Raúl acknowledges national industry’s contribution to defense

BY GERMAN VELOZ—Granma daily staff writer—

HOLGUÍN—General of the Army Raúl Castro Ruz, second secretary of the Party’s Central Committee, visited two factories – the Heroes del 26 de Julio and 60 Aniversario de la Revolucion de Octubre – and congratulated their workers for the contribution they have made to the country’s defense.

During the tour of both factories of the iron, steel and heavy machinery industry, which he made as part of a working visit to the territory of the Eastern Army, the minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (MINFAR) was accompanied by Commander of the Revolution Juan Almeida Bosque, Army Corps General Ramón Espinosa Martín, and Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermudez, all members of the Political Bureau.

Other visitors included Army Corps General Alvaro López Miera, deputy minister head of the General Staff and other generals and officers of MINFAR and the Eastern Army.

At the Heroes del 26 de Julio factory, Raúl praised the completion of a modernized artillery piece and highlighted its combative characteristics, including its capacity to be deployed and readied very rapidly.

Later, at the 60 Aniversario de la Revolucion de Octubre workshops, he affirmed that he is up to date on everything being done in the Holguín factories, as well as the work being done by other civil institutions and agencies in the country, such as their support to the Union of Military Industries, which has made it possible to increase the pace of production and modernization of combat materiel.

Raúl affirmed to those accompanying him that "we will have greater mobility," and, probably reflecting Mambí traditions and his own guerrilla experiences, commented on the principle: "Hit the enemy, maneuver and hit him again."

The FAR minister congratulated the people of Holguín for resisting the hardships of the Special Period and the sacrifices imposed by the drought that has been affecting the province for years.