José Antonio Echeverría

Activism and leadership

In March 1952, Echeverría joined the student protests against the coup led by Fulgencio Batista. On March 14, 1952, Echeverría signed the Declaration of Principles of the University Student Federation. Echeverría became the president of the FEU in September 1954, after the vice president resigned, and the acting president, Benigno Arbezú, graduated. During his presidency, Echeverría strengthened and developed the student fight against the dictatorship. He also promoted solidarity with the economic problems of Latin America and support for their social and political struggles. Echeverría promoted cultural life on the University campus, with the celebration of the University Symphony Week and exhibitions by important artists such as Wilfredo Lam and Girona. He organized cycles of conferences, performances by the Alicia Alonso Ballet and presentations by the Philharmonic Orchestra of Havana and the University Theatre.

Revolutionary activities and death

Echeverría was a founding member of the DR, a militant organization that played an important role in the Cuban Revolution. He was part of the Presidential Palace attack and also took a leading role in the attack on the Radio Reloj station that ultimately led to his death.

During the attack on the Radio Reloj station on March 13, 1957, Echeverría gave an anti-Batista speech that was broadcast to the Cuban nation. He estimated that the rioters could only occupy the radio station for three minutes, so he had to prepare a speech that lasted three minutes at most. Echeverría managed to finish his speech at the 181st second and left the station unharmed. On the way to the University of Havana, he opened fire on a police patrol and was killed during the shootout on the footpath of the north side of the university. A memorial plaque now stands at the site.

Funeral

To prevent a public funeral and potential protests, the Batista regime kept Echeverria's body in the morgue until the afternoon of March 14. At that point, the family, who had been in Havana since the day of Echeverria's death, was finally given the body. Around 6 pm, the regime authorized the transfer of the coffin to Cárdenas, but with strict conditions: only the parents' car could accompany the hearse, and the rest of the procession had to depart immediately and wait at Calzada de Managua, El Calvario, Arroyo Naranjo. Additionally, it was suggested that the coffin be taken directly to the cemetery in Cárdenas.

During the funeral procession, authorities stopped and searched the procession several times. Upon arriving at Calzada, they were ordered to proceed directly to the cemetery, which was surrounded by police and agents of the Military Intelligence Service, a repressive body of the dictatorship. Under the orders of Captain Alzugaray, the chief of police in the area, cars and individuals were searched. Captain Alzugaray was later executed in a summary trial after the triumph of the Revolution.

Legacy

Echeverría's speech at the Radio Reloj station was mentioned in the poem "Three Minutes of Truth" written by the Soviet-Russian poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko. The Vietnamese writer Phùng Quán also wrote:

"The story about Manzana teaches me a great lesson about language arts. Even the greatest topics like reality or truth could be expressed only in 180 seconds, on condition that the author has to use his life to pay for such invaluable time."