In mid-December 1958, while the Rebel Army tightened its siege on troops entrenched at the BANFAIC (National Bank of the Armed Forces) in Maffo, a rural hideout became the stage for a symbolic reunion. On December 17 at 11:00 a.m., Fidel and Raúl Castro embraced in La Rinconada, after having last parted on March 1 at Che Guevara’s command post deep in the Sierra Maestra.
Even today, despite the mountain roads opened by the Revolution, reaching Fidel Castro’s final command post in eastern Cuba requires effort. The site lies within a lush nature reserve, marked by a striking rock formation known as “La Rinconada.” This landmark had previously served as a camp for Major General Calixto García Iñiguez during Cuba’s wars of independence in 1868 and 1895.
During the liberation campaign of 1956–1959, Fidel recognized the strategic advantages of the location. Following the Rebel victory at the Battle of Guisa, he established his headquarters here between December 7 and 19, 1958. Archaeological remains—clay vessels and petaloid axes—confirm that the area was once a large indigenous settlement. The headquarters itself was not a cave, but a rocky overhang of about three cubic meters, naturally shielded by surrounding vegetation and medium-sized stones. A spring flowing from the roots of a massive tree still provides water to locals today.
At the heart of the site, a royal palm and a star apple tree stand where Fidel and his closest comrades—including Calixto García Martínez, Juan Almeida Bosque, Efigenio Ameijeiras, Francisco “Paco” Cabrera, Pedro Miret Prieto, and Celia Sánchez Manduley—hung their hammocks. From this command post, Radio Rebelde broadcast Fidel’s orders to 20 stations across Cuba, coordinating the liberation struggle.
It was here that Fidel directed operations to free Jiguaní, Baire, Maffo, and Palma Soriano in December 1958. Local peasants supported the Commander with food and laundry, often risking their lives against Batista’s troops, who threatened them with execution if they withheld information about the rebels.
Just one day after Fidel’s reunion with Raúl, La Rinconada hosted a decisive meeting of rebel leaders and future members of the Provisional Government. Together, they mapped out the strategy to capture Santiago de Cuba before the year’s end—a goal that would mark the triumph of the Revolution.
