On April 16, 1961, the Commander in Chief, Fidel Castro, spoke before the people that gathered at the renowned corner of 23rd Street and 12th Street, in the neighborhood of El Vedado in Havana.

That was a sensitive moment for the country, and his words did not only inspire every Cuban in the midst of the understandable uncertainty that reigns during an attack, but were also spoken for the families of the victims of the cruel bombing performed the day before by U.S.A. planes against the airbases in Ciudad Libertad, San Antonio de los Baños and Santiago de Cuba leaving seven deceased and more than fifty wounded.

During the funeral services to the ones who fell defending the nation, Fidel announced, for the whole world to know, the socialist nature of the still young Cuban Revolution.

In that occasion, he said: «Here, in front of the graves of our fallen comrades; here, beside the mortal remains of the heroic young people, sons and daughters of working and humble families, let us reaffirm our decision that just as they faced the bullets, just as they offered their lives, all of us, proud of our Revolution, proud of defending this Revolution of the humble, by the humble and for the humble, will not hesitate to defend it, against any enemy, whoever they might be, and whenever they might come, until the last drop of blood in our bodies».

The reaction of the people was instantaneous just a few seconds after that, all the weapons were being held high and the cries of the people and militants proved the effervescence of the Cubans, and from there they went to defend socialism.

On April 17, 1961, in the early morning, a group trained, armed and financed by the White House disembarked on Playa Girón and Playa Larga.

Thanks to the endurance of Cubans, in less than 72 hours the mercenaries were crushingly defeated. That is how the Playa Girón (Bay of Pigs) Invasion became the first important defeat that the imperialist system of the U.S.A. had to face in Latin America.

Fifty-nine years later, Cuba still holds its weapons high while developing a prosperous and sustainable socialist system with the essential participation of the people, which is now more united than ever before in the fight against the subversive plans of the United States of America and its blockading policy, which has only become stronger even in these difficult times that are worsened by COVID-19.