Santiago de Cuba, July 26 (RHC)-- At 5:00 a.m. the city of Santiago de Cuba breaks its stillness.  The poem "La mañana de la Santa Ana" (The morning of Santa Ana) makes the skin crawl, resounding among the bullet traces of the Moncada, in this open-air stage.

The presidency is already in place: reenacting that Santa Ana morning, Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, Assembly President Esteban Lazo Hernández and Commander Ramiro Valdés Menéndez are some of the faces in the front row.

Seven decades later, we return to the same place.  The National Rebellion Day ceremony begins in Santiago de Cuba.

A video mapping recalls the events and, one by one, on the Moncada, the faces of the martyrs of the heroic deed appear.

José Ramón Monteagudo Ruiz, First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba in Santiago de Cuba, expressed on behalf of the people of Santiago de Cuba the gratitude for having granted the province the venue of the central act of July 26.

He pointed out that the Moncada is a permanent source of inspiration to fight for the conquests of the Revolution.

Monteagudo Ruiz pointed out that the territory carried out important tasks. "The people of Santiago have fulfilled the commitments assumed".

In this sense, he emphasized that in the province more than 30 areas of agricultural development are consolidated and outstanding results are obtained in urban agriculture. Likewise, transformation actions were executed in 81 neighborhoods.

"Progress has also been made in the paving of roads, social actions have been developed and 784 houses were completed."

The first Party secretary of the province also pointed out that problems persist to which innovative solutions must be sought, mostly derived from the impact of the U.S. blockade.  "Work with young people, attention to service sectors, among others, must be enhanced."

"Santiago will always be here. The Cuban Revolution will always be able to count on the support of the people of Santiago," he said.

In the central words of the ceremony, President Miguel Díaz-Canel referred to the history of the Hero City, which reached its 508th anniversary yesterday.

He also recalled the events of July 26, 1953 and emphasized the privilege of being today in the place of the assault with some of its protagonists.

The Cuban leader pointed out that it is the duty of the new generations to maintain what has been conquered and advance further.

As long as the U.S. government persists in its attempt to suffocate us with its genocidal blockade, as long as we do not reach a level of dignified prosperity for every Cuban, we will have a Moncada to storm, said Díaz-Canel. "Every day, every hour we will have a Moncada to storm".

The president thanked the presence of solidarity activists from 26 countries showing their commitment and support to Cuba.

Not only was Santiago de Cuba the venue for July 26 because it is the heart of this story, but also because it is at the forefront of the most outstanding provinces of Cuba, Díaz-Canel noted.