The date recalls the assassination of Frank Pais, leader of the July 26 Movement, and his comrade Raul Pujols in eastern Santiago de Cuba province on July 30, 1957.

The death of both young men transcended national history as a heinous crime that inflamed the nation’s patriotic feelings and convened to recall every year more than 20,000 martyrs who died to free Cuba from the Batista regime’s abuses.

Known in undercover life as David, Frank Pais led the sabotage actions of the insurgent movement in Santiago streets. He responded to the leadership of Fidel Castro from the eastern mountains.

On November 30, 1956, the young revolutionary leader led a popular uprising to support the arrival on Cuban shores of 82 expeditionary of the Granma yacht, coming from Mexico led by Fidel Castro.

The historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, affirmed regarding this anniversary that the memory of the martyrs “has to be recalled like an examination of the conscience and behavior of each one of us, it has to be like a recounting of what has been done…”

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