José Ramón Fernández
Encyclopedia
José Ramón Fernández Álvarez (born November 4, 1923) is a Cuba
n Communist
leader who is a Vice-President of the Council of Ministers.
, where he studied his first and second education. In 1947 he graduated from the Cadet School of Cuba and also from the Artillery School as well as from other courses of the General Staff in Cuba and at Fort Sill
in the USA.
From March 10, 1952, he took part in different conspiracy activities and movements against the Batista
tyranny with different military and political groups, until 1956 when he was caught when the conspiracy movement called “Los puros” was discovered. He was judged and sentenced to prison at Presidio Modelo
on the Isla de Pinos (Isle of Pines), where he was until the Triumph of the Cuban Revolution
on January 1, 1959.
At the time of the Bay of Pigs Invasion
on 17 April 1961, he was director of militia training and based at Managua near Havana. He was sometimes referred to as 'El Gallego
'. Before dawn that day, Fidel Castro ordered him to command the many battalions of militia and regular army troops engaged in fighting the invading forces of Brigade 2506
. Late on 19 April 1961, he was among Cuban government forces that finally broke through to Playa Giron and forced surrender and dispersal of invading troops.
He was promoted to the rank of Capitan in 1959, to Commandant
in 1961 and to Brigade General of the reserve in 1966. He was graduated from the Higher War School in the curse 1963 – 1964. From 1959 he has been in charge of different responsibilities and positions, among which there are:
Director of the Cadet School of the Rebel Army; Chief of the Direction of Combat Preparation of the General Staff of FAR (initials for Revolutionary Armed Forces in Spanish) until 1968; Deputy Minister of FAR until 1970; First Deputy Minister of Education until 1972; Minister of Education from 1972 until 1990 and Vice-President of the Council of Ministers from 1978 to the present.
José Ramón Fernández Álvarez took part in the five Congresses of the Cuban Communist Party and since 1975 is member of the Central Committee.
At the third congress of the Cuban Communist Party, he was elected as a Substitute Member of the Political Bureau. Fernandez is a deputy to the National Assembly since 1976 and Member of the Council of State from 1981 until 1993.
, held in Havana
in 1982 and the Organizing Committee of the XI Pan American Games
in Havana in 1991. He was also the chairman of the Organizing Committee of the VI Athletics World Cup that took place in Havana in 1992. From 1997 he is the President of the Cuban Olympic Committee.
He was the chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Scientific–Academic Conference "Giron, 40 years later", that took place in March 2001 and of the International Conference "The Missile Crisis, a political vision 40 years later" on October 2002. Fernandez is Emeritus Professor of the Pedagogical Higher Institute "Enrique José Varona".
.
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n Communist
Communist Party of Cuba
The Communist Party of Cuba is the governing political party in Cuba. It is a communist party of the Marxist-Leninist model. The Cuban constitution ascribes the role of the Party to be the "leading force of society and of the state"...
leader who is a Vice-President of the Council of Ministers.
Pre-Revolution life
Fernández was born in Santiago de CubaSantiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city of Cuba and capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province in the south-eastern area of the island, some south-east of the Cuban capital of Havana....
, where he studied his first and second education. In 1947 he graduated from the Cadet School of Cuba and also from the Artillery School as well as from other courses of the General Staff in Cuba and at Fort Sill
Fort Sill
Fort Sill is a United States Army post near Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.Today, Fort Sill remains the only active Army installation of all the forts on the South Plains built during the Indian Wars...
in the USA.
From March 10, 1952, he took part in different conspiracy activities and movements against the Batista
Fulgencio Batista
Fulgencio Batista y Zaldívar was the United States-aligned Cuban President, dictator and military leader who served as the leader of Cuba from 1933 to 1944 and from 1952 to 1959, before being overthrown as a result of the Cuban Revolution....
tyranny with different military and political groups, until 1956 when he was caught when the conspiracy movement called “Los puros” was discovered. He was judged and sentenced to prison at Presidio Modelo
Presidio Modelo
The Presidio Modelo was a "model prison" of Panopticon design, built on Isla de Pinos in Cuba.The prison was built under President-turned-dictator Gerardo Machado between 1926–1928...
on the Isla de Pinos (Isle of Pines), where he was until the Triumph of the Cuban Revolution
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
on January 1, 1959.
