Through his Twitter account, the president wrote that ‘the first defeat of imperialism began a day like today, when we declared ourselves socialists, only 90 miles away.’

In addition, the head of state quoted a phrase from the historical leader Fidel Castro when he said ‘whatever you say, starting with Girón, all the peoples of America were a little freer.’

Six decades ago on this date a mercenary fleet escorted by the United States Navy was sailing to Cuba, a prelude to the invasion that became a failure and reinforced support to the Cuban Revolution.

It was Operation Pluto, approved by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, on March 17, 1960, with the close participation of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces of the northern power, with the aim of overthrowing the new government on the island.

On April 15, 1961, warplanes with false Cuban acronyms simultaneously attacked the San Antonio de los Baños air base, the Ciudad Libertad airstrip, in the capital, and the airport of the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba.

At the funeral of the victims, on a day like today 60 years ago, Fidel Castro proclaimed the socialist nature of the Revolution.

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