PRESIDENT Raúl Castro Ruz presided over the tribute to Major General Antonio Maceo Grajales, his aide Captain Panchito Gómez Toro, and the 2,000-plus internationalists whose bodies were returned to the beloved homeland 20 years ago to receive a dignified burial.

Raúl, Communist Party and government leaders, principal chiefs of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, school children, military cadets and combatants in the Revolution placed flowers on the graves of Maceo and Panchito. At the same time wreaths were laid at those of the communist leader Blas Roca Calderío, and Juan Fajardo Vega, the last mambí of the 19th century wars of liberation.

On behalf of the new generations, Reinaldo Izquierdo, national champion in the "Friends of the FAR" competition, speaking in the military ceremony, reaffirmed the commitment of children and young adults to the future of the homeland and to follow the example of heroes such as Maceo, Panchito and our internationalists.

Army Corps General Alvaro López Miera, member of the Political Bureau, hero of the Republic of Cuba, deputy minister of the FAR, distinguished for his bravery during various internationalist missions in Africa, recalled Maceo as a military leader, an intelligent strategist, a prestigious chief and an astute and untiring man who participated in more than 800 combat actions in which he was injured on 26 occasions.

López Miera recalled the days in December, 1989 when Cuba received the remains of those who died fighting in distant lands and how the entire nation poured into the streets to pay tribute to them. And then he repeated what Fidel said on that December 7th in Cacahual:

"On selecting this date to bury the remains of our heroic international combatants who died in different parts of the world, primarily in Africa, from where the ancestors of Maceo and a substantial part of our blood has come, December 7 will become a day of remembrance for all the Cubans who gave up their lives in the defense of the homeland and in defense of humanity. In this way, patriotism and internationalism, two of the most beautiful values that humans have created, will be united forever in the history of Cuba."