Havana: On October 4, 1965, Cubans had in their hands the first copy of a newspaper with the glorious name of Granma, Radio Reloj publishes.
Its cover echoed the historical events that occurred the night before at the then Chaplin Theater, today Carlos Marx, when the imminent launch of that newspaper was announced as a result of the merger of the morning Revolución and Hoy.
In that act on October 3, Cuba witnessed how the revolutionary process took a crucial step in its political strengthening, supported by the cohesion of the people.
Those were turbulent times, of incessant siege to the Revolution, and Fidel – like Martí when organizing the necessary war – had a very clear idea of having a single Party to unite forces in the defense of the dream of a better society and to be the ideological guide of Cuban society.
One Party, one feat
55 years ago today, the then United Party of the Socialist Revolution of Cuba changed its name to the Communist Party of Cuba, with the acclaim of political leaders from all over the country gathered at the then Chaplin Theater.
On that memorable night, Fidel announced the integration of the Central Committee, in which – as he said – every heroic episode in the country’s history in recent years was represented.
There the leader of the Revolution read Commander Che Guevara’s farewell letter, already in other lands to continue fighting against imperialism. And he announced the founding of the newspaper Granma as an organ of the Central Committee and a political instrument to assert the truth about Cuba.
That day another feat of the people was taking place, defining the character of a Marxist-Leninist party to lead the Revolution and guarantee its continuity.