Artillery Salutes to Mark Anniversary of the Triumph of the Revolution

At 00:00 on January 1st, a military ceremony will be held featuring a 21-gun artillery salute fired from the San Carlos de la Cabaña fortress to mark the 67th anniversary of the triumph of the Revolution.

An official notification states that "to allow public participation in the ceremony, the fortress will open its doors starting at 23:00 hours."

This customary protocol was rehearsed on the night of December 26th, when the detonations were heard throughout the Cuban capital.

In the early hours of January 1st, 1959, then-President of Cuba Fulgencio Batista fled the country, compelled by the advance of the rebel forces led by Fidel Castro.

According to historiography, in a last-minute maneuver supported by the U.S. embassy in this capital, authorities attempted to install General Eulogio Cantillo as head of a civic-military junta to fill the void left by Batista.

However, Fidel Castro secured the surrender of the Santiago de Cuba garrison and called on the people to launch a general strike. This strike, massively supported across the nation, ensured the revolutionary victory.