MONKADA COMEMMORATION

46 years ago a group of 125 men, revolutionary guerrillas led by Fidel Castro, attacked a barrack occupied by the armed forces of Fulgensio Batista, the Cuban dictator. They were poorly armed but richly spirited with the hopes for Cuban Socialist Revolution. The barrack situated at the eastern end of Cuba was attacked on a 26th of July 1953, and that was considered as the launching day of Cuban Revolutionary Struggle.

However, commenting on the unsuccessful Monkada attack Fidel said that it was not the exact launching of Cuban revolutionary activities. " The struggle of our people did not start on that day. It was a continuation of the heroic struggle pioneered by Jose Marti in 1868….."

It was a counter attack on the US imperialism, which exploited Cuban people using their agent Batista. Following a military coup in 1944, Batista seized power. The tyranny led a severe exploitative suppression. The means of income including industries, services and trade were fully owned by USA. 100% of foreign trade, 90% of Electricity production and 25% of land too owned by USA. About. 14% of Cubans were unemployed.

The people of Cuba fully supported any rise up against Batista. But, owing to Batista’s network of military security people could not rise up without armed strength. The revolutionary group led by Castro gave them a hope and a path for liberation. The attack was defeated, many cadres were killed and some revolutionaries including Castro were arrested. As a result of Monkada attack Batista became a worse tyrant and unleashed a brutal terror. Many of the revolutionaries and their supporters were assassinated. But the Monkada attack proved that the Batista’s tyranny inherits no long time in power. There stood the clear proof that the people’s power will someday overthrow the puppet govt of Batista. It happened in1959 and the pioneers of Monkada including Fidel established a Socialist govt in Cuba.

The Monkada attack despite of its defeat, gave the revolutionaries of world a very important example. No revolutionary must accept suppression since that demoralize the people’s courage against the strengthening of struggle against such an oppressive rule. Monkada attack also taught many lessons to Cuban revolutionaries in their struggle towards coming to power in 1959.