At the headquarters of the diplomatic mission and in the presence of Ambassador Oscar León, they observed a minute of silence to honor 2,085 Cuban fighters who lost their lives along with the Angolan people, in addition to 204 others who died while performing civilian duties.

Military, naval, and air attaché, Colonel Enrique Kindelán, recalled the life of Díaz Argüelles, who joined the “13 de Marzo” Revolutionary Directorate in the struggle against the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista (1952-1958) and reached the rank of commander at the age of 22.

After the revolutionary triumph of January 1st., 1959, he assumed several responsibilities, including fighting bandits until eradicating the gangs operating in Matanzas province.

In August 1975, at the request of Dr. António Agostinho Neto, for military assistance, Argüelles was appointed by the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, to establish and later direct the military mission in Angola during its first stage.

President João Lourenço, in a posthumous title, awarded Argüelles the Agostinho Neto Order, which was delivered in a solemn ceremony at the Palace of the Revolution in Havana on July 1, 2019.

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