The Cuban Revolution of 1953-1959 played a crucial role in Cuba’s history as it ended another term of tyranny and oppression under Cuban President Fulgencio Batista and the benchmark for Cuban reform. Batista’s regime alienated the country through his strict security infrastructure to silence public demonstrations and linking the country to organized crime syndicates and foreign control. The public did not take Batista’s actions lightly and protested against his regime, calling his resignation in office. The protest did not just come from the working class of Cuba, but also from the younger generation that have been made aware of the situation. In the end of the younger generation, it was Jose Antonio Echeverria, leader of the armed wing of the Federacion Estudiantil Universitaria, who acted as the voice to represent the Cuban youth and pressed for reform not just for the country, but also for the student population as he pressed for student autonomy and liberty that is withheld by the Batista tyranny.
The young revolutionary, known as “El Gordo”, was born on July 16, 1932 in Cardenas Matanzas, Mexico to Antonio J. Echeverria Gonzalez and Conception Bianchi. The early years of the “voice of the Cuban students” can be considered very normal as young Jose showed activeness in sports like rowing, swimming, and basketball despite his asthmatic condition. He did not allow his condition, however, to derail him from his education as he entered Colegio Champagnat of the Marisa Catholic Brothers for his primary years and Cardenas Institute in 1945 for his high school years. However, it is visible that the young Jose is a budding student leader, becoming a delegate for his year mates before becoming the president of the student association in 1949-50. While he had asthma that had affected his schooling, he had pursued a university career and decided to take it in the University of Havana’s School of Architecture. Jose’s background and tenure as an active member in student affairs in his secondary years had endeared him to enter the University’s student organizations, becoming a delegate and eventually higher office in his department’s association. He also took part in several demonstrations in 1951 in support of the Puerto Rican patriots that had tried to attack San Juan, the US-imposed seat of the governor, calling that the US should give autonomy to the Puerto Ricans. This belief of the importance of autonomy from oppressive and foreign control would become one of Jose’s goals throughout the revolution .
With his stable university life, the young Jose would not have actively entered the issue of political unrest in the country, despite the several rallies he took part in, until the March 10, 1952 overthrowing of President Carlos Prio Soccarass by Fulgenio Batista’s coup. Jose Antonio and his fellow peers in the FEU had rallied to support President Prio as his tenure, despite its marred unrest and conflict, had been committed to civility and open to public freedoms of Cubans, something the students, including Jose, relished as a tyranny or dictatorship would deprive them of their freedoms and liberties to call for reform. However, while President Prio had their support, the President had opted to step down to exile in Mexico as he could not sustain a strong opposition against Batista. Seeing that Batista would be mostly a ruthless dictator and hurt of Prio’s departure, Jose Antonio and his fellow students started protesting against Batista’s regime and started protesting for his resignation. However, Batista stood firm in his ground and broke the protesters. Regardless, this did not stop the students and Jose from protesting against his regime.
Throughout the struggle against Batista’s regime, Jose Antonio, like his student peers, advocated Jose Marti’s ideals for Cuban independence. Marti, a known Cuban nationalist, journalist and poet, had fought for the creation of a Cuban government that would prevent any class or group to overthrow the present administration and take full control of the country in a dictatorship. Marti had also said that the people should fight against these oppressive governments and prevent the United States from interfering. Taking this into account and to heart, Jose slowly utilized his skills and position as a prominent member of University of Havana’s student associations and discussed how they, the students, could make a difference and aid in the efforts of changing Cuba’s current situation. He travelled around the country, while maintaining his affiliations, and called for support from students from the Las Villas and Oriente universities. The trip had allowed him to meet his fellow co-patriots Jose “Pepito” Tey, Cuqui Bosch and Renato Guitart, men who had also played a key role in the struggle against the Batista regime.
