Although it may seem like a personal story, it is not, but rather the story of the many years of effort made by a woman named María Amelia Núñez Domínguez, who joined the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDRs) at the age of 14, when Fidel Castro called for the defense of the Revolution with the great strength of the people, who would confront enemy actions in the 1960s.
Today, at 71 years old, this cederista, who serves as Coordinator of the CDRs in the Patricio Lumumba neighborhood, more popularly known as La Cuba, in the municipality of Contramaestre, has achieved the status of National Vanguard for many consecutive years. This is the only area in Contramaestre to have received the neighborhood, community, and family awards. She also participated in the 7th and 8th CDR Congresses and earned the distinction of Most Vigilant and Most Combative.
For all these reasons, we decided to contact her, and in doing so, we discovered a hidden treasure. She possesses a wealth of experience in the work of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDRs), and continues to enrich the country’s largest mass organization with her teachings.
This grassroots CDR organization in Contramaestre has been a national benchmark in urban, suburban, and family agriculture, thanks to its sustained work in this area with the participation of all CDR members. They acted diligently in fulfilling their tasks, taking into account the current circumstances, from which we will emerge victorious.
This woman, with her measured speech, smile, and hopeful spirit, takes a deep breath and, her mind working at full capacity, adds:
“Since I arrived at the age of 14, I have held a recognized position in Cuba’s largest mass organization, guided by the example of my parents, who were also CDR leaders many years ago in this municipality, in CDR 5 of Zone 7.” This position has earned me many national, provincial, and municipal awards, including one that I hold dear: the opportunity to attend the 7th and 8th CDR congresses. My district boasts three neighborhood awards: one for my family, another for my district with its ten CDRs and 510 members.
There are truly many things María Amelia wants to tell us, for she possesses a prodigious mind, but time is running out, and she summarizes her remarks by saying:
“Primary schools are important to me because they, along with their students, also earned the neighborhood award, a distinction granted by the CDRs to institutions, families, and dedicated CDR members.”
