The three great men of the war in Cuba: Antonio Maceo, Máximo Gómez and José Martí, met for the first time in La Mejorana, in the vicinity of San Luis. It was a personal meeting, without any witness, where difficult and tense conversations took place, marked by adverse criteria regarding the way to conduct the war.
Maceo and Martí did not agree on the form of government. General Antonio was in favor of a board of chiefs that would be in charge of the legislative activity, giving the military command the freedom to act opportunely to guide the war against Spain to a successful end.
Maceo considered that first it was necessary to win the war against Spain before thinking about the existence of a civil government in the middle of the manigua. Martí felt uncomfortable with that position, considering that it was not only about winning the fight, but also about creating the foundations of the future Republic, where everyone would be represented.
There is no evidence of that meeting, although everything indicates that Maceo started a campaign in the East, while Gómez would concentrate in Camagüey.
The meeting did not end on good terms. The Generalissimo showed a distressed mood when he said goodbye to Maceo, who would fulfill his missions in that region, while Martí and Gómez resumed their march towards the west to fulfill their commitment with the Homeland.
Maceo, knowing the snub caused to Máximo Gómez and the Delegate of the Cuban Revolutionary Party, the following day invited them to visit his camp, presenting them to the troops, as an expression of apology.
La Mejorana is one of the most transcendental moments in the history of Cuba. Not only the methods to conduct the war and a whole political program were debated there, but also important agreements were adopted in spite of the discrepancies.
Maceo approved the Montecristi Manifesto and accepted the appointment of Major General that Gómez had given to Martí, he remained as Military Chief of the East, his brother José, Chief of the Forces of Santiago de Cuba, Gómez, General in Chief of the Army, and Martí as Supreme Chief of the Revolution.
La Mejorana, a place near the town of Dos Caminos, in the municipality of San Luis, Santiago de Cuba, was an important moment to trace the destiny of the struggles for independence. There, despite the clash of ideas, the 95 Revolution strengthened its course to save the homeland above all.