While the University of Havana reopened in October 1952, Jose Antonio was slowly becoming known as the voice of the younger generation or the “new pines” and a staunch advocate for Cuban independence throughout the country. His speeches called the attention of the public, believing that it is crucial for the public to understand the current situation as Batista held office and called for them to fight: mirroring Marti’s doctrine for Cuba. If the students did not fight, Jose warned the possible retaliation of Batista to other forces that would call for his resignation. A notable example to this is the Moncada attack launched by Fidel Castro’s 26 of July Movement against Batista’s government. The Moncada fighters, deprived of a leader because of Castro’s withdrawal, were left powerless to fend off Batista’s troops. Many had admired Jose’s speeches and were empowered by them, supporting Jose and his group as they protested against the regime for beating the Moncada fighters even if they were powerless against Batista's control. He was also becoming one of the active members of the opposition despite being a student as he led several students to the capitol building on March 28 to protest against Batista’s scheduled elections in November, seeing that it would not push for change in Cuba and Batista would just tamper with the results. Jose’s belief in Marti’s advocacy of independence and autonomy was also seen in their support for Guatemala and Costa Rica, whose administrations were being sieged by groups intending to control the entire country much like how Batista took over Cuba. However, his support to the Costa Rican attacks made the Batista regime fear his talents as a great orator for the opposition and jailed him upon his return to Cuba. His position as an active leader of the student population of Cuba had also enabled both the FEU and the 26th of July Movement of Castro to sign the Charter of Mexico that would signal the partnership between the revolutionaries and the students.
Aside from being a great orator and the face of the younger generation in the conflict, Jose Antonio had made contributions in improving student welfare and affairs. He had advocated the organization of a Schools Congress that would allow students from all universities and schools to discuss with one another how the student body of Cuba will see topics like tyranny, student’s rights and university autonomy from government control. With the government trying to suppress the student’s voice, the FEU under Jose had radio broadcasted the talks despite opposition. He had also fought for the creation of a Rafael Trejo” Popular University and the “Ruben Batista Rubio” literacy campaign to further propagate the message to the people and students, which became an instant hit to the people as it allowed them to understand the issues happening in the country. His proposition of a student congress had been met in full support by the people, especially by the students, as Jose had travelled in regions to meet up with students and even reached Mexico and Cuba ..
Jose Antonio’s greatest contribution, and considerably his legacy for Cuban history was his notable speech to the public upon the March 13 Presidential Attack. As part of a three-way attack to control the Presidential Palace and Radio Reloj, Jose had broadcasted to the people for the first time from the government’s official station and declared that they, the Revolutionary Directorate of the FEU and the 26th of July Movement had executed Batista in his own territory, the Presidential Palace. He called for the people’s attention and said urged them to help them despite being shot by several guns while calling in the radio station. Authors and historians alike had cited this speech in Radio Reloj of Echeverria was his political testament, adding in his speech “Si caemos, que nuestra sangre señale el camino de la libertad”, which meant that if the revolutionaries fall at that moment, their sacrifice will pave the way to freedoms and the shock would ring around the country to rally the people.
Sadly, on his way back to the University of Havana to address the people and his fellow students, Jose Antonio Echeverria, who was 24 at that moment, was shot to death by police machine gun right after that attack. His friend Fructuoso Rodriguez said that Jose had fell bravely and fought the police till he was shot to death . As his speech had indeed stated, the people had continued their struggle against the government despite the death of the notable face of the younger generation. Jose Antonio Echeverria’s death had paved the way for the Revolution to prosper and showed not just the Cuban public, but also the entire globe that even students can make a difference not just to call for continuous student liberties but also for Cuban reform and independence.
Works Cited
Bonachea, Ramon and Marta San Martin. Cuban Insurrection: 1952-1959. New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers, 1974. Print.
Oliveras, Julio. Jose Antonio Echeverria: la lucha estudiantil contra Batista. La Habana: Editora Politica, 1979. Print.
Servando, Matilda Salas. "Jose Antonio Echeverria, un ejemplo de su epoca." La Revista Somos Jovenes, n.d. Web. 20 August 2013. <http://www.somosjovenes.cu/index/semana7/joseant.htm>.
