A melancholic breeze brought in its chords a creature of heroic deeds. Perhaps his birth marked his warrior and rebellious impetus. History found in Juan Almeida Bosque, the witness of its best passages and the most devoted guardian of its memories. Every obelisk, every hero’s pedestal knew of his care as the detailed person he was.

The undefeated mountains that saw him rise as Commander, guerrilla of courage and justice, treasure the poetry of his footsteps and the affection he sowed with his rifle on his shoulder. Those who had the privilege of knowing him do not forget his style of leadership based on example, rigour and direct contact with the people.

Like a crystalline river the artist grew in his soul and with his heart in his hand he knew how to make poetry with his imagination, and to travel when the vicissitudes of life and struggle accompanied him in haste through the years. His artistic hands touched many dreams. They say that on the waves of the Caribbean Sea, a song was light in a closed night; that an empress’ name dismissed those who would be free or martyrs, that a love song can be the seed of a separation.

Anyone who has shared that hymn to the most universal sentiment that is La Lupe, paid a compliment to a woman who wants to be looked at or read any of her books, will know of her special human sensitivity and that, in her, a heart beat that never stopped dreaming of beauty. Like a crystalline river the artist grew in his soul and with his heart in his hand he knew how to make poetry with his imagination, and to travel when the vicissitudes of life and struggle accompanied him in haste through the years.

That is why on the anniversary of his birth, Juan Almeida Bosque invites us to reaffirm more than ever that nobody surrenders here, or perhaps to face tomorrow, from that thought of Maceo who had among his maxims: «I want to proudly bear the title of good citizen, which gives brightness and greatness when it is obtained without stain.