Cargando...
Verb, Forge, Spark and much more was Raul Roa Garcia who on June 11, 10ç959 was appointed minister of Foreign Affairs of the Cuban Republic, and he was fairly recognized as the Chancellor of Dignity.
Raul Roa Garcia described himself when he was an adolescent as “lanky, thin, anxious, big eyes, big ears man, with dreamy eyes that spark like the squirrel’s, sometimes melancholic, joyful all the time”. He was an anxious young man that in 1925 arrived at the University of Havana to graduate in Laws and Philosophy and Arts.
But he also described himself as revolutionary when he did it a year later when he was sent to prison because he participated in the rally against the United States (U.S.) invasion in Nicaragua. His political worries, perhaps learned in his close relations with Ruben Martinez Villena since 1927, led him confront the tyranny of Gerardo Machado and become member of the Anti-imperialist League, the Revolutionary Youth Board, Students’ Left Wing and the teachers’ payroll of the Popular University Jose Marti, where Julio Antonio Mella was its main promoter.
He joined the struggle as the only way to make the urgent economical, political and social changes needed in the Cuban society together with Martinez Villena, Pablo de la Torriente Brau and other outstanding young people. And he explained why he did so:
“I found out I was a revolutionary man the day I felt dissatisfied with the rest of the world and I longed a better, fairer one: Mella strongly contributed and perhaps the unconscious Mambi sediment’s progeny at the shadow of my grandfather Ramon Roa.”
He was among the most prominent places for his historical struggles against the governments that reigned in Cuba. He was one of the most incisive and sharp critic that deserved him an outstanding position among most committed intellectuals of that time.
Top Level Diplomat
Educated, astute, honest and firm in his convictions, Raul Roa Garcia was appointed to be in charge of the State Minister (later Foreign Minister) on June 11, 1959. He devoted all his intelligence and energy. He strongly defended the Cuban rights to forge its sovereign and independence future in the international tribunes, and confronted every campaign orchestrated by the US in its eagerness to discredit the Cuban Revolution.
His passionate speech turned into whip to disassemble all and each defamations against the Cuban process and the main leaders, especially Fidel Castro, top inspiring personality of what was happening in Cuba by that time.
His addresses at the National Assembly of the United Nations organization (UN) are considered legends, where many of his resounding expositions highlighted that on April 1961 in the middle of the Bay of Pigs Invasion in Playa Giron. He gave irrefutable evidences of the US government direct participation in that event. Since then, and forever, he became into the Chancellor of Dignity for his compatriots.
That talented intellectual, follower of Marti’s and Fidel’s thoughts, died on July 6, 1982. He left the current and future generations the invaluable legacy representing his revolutionary integrity and his firm defense of the real image of the Cuban Revolution in the world.
When we refer to his stamp in the Cuban history, some of those who shared with him said:
“He contributed with his vast culture, his fervent patriotism and his revolutionary passion, a new dimension of the Cuban expression.” (Manuel E. Yepe).
“… in the memorable addresses in the UN (…) his rush torrent speech left raised hands powerless of those who in the booths were trying to translate the language of the grainy spark and fire…” (Fina Garcia Marruz).
“The lessons taught by Raul Roa can be transcendental for the training of the Cuban youth, as a molding job in the rhythmic anvil of the hammering, a blow of forge, ardor that softens and molds.” (Fernando Ortiz).
Acerca del autor
Graduada de Licenciatura en Periodismo, en 1972.
Trabajó en el Centro de Estudios de Historia Militar de las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias (FAR), en el desaparecido periódico Bastión, y como editora en la Casa Editorial Verde Olivo, ambos también de las FAR. Actualmente se desempeña como reportera en el periódico Trabajadores.
Ha publicado varios libros en calidad de autora y otros como coautora.
Especializada en temas de la historia de Cuba y del movimiento sindical cubano.
