Guantanamo.- Originally from Santiago de Cuba and a member of the Rebel Army, Diosnórides Cervantes recalls in detail the long 66 hours fighting against more than 1,400 CIA-trained paramilitaries who attempted to impose a provisional government and overthrow the Cuban Revolution.
The invasion began on April 17, when Brigade 2506 landed at Playa Girón and Playa Larga, equipped with tanks, mortars, and cannons. Despite their superior weaponry, the revolutionary forces, including people’s militias with limited resources, resisted courageously. Cuban aircraft destroyed most of the invading ships, although the mercenaries managed to advance as far as some nearby towns.
The counteroffensive launched on April 18, supported by artillery and air strikes, managed to halt and then repel the invaders. During the battle, Diosnórides was wounded by shrapnel and remained hospitalized for ten days. Ultimately, Cuban troops regained full control of the coast, forcing the mercenaries to either surrender or flee.
This episode marked one of the most glorious chapters in Cuban national history, with the loss of 176 Cubans and more than 800 wounded. Diosnórides exemplifies the courage and determination of the Cuban people in the face of an invasion attempt to crush the Cuban Revolution.
