Havana, February 3 (RHC-PL) -- Renowned Cuban revolutionary Orlando Fundora Lopez, who served for several years as president of Prensa Latina, has died in Havana at age 89 after a long illness, Granma newspaper reported today.

Fundora began his revolutionary action participating in student protests at the Secondary School and the School of Commerce in the central Cuban city of Santa Clara.

From 1945, he worked at the Royal Bank of Canada in Havana. In the various centers where he worked he was a union and banking leader.

In 1954 he joined the July 26 Movement and was one of the organizers of this group in the banking sector. He led strikes against Batista in 1955 and 1957, during which he was arrested six times.

Exiled to Venezuela, between 1957 and 1959, collaborating with the revolutionary movement in that country until he was arrested by the Venezuelan Homeland Security.

Back in Cuba in late 1959, he went to work at Union Radio and later was director of the radio station. He participated as a war correspondent during the mercenary Bay of Pigs invasion in April 1961.

In late 1961, Orlando Fundora served as deputy director and eventually director of Radio Havana Cuba.

Five years later, he was promoted to be part of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Central Committee of the Party responsible for information and at the same time served as director of the Prensa Latina agency.

He travelled to several countries fulfilling special missions. In 1985, he was appointed president of the Cuban Movement for the Peace and Sovereignty of the People, a post from which he was released for health reasons in 2006.

He was decorated and received other awards, for his life, dedicated to the defense of the revolutionary gains.