The Santa Ifigenia Cemetery in Santiago de Cuba is a sacred temple where the monument erected to Mariana Grajales, the mother of Cubans, stands out.
Her remains rest there, but her example and her mettle are present in the feelings and actions of all the people, especially women, worthy heirs of her legacy.
Mariana brought into the world courageous children who gave their lives for freedom, the Maceos, whose exploits in the jungle magnify the history of the nation.
That heroism was not the result of chance but a maternal inheritance, a conscious teaching that love of the country is the most sacred duty of a human being.
Her life at the service of the cause of freedom, her spirit of sacrifice, her commitment to Cuba and her proven courage, made her the mother of Cubans and a paradigm for all women.
José Martí, who worshiped Mariana Grajales and professed sincere affection for her, wrote phrases such as: ?death is not true when the work of life has been well accomplished? and this woman is an example of this.
In Santa Ifigenia there is a monument to pay tribute of remembrance, but the true tribute to the mother of Cubans is the defense of freedom and sovereignty.
That is the commitment that a Cuban people does not renounce, because we are made of the line of courageous and worthy patriots, among which Mariana Grajales stands out.
