Camilo Cienfuegos Gorriarán was born on February 6, 1932 in the neighborhood of Lawton, in the present-day municipality of Diez de Octubre, Havana, Cuba. in the present municipality of Diez de Octubre, in Havana, Cuba.
A precocious student with a defined vocation, on September 21, 1949, at the age of 17 and already having completed his higher primary studies, he signed his admission ticket to the San Alejandro National Academy of Fine Arts.
He attended during the first semester of the academic year of that year, but abandoned his studies due to economic problems. During the period in which he was a student at San Alejandro, he was working in the store “El Arte”, as an apprentice tailor. His jovial temperament and spontaneous smile won him friends from the first moment.
In 1948, he participated in the popular protests against the increase in bus fares. In 1954, he joined the struggle against the Batista dictatorship and was registered by the repressive authorities, forcing him to leave the country.
Seeking better economic opportunities for his family and protection for his life, he decided to emigrate to the United States when he was only 21 years old. In 1955 he was arrested and deported to Cuba, joining the student struggles, being wounded in a protest demonstration.
He was imprisoned, tortured and booked by the dictatorial regime’s hired assassins, and had to return to the path of exile in New York, joining the revolutionary opposition in exile. In New York he learned of the project headed by Fidel Castro, aimed at organizing an armed expedition in Mexico with the purpose of disembarking in Cuba and launching an armed struggle against the dictatorship.
After the complex journey and the landing in Cuba, Camilo, together with Fidel and a group of combatants, began the redemptive crusade in the eastern part of the country. On December 5, 1956, three days after disembarking, he had the first battle in Alegría de Pío and in spite of the adversities and the disparity of rebel forces with respect to the enemy, who had more powerful means and equipment, they did not cease in their determination to continue fighting against Batista’s hosts.
He was present in different combat actions, in the town of La Plata, in January 1957, then in El Uvero, Bueycito, El Hombrito, Pino del Agua, among others in which he stood out for his bravery and courage.
It was precisely his brave behavior in the battles that earned him the title of “Lord of the Vanguard” and his promotion to lieutenant in the Rebel Army.
In April 1958, Fidel assigned him the rank of Commander and due to his qualities, he was entrusted to lead Column No. 2 Antonio Maceo to lead the invasion towards the West and open a new guerrilla front, planned for the mountains of Pinar del Rio.
In his passage through the provinces he participated in important combats such as Cristo and Narcisa, until his arrival on December 23 of the same year to complete the siege on the city of Yaguajay, facing the enemy until the 31st of that month when, together with Che, he promoted the defeat of Batista in Santa Clara and the subsequent escape of the dictator.
Then the Commander in Chief instructed him to advance towards Havana and take the Columbia Camp, headquarters of the General Staff of Batista’s army, and on January 2, 1959 he achieved the surrender of the troops stationed there.
The revolutionary and patriotic work of the also “Hero of Yaguajay” earned him the trust of Fidel, who in his speech on the 8th upon entering the capital asked him: “Am I going well Camilo?”, a phrase immortalized in history for the meaning of loyalty deposited in him.