Cuban Revolution and beyond
From 1959, as a member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, he took part in the different mobilizations, both productive as well as for the defense of the country. He also carried out other tasks of the Cuban Revolution both in Cuba and abroad.At the time of the Bay of Pigs Invasion
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The Bay of Pigs Invasion was an unsuccessful action by a CIA-trained force of Cuban exiles to invade southern Cuba, with support and encouragement from the US government, in an attempt to overthrow the Cuban government of Fidel Castro. The invasion was launched in April 1961, less than three months...
on 17 April 1961, he was director of militia training and based at Managua near Havana. He was sometimes referred to as 'El Gallego
El Gallego
El Gallego in Spanish means 'The Galician', but Cubans apply it to anyone likened to Spanish working class immigrants, hence it is often combined with given names of Cubans and quoted in literature....
'. Before dawn that day, Fidel Castro ordered him to command the many battalions of militia and regular army troops engaged in fighting the invading forces of Brigade 2506
Brigade 2506
Brigade 2506 was the name given to a CIA-sponsored group of Cuban exiles formed in 1960 to attempt the military overthrow of the Cuban government headed by Fidel Castro...
. Late on 19 April 1961, he was among Cuban government forces that finally broke through to Playa Giron and forced surrender and dispersal of invading troops.
He was promoted to the rank of Capitan in 1959, to Commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
in 1961 and to Brigade General of the reserve in 1966. He was graduated from the Higher War School in the curse 1963 – 1964. From 1959 he has been in charge of different responsibilities and positions, among which there are:
Director of the Cadet School of the Rebel Army; Chief of the Direction of Combat Preparation of the General Staff of FAR (initials for Revolutionary Armed Forces in Spanish) until 1968; Deputy Minister of FAR until 1970; First Deputy Minister of Education until 1972; Minister of Education from 1972 until 1990 and Vice-President of the Council of Ministers from 1978 to the present.
Political life
He represented the Cuban government at the investiture of presidents in several Latin American countries and in other governmental events; is member of the Executive Committee of the Pan American Sports Organization.José Ramón Fernández Álvarez took part in the five Congresses of the Cuban Communist Party and since 1975 is member of the Central Committee.
At the third congress of the Cuban Communist Party, he was elected as a Substitute Member of the Political Bureau. Fernandez is a deputy to the National Assembly since 1976 and Member of the Council of State from 1981 until 1993.
Other points of interest
He chaired the Organizing Committee of the XIV Central American and Caribbean GamesCentral American and Caribbean Games
The Central American and Caribbean Games are a multi-sport regional championships event, held quadrennial , typically in the middle year between Summer Olympics...
, held in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
in 1982 and the Organizing Committee of the XI Pan American Games
Pan American Games
The Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
in Havana in 1991. He was also the chairman of the Organizing Committee of the VI Athletics World Cup that took place in Havana in 1992. From 1997 he is the President of the Cuban Olympic Committee.
He was the chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Scientific–Academic Conference "Giron, 40 years later", that took place in March 2001 and of the International Conference "The Missile Crisis, a political vision 40 years later" on October 2002. Fernandez is Emeritus Professor of the Pedagogical Higher Institute "Enrique José Varona".
Acknowledgements
In recognition to his work he has been awarded several medals, among them the title of Hero of the Republic of CubaHero of the Republic of Cuba
The title Hero of the Republic of Cuba is a distinction in Cuba, awarded for heroic feats in service to the Cuban state and society. It has been received by only a few individuals, including Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez, Juan Almeida Bosque, Leonid Brezhnev and the Cuban Five....
.
External links
See also
- CubaCubaThe Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
- Cuban RevolutionCuban RevolutionThe Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
- Cuban Missile CrisisCuban Missile CrisisThe Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation among the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States in October 1962, during the Cold War...
- Cuban Communist Party