Temas de nuestra américa N.° 50 ISSN 0259-2239 Cuban Revolutionary Women Aleia Guitan University of West Indies Trinidad and Tobago ,iVL`\Ê£äÉÓÉÓ䣣ÊUÊVi«Ì>`\Ê£xÉxÉÓ䣣 Resumen montañas de la Sierra, reclutó campe- sinos dispuestos a enfrentar la tiranía. Ché Guevara, Fidel y Raúl Castro Quienes fueron testigos de su plan, or- y Camilo Cienfuegos son los nom- ganización y elaboración de estrategias bres e imágenes asociados a la gue- y lucha en la Sierras, creen que en su rrilla cubana que derrocó la tiranía movimiento revolucionario estableció en Cuba. Celia Sánchez Manduley la base del éxito final de la “Revolución fue una clase de mujer cubana de de Castro”. Este artículo enfoca la obra clase media, bióloga de profesión, de las mujeres en el éxito de la revolu- comprometida en el cambio de la ción cubana, con frecuencia enfatizada situación social y económica de en los libros de historia y en las discu- los campesinos bajo el régimen de siones historiográficas, sin atender a los Fulgencio Batista. Ella inició y se eventos que, desde estas mujeres que par- fomentó una guerra de guerri- ticiparon tempranamente en ella, dieron llas en la Sierra Maestra, pues pie al éxito revolucionario estaba decidida a poner fin a la tiranía de Batista, la mafia Palabras claves : Revolución cubana, Cecilia y el gobierno de EE.UU., Sánchez Manduley, mujeres en la revolución, los cuales, ella creía, eran guerrilleras los responsables de la violación y del robo Abstract de la sociedad cuba- na. Refugiada en las Che Guevara, Fidel Castro, Raul Castro and Cami- lo Cienfuegos, these are the men whose images have always been associated with the Cuban Guerilla group which brought an end to the tyrannical leadership in Cuba. Celia Sánchez Manduley a middle class Cuban Nº 50 Enero-junio / Julio-diciembre de 2011 157 EDICIÓN ESPECIAL CONMEMORATIVA Temas de nuestra américa N.° 50 Enero-junio / Julio-diciembre de 2011 ISSN 0259-2239 EDICIÓN ESPECIAL CONMEMORATIVA biologist woman, distressed about the Fulgencio Batista, was supported by social and economic position of the the United States government. peasants under the Fulgencio Batista’s regime, initiated and nurtured guerrilla Batista implemented policies that warfare in Sierra Maestra, determined profited US investors, as two-thirds to bring an end to Batista, the Mafia and of Cuban businesses were owned by the US government, who, she believed was responsible for the rape and robbery Americans, including Cuba’s sugar, of Cuban society. She took refuge in the coffee and mining industries and Sierra Mountains where she recruited public utilities. By 1958, Cuba was peasants who were willing to put an the second largest investment in end to the Batista tyranny. Those who Latin America for US companies. witnessed her plan, organize, strategize Approximately 71% of US exports and fight in the Sierras, believe her es- came from Cuba, while Cuba im- tablished revolutionary movement was ported 64% of its goods from the the foundation of the eventual success US. Cubans lived in an under-de- of “Castro’s Revolution”. The purpose veloped society, especially in rural of this paper is to highlight the work of women in the success of the Cuban Rev- areas, as there was a shortage of jobs, olution, which is seldom emphasized in food and poor infrastructure. history books or historical discussions. The time period chosen accounts for The wider society did not benefit, the events that created a foundation for economically or socially from their a successful revolution in which women relationship with the US, as profits were major pioneers. were horded by the US capitalist who invested their profits abroad . Keywords : Cuban Revolution, Cecilia The country faced social decay as Sánchez Manduley, revolutionary wom- it became the harbour for the Mafia en and guerrilla women. who indulged in prostitution, drugs INTRODUCTION and gambling. Cubans were faced with discrimination in the work The Cuban Revolution officially place as their US counterparts re- began on July 26, 1953, when Fidel ceived higher wages and promotions Castro and his group of middle class in the business sector. Women were and working class revolutionaries at a greater disadvantage since they attacked the Moncada Barracks in were discriminated against based on Santiago de Cuba. Cuba, at this time their sex, class and race. under the governance of General 158 Cuban Revolutionary Women Aleia Guitan Enero-junio / Julio-diciembre de 2011 Temas de nuestra américa N.