born 1921) is a Cuban writer, poet, journalist, art critic, and political activist. ... Marxism is both the theory and the political practice (that is, the praxis) derived from the work of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. ... Ernesto Guevara de la Serna (June 14,[1] 1928 – October 9, 1967), commonly known as Che Guevara, El Che or just Che was an Argentine-born Marxist revolutionary, medical doctor , political figure, and leader of Cuban and internationalist guerrillas. ... Osmany Cienfuegos Gorriarán (born in 1928) is a Cuban politician and older brother Camilo Cienfuegos. ... The term far left refers to the relative position a person or group occupies within the political spectrum. ... “Leftism” redirects here. ...

Several days before his death, Cienfuegos arrested his former revolutionary comrade Huber Matos on Castro's orders. Comandante Matos had complained to Fidel Castro that the 26th of July Movement was being rapidly infiltrated by communists, who were assuming positions of power. Receiving no response, Matos sent a letter to Fidel relinquishing his position as military chief of Camaguey province (October 20). Cienfuegos was under the impression that Matos was leading an open revolt, but he found that was not the case; nevertheless he carried out the arrest.^[1] Huber Matos was a Cuban revolutionary who successfully overthrew the dictatorship of General Fulgencio Batista along with Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, Camilo Cienfuegos, Raul Castro and others. ...

On October 28, 1959, Camilo’s Cessna disappeared over the ocean during a night flight from Camagüey to Havana. The country ceased work as an immediate search was called which lasted several days, but no plane could be found. By November the search was called off and Cienfuegos was presumed lost. He quickly became a new martyr for the Cuban revolution.^[2] is the 301st day of the year (302nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Cessna Aircraft Company, headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, is a manufacturer of general aviation aircraft, from small two-seat, single-engine aircraft to business jets. ... Camagüey (founded as Santa María del Puerto del Príncipe around 1515) is a city in central Cuba and is the nations third largest city. ... This article is about the capital of Cuba. ...

Rumors concerning Cienfuegos's disappearance have been rife. Some have speculated that Cienfuegos was killed on the orders of Fidel Castro; others believed Raúl Castro had murdered the more popular revolutionary in a fit of jealousy. These rumors have been difficult to uphold, however, as Cienfuegos had appeared exceptionally loyal to Castro throughout his involvement, and had vigorously supported the arrest of Matos only days earlier.^[2] Che Guevara, who was also close to Cienfuegos (naming his son Camilo after the fallen revolutionary), dismissed any rumors of Castro's involvement. Another rumor circulating was that a Cuban air force fighter plane shot Cienfuegos down mistaking his plane for a hostile intruder.^[3] Historians seem to agree that Camilo's death is more likely to have been an accident, and not the result of foul play.^[4] This article is about the Cuban politician. ...

Remembrance

• On every October 28 school children from all over Cuba throw flowers into the sea (or into a river if they live inland) to honor Camilo Cienfuegos.^[5]

• Camilo is also remembered in the 20 Cuban peso bill and the 20 Cuban convertible peso bill. He was also pictured in the now discontinued 40 cents coins.

• The University of Matanzas bears the name "Camilo Cienfuegos".

is the 301st day of the year (302nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... ISO 4217 Code CUP User(s) Cuba Inflation 5% Source The World Factbook, 2006 est. ... The Cuban convertible peso (ISO 4217 code: CUC) is one of two official currencies in Cuba. ... The University of Matanzas Camilo Cienfuegos (Spanish: Universidad de Matanzas Camilo Cienfuegos, UM) is a university located in Matanzas, Cuba. ...

Quotes

• "The rebel army is the people in uniform."

External links

Cuba Portal

• Bio of Cienfuegos
• "Who was Camilo Cienfuegos?" - J.A. Sierram, History of Cuba.

Image File history File links Flag_of_Cuba. ...

Footnotes