In my city

The region of Holguin is one of the richest scenes of nature in Cuba. High mountains, fertile plains and beaches of fine sand alternate in the landscape of this province unique for its beauty and many attractions. It also takes the best and most valuable of the local and universal culture with exponets in all branches of culture with renowned artists like Faustino Oramas (El Guayabero), painter Cosme Proenza, pianist Frank Fernandez. This eastern province of Cuba, has also a high quality health system. Sample is infant mortality rate achieved here, only comparable to that of developed countries, thanks to the implementation of a health system that allows pregnant women prioritized attention and care of newborns and infants in general. On several occasions it has hosted important scientific events as the International Symposium on Cardiovascular Research and the Cuba-canada International Symposium on the Heart, held in Playa Pesquero with the participation of leading Cuban and foreign specialists. This eastern territory of Cuba also hosted last week a Symposium on Pediatric Surgery that included the participation of Dr. Yann Revillon, outstanding professor at Descartes University and director of the pediatric surgery department of the famous children's hospital Necker-Malades in Paris, among other important scientists. The event demonstrated the quality reached by the Holguin and the island pediatric surgery in the field of science, research, teaching and care to patients in the province and the country, where there are many medical schools and pediatric hospitals that guarantee child care.

Love and Pain in the History of the Five Cuban

Mirtha Rodríguez talks intensely with the passion of someone who has a kind and deep feelings for his beloved family members and friends. It is difficult not to accept the words pronounced by this woman who has not stopped imagining that his son will be returning to Cuba to conclude a history of love and pain. This woman, who has already the color of her hair completely grey and loves the tango genre and artists like Libertad La marquee, Hugo del Carril and Carlos Gardel, among others, looks her memories into the past and present and looks into the present to see the future as if she was remembering occasions of her life without regrets and having the conviction of having done what she had to do on every moment of it and continues to do it. Mirtha de la Santísima Trinidad Rodríguez is the real name of Antonio Guerrero mother, who is one of the heroes of the Cuban Republic and a Cuban antiterrorist fighter that is currently incarcerated in US prisons for having monitoring terrorist groups which were conspiring against his nation. During more than 15 years of her son imprisonment, Mirtha, has never hesitated not even a single minute despite being thousands of kilometers from the motherland in respect of defending the cause of her son through true arguments and contributing with thousands of elements to make the people of good will aware about the case of the Cuban Five antiterrorist fighters taking into consideration that René, Fernando, Ramón and Gerardo are all considered by her as sons. As usual, she comes after having being requested her presence on the Radio Rebelde station in its program entitled La Luz en lo Oscuro (literally, the light in the darkness), then as if she was at her own house, she answered a series of questions with the typical sincerity from a mother who has never stopped thinking of her beloved son each single second of her existence. “Each single time that I travel overseas I say and insist a lot on the case of Gerardo Hernández given the fact that he was the one who experienced the most vicious attack from the US judicial system and we have to keep fighting for bringing the truth into light inside the own US people about the outrage and crime that has been committed against that man who had been given two life-imprisonment sentences even without proofs, let alone evidences againt him. Therefore, the US government has tried to punish Cuba through the case of Gerardo.” Mirtha Rodríguez said. Mirtha was the only woman from a family with seven siblings. She could get to know her name until she decided to get married and it was then when she knew about a change that not even her only family knew: Her name might be Mirtha Rita de Casia Rodríguez; however, behind her first name and inscription appeared the words De la Santísima Trinidad. The anecdote causes her to laugh at present, but she expresses the fact that when that happened, then all hell broke loose between her parents because they were not expecting that surprise. Life was not either good with her when she became a widow and her daughter Marucha was 15 years old and Tony, who was the youngest, was 13 years of age. It was something dramatic as happened right on her birthday. The pain always was present in her until her family members decided to celebrate her birthday by recovering that tradition. “The three of us got really united, so she and her two children made a pact of love, unity and respect that has lasted until nowadays.” This really kind woman, who talks slowly and clear and is a magnificent communicator, Mirtha Rodríguez highlighted. “I do consider myself an optimistic, enterprising and familiar person like my son as those are one of the aspects on which we both have many similarities.” Mirtha Rodríguez pointed out. What can be said about Tony? “It is a truly intense sadness what is felt after knowing that he is far away and imprisoned for having defended a fair cause, but it is precisely when I have had a personal problem and I usually tend to feel really depressed that I remember his case to talk to myself the undeniable fact that if my son is capable to defend that truth by even putting at risk everything, then how come I would not be able to go ahead, It is then when I take the right path again by rejuvenating my spirit and making it even stronger.” Mirtha Rodríguez highlighted. “When we visit the United States, we try that each single photo could transmit love. I always enjoy the occasion of the photos by my son when I have even desired to take my son with me. We usually try to have then a happy occasion and for Tony the truth is never absent.” Her mother stated. With that same truth, Mirtha Rodríguez travels there each time she is invited to talk about the case of the Cuban antiterrorist fighters in other nations. What does inspire you? “I talk and use the sincerity coming from my heart and the truth about this case, including the noble way these men, young ones with many dreams and families, left everything behind for a noble and fair cause to preserve the lives of more than eleven million of compatriots, including the ones from the own US population.” Mirtha Rodríguez highlighted. “It has been a story filled with love and pain, Olguita, as it is popularly named, had to wait over 13 years to see her husband. Adriana, on her part, has never been able to see her husband Gerardo due to the US government has never allowed it. They (The Cuban Five) took the decision about fulfilling their mission and that attitude shows their magnanimity as human beings. “Mirtha Rodríguez pointed out. When she talks about those men, Mirtha voice failed a bit until she recovers it and said: “Even though the price has been really high, taking into consideration the irregularities that has affected the case, their enemies will never success in breaking the moral of the Cuban antiterrorist fighters and their family members and that has been precisely their strength of spirit given that fact that despite they remain imprisoned, they continue being free through their thoughts and convictions.” Mirtha Rodríguez said finally. Regarding Mirtha and the rest of their family members, it is valid what has said many times René: “the mothers and wives of the Cuban Five families are also heroines.” By Demetrio Villaurrutia Zulueta