Chile’s Fair launches book on Cuban revolutionary Haydée Santamaría

The book "Haydée Santamaría. Revolución y Cultura" (Haydée Santamaría. Revolution and Culture), about the Cuban fighter and founder of the Casa de las Americas cultural institution, was launched at the International Book Fair of Social Sciences, which continues in Chile this Tuesday.

Haydee is a fundamental figure in the history of Our America and played a leading role in the whole epic that concluded with January 1st, 1959 victory,” the author, Argentine Alexia Massholder, said.

During the launching of the book at the Recoleta commune, Massholder retold the life of this woman who participated in the attack on the Moncada Garrison in 1953, supported the struggle in the Sierra Maestra mountain range, and then worked abroad in search of funds for the Revolution.

Haydée Santamaría founded the Casa de las Americas in 1959, a cultural institution that, with competitions, awards, publications, and promotion of artists, played a fundamental role in making Latin American culture known to the world, the historian said. Questioned by Prensa Latina about her motivations for writing the book, Massholder, who is also a professor, affirmed that she admired the Cuban revolutionary process and its impact on the entire region in cultural, philosophical, geographic, and geopolitical terms.

During the book launching, the Cuban Consul in Chile, Yoel Guerra, recalled that Haydée’s work, and especially the foundation of the Casa de las Américas, transcended the borders of her country and had a leading effect on the development of Latin American culture.