Florida, April 16, 1961, at the burial of the victims of the bombings perpetrated against the airports of Ciudad Libertad, San Antonio de los Baños and Santiago de Cuba, the Commander in Chief, Fidel Castro Ruz proclaimed before the world the socialist character of the Cuban Revolution.
During that day of pain and glory, militiamen and soldiers, representatives of the working people, with rifles raised, approved the words of their leader, and made it clear that they would defend the revolution of the humble, by the humble and for the humble, until the last drop of blood.
In the historic act Fidel denounced the US government, «which arms mercenaries and pays them to come and assassinate sixteen and seventeen year olds in a surprise and treacherous attack against a country whose shame, dignity and courage they cannot forgive».
And the Commander-in-Chief added in his speech: «That is what they cannot forgive us, that we are there under their noses and that we have carried out a socialist revolution under the very noses of the United States!
And that we defend that socialist Revolution with those rifles; and that we defend that socialist Revolution with the courage with which yesterday our anti-aircraft gunners riddled the aggressor planes with bullets» (…) «And we do not defend that Revolution with mercenaries; we defend that Revolution with the men and women of the people».
Choosing socialism as the only path was the best tribute to those who offered their lives in the bombing of the airports the day before; with that decision in Cuba a leap was made in the political consciousness of the people who decided their destiny: socialism and bet on a more dignified future for the Homeland, which motivated the resolute support in several parts of the world.
In homage to the fallen in the defense of the Homeland against enemy aggression, April 16 was instituted as the Day of the Cuban Militia.
