67th Anniversary of a Proudly Cuban Revolution
The immense joy of victory was etched on the faces of millions of Cubans on that First of January, 1959. The long-awaited Revolution had triumphed. Countless stories and anecdotes about that historic day have since been passed down from generation to generation—by grandparents, parents, friends—by those who forged it and by those who, ever since, have carried it forward.
The path, as the supreme leader of the Revolution, Fidel Castro, once foresaw, has not been an easy one. Yet the strength of the people in their struggle for emancipation has been extraordinary, as has their determination to achieve unprecedented social development across multiple spheres of national life, in pursuit of justice and unity.
Sixty-seven Januaries have now passed since the beginning of a far-reaching political, economic, social, and cultural process—one that has safeguarded the historic aspirations of the people and whose resilience has enabled Cuban women and men to navigate the nation through critical moments, amid the intensification of a genocidal blockade, a global economic crisis, and persistent actions by the U.S. empire against Cuba.
These have been decades of unrelenting struggle and undeniable achievements, made possible by the collective effort of Cuban men and women who continue to contribute today. Even in the midst of scarcity, power outages, shortages of water supply, and transportation difficulties—to name only a few of the challenges—the people celebrate this new anniversary of the beautiful revolutionary victory with joy, optimism, commitment, and confidence in the future, while paying well-deserved tribute to the generation that, under Fidel’s leadership, secured Cuba’s definitive freedom and stood beside him in the construction and defense of Socialism.
As José Martí affirmed in his seminal Vindication of Cuba, “the struggle has not ceased,” nor will it cease as long as imperialism exists. Here we stand, with resistance, commitment, and dignity held high, despite every obstacle, determined to move forward the country to which we genuinely belong and which we deeply love.
We are not alone. Many beyond our borders support and accompany us, for we also work for peace, cooperation among peoples, and solidarity, from a firm anti-imperialist position.
What greater tribute can be paid to Fidel, in the year marking the centenary of his birth, than to commit ourselves to preserving all that has been achieved, to perfecting the immense revolutionary project, and to pressing forward—recalling the words he spoke with pride: “This is our Revolution” … and nothing will stop it, because it is immortal.
As we raise a toast among family and friends and exchange our best wishes for a better 2026—one of happiness and prosperity—let us all resolve to deepen our participation, to work, study, create, and defend everything accomplished by the Revolution, with the pride of knowing ourselves to be an essential part of it.
Long live the 67th anniversary of the Revolution!
Translated by Luis E. Amador Dominguez
Photo: Abel Padrón Padilla/ Cubadebate
