Antonio Guiteras, student leader, politician. (Cuban descendant) ** Antonio Guiteras, lider estudiantil, activista político. (Descendencia cubana)
He was born on November 22, 1906 in Montgomery, Pennsylvania, USA of Cuban father and American mother, Calixto Guiteras and Maria Teresa Holmes. He moved to Cuba at the age of 7 years.
He graduated as Bachelor and surveyor in 1924 in Pinar del Río. Request enrollment in the University of Havana on 22 September 1924 he finished his studies Doctor of Pharmacy in 1927, he receives the title on August 20.
He maintains combative attitude of opposition to the regime and support the movement revolution and its leaders.
His performance as Pharmaceutical Professional is registered in the Examined literature as:
1927 – Works in a family-owned laboratory in Pinar del Río. As of 1928 traveling Lederle Laboratories where he was fired by his revolutionary activities.
He joined the University Student Directorate which had an outstanding revolutionary political work at the time.
In the 1928-1931 period it was a popular fighter destacadísimo. organizer and leader of the armed insurrection of August 1931, he was captured and sentenced to prison, later released by amnesty decreed.
Guiteras participated in the radical government installed after the overthrow of autocratic Cuban President Gerardo Machado y Morales in 1933, considered one of the main organizers of the armed insurrection of April 29, 1933, the most splendid achievement was the assault and capture of the barracks San Luis and
rise of guerrilla columns in the area of Las Tunas.
He believed that the release of the dictadur be achieved through violent confrontation with the established authorities, but stood firm while the ideal of democracy.
In 1934 part of the Government of the hundred days, assuming the position of
Interior Secretary of War and Navy, Minister of Public Works and Communications in the period of September and October months.
Take this time in energetic and radical measures of popular character and
imperialism as the implementation of the Working Time 8 hours, the University Autonomy, the establishment of the Ministry of Labour, creation and retirement insurance system for workers, training of Special to judge courts Machado, the dissolution of the “political” parties who work with tyranny, the recognition of the right to unionized workers, the lowering of prices for items of high need, the intervention of the American Electric Power Company, the distribution of land to peasants, the seizure of property stolen by the tyranny and debugging of the debt of the fraudulently bankers in US.
From Strike against Batista in January 1934, is pursued by his enemies.
It should be noted that knew how to put their knowledge and activity professional to serve the revolutionary cause during their organizing travel cores embedded autonomous insurrection basically young people, workers, students and veterans 95 and using knowledge Chemistry for making improvised explosive bombs were
used in the revolutionary upheavals.
In March 1935 he founded the ‘Young Cuba’, a Revolutionary Organization.
In his History of Cuba: A New History, the historian Richard Gott summarizes Antonio Guiteras: “The beliefs of Antonio Guiteras reflect an eclectic mix of revolutionary influences, Auguste Blanqui Jean Jacques Jaurès. Guiteras was a firm believer in direct action, propaganda by deed, derivative Blanqui and the Spanish anarchists, and was criticized by the communists for his volunteerism and penchant for violence. ”
It is betrayed in the attempt to leave the country and dies in the Morrillo, Matanzas, with the Venezuelan Carlos Aponte on May 8, 1935.
Agencies/Various/Wiki/InternetPhotos/thecubanhistory.com
The Cuban History, Hollywood.
Arnoldo Varona, Editor.