° 50 EDICIÓN ESPECIAL CONMEMORATIVA ISSN 0259-2239 Castro and his group’s attempts of indigenous or black. Celia’s determi- initiating a revolution were futile nation to help alleviate the peasants since they were outnumbered. Ap- from their oppressed conditions in- proximately 100 men took part in tensified when a peasant girl, Maria the failed insurrection. From this Ochoa was kidnapped and raped in number, 68 were killed and the oth- Havana by suspected Mafia men. ers were captured and sentenced to The Mafia was the main suspect in prison on the Isle of Pines. Fidel the kidnaps and sexual exploitation Castro and his brother Raul were of peasant woman from the rural among those captured, along with area between Havana and Santiago. the women who assisted and sup- ported the revolutionaries. The Celia was determined to bring an group’s aim was to return to the end to Batista, the Mafia and the US 1940 constitution. Influenced by all government, who, she believed was segments of political society, it was responsible for the rape and robbery written during the de facto govern- of Cuban society. She took refuge ment of Fulgencio Batista. It made in the Sierra Mountains where she provisions for land reform, public recruited peasants who were willing education, minimum wage and oth- to put an end to the Batista tyranny. er progressive ideas. In the 1950’s, Celia gradually built a force of 143 corruption was extensive and these young men and 47 young women, ideas were not implemented. along with supplies of weapons and ammunition. She also formed com- Celia Sánchez Manduley a mid- munication links with the July 26 th dle class Cuban biologist, who was Movement in Havana. They were distressed about the social and eco- a group of Castro’s supporters who nomic position of the peasants under continued to mobilize the public the regime, initiated and nurtured while he was in prison. They issued guerrilla warfare in Sierra Maestra. anti-Batista propaganda and orga- The peasants were a group in the nized public protest which drew rural areas who worked and lived international attention to the civil on the lands which were own by unrest that was growing because of US businesses. They were paid low the tyrannical government in Cuba. wages, exploited and discriminated They also engaged in clandestine against because of their inferior class activities, which kept them familiar position and race. They were mainly with Batista’s military tactics, and Cuban Revolutionary Women 159 Aleia Guitan Temas de nuestra américa N.° 50 Enero-junio / Julio-diciembre de 2011 ISSN 0259-2239 EDICIÓN ESPECIAL CONMEMORATIVA issued revolutionary speeches from was a pro-peasant revolutionary. Castro while he was in prison. Che, along with over 80 rebels who Castro recruited, traveled to Cuba Celia established base camps aboard the Granma. Their plan was throughout the Sierras whose com- to meet Celia Sanchez on the coast munication links were maintained of Niguero on November 30, 1956. through runners and other estab- From there Fidel and his band would lished links in the area. She and join the planned uprising in Santi- her rebels started to ambush Batis- ago de Cuba, organized by the July ta’s soldiers in the Sierra regions, 26 th Movement. The plan failed and in some cases soldiers were killed, they did not reach their original des- while others were captured. Some tination. On December 2, 1956, the of the soldiers who were captured boat reached the coast of Alegría de changed sides and joined her rebel Pío, where they were spotted and group hence increasing her num- attacked by Batista’s soldiers. The bers. By 1954, her military supplies rebels were defenseless, and the ma- at her base camps had increased to jority of them were killed. Only 12 seventeen US jeeps, weapons, am- survived including Fidel, Raul, Che munition, medicine, gasoline, oil and Camilo. The presence of Ce- and food. Celia was seen as the cre- lia and her movement in the area, ator and leader of the Cuban Revo- helped fight off Batista’s soldiers as lution, during this crucial period of the survivors made their way to Si- Fidel Castro’s incarceration. erra Maestra. Those who witnessed her plan, or- At this point the Revolutionary ganize, strategize and fight in the Group gained momentum, as the Sierras, believe her established rev- charismatic Fidel and the 12 surviv- olutionary movement was the foun- ing revolutionaries joined Celia in dation of the eventual success of the Sierras, where Fidel and Celia Castro’s Revolution. continued to plan further attacks on the Batista Regime. By the end Upon their release in 1955, Castro of 1958, Cuba was in political and and the other survivors of the 1953 civil turmoil as guerrilla attacks Moncada attack, fled to Mexico. In continued by supporters of the Mexico City, he met the Argentine movement. Batista was also under doctor Ernesto “Che” Guevara, who heavy criticism by the United States 160 Cuban Revolutionary Women Aleia Guitan Enero-junio / Julio-diciembre de 2011 Temas de nuestra américa N.° 50 EDICIÓN ESPECIAL CONMEMORATIVA ISSN 0259-2239 government for his inability to con- the history of twentieth century Lat- trol the political crisis in Cuba.