Cuba Honors Nicolás Guillén on 36th Anniversary of His Passing

Today, Cuba commemorates the 36th anniversary of the death of Nicolás Guillén (1902–1989), the National Poet and founding president of the Union of Cuban Writers and Artists (Uneac).

The official Uneac profile on the social media platform X highlighted Guillén’s work, deeply tied to the island’s cultural identity and resistance, which remains alive in the nation’s memory and artistic endeavors.

A review published in Juventud Rebelde on the life and legacy of the author of Sóngoro Cosongo (1931) described him as one of the most authentic voices in Cuban poetry, synthesizing the nation’s mestizo roots—those of the white grandfather and the Black grandfather—and elevating popular verse to universal significance.

The text further noted that Guillén’s work spanned the 20th century with a profound revolutionary spirit and unwavering commitment to the people.

Among his most representative works are Tengo (1964), El gran zoo, Poemas de amor, La rueda dentada, El diario que a diario, and Por el mar de las Antillas, in which he explored themes such as exploitation, racial discrimination, imperialist domination, and the necessity of social revolution.

Likewise, the publication emphasized that Guillén viewed art as a tool for cultural resistance, asserting that "there is no such thing as depoliticization" and condemning the false independence of those who serve foreign interests.