The day Bayamo became Torch City

January, 2025 – One of the names that distinguish the eastern city of Bayamo is that of Torch City, in reference to the fact that, back in 1869, its inhabitants decided to set it on fire to prevent it from falling into Spanish hands.

Only the smoking ruins of Bayamo receive the Spanish troops commanded by the Count of Valmaseda when on January 12, 1869 they enter that city, first capital of the Republic of Cuba in Arms, where Carlos Manuel de Céspedes and his men had constituted the pro-independence Government.

Only 10 days had passed since the beginning of the war and before the impossibility of the insurgents to defend the town threatened by several enemy columns, the people of Bayamo decided to set fire to it before surrendering it again to the colonial yoke.

The burning of Bayamo demonstrated the bravery, the patriotism, the intransigence and the personal disinterest of the great majority of its inhabitants, who preferred the privations of the manigua where they fought for a liberated Cuba.

Bayamo gave the supreme example; other Cuban cities or towns were devastated by the fire of patriotism such as Guáimaro, Las Tunas, Jaruco and San Jerónimo.

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Acerca de Martha Martínez Duliet

Licenciada en Educación en la especialidad de Historia y Ciencias Sociales en la Universidad de Camagüey. Labora como periodista en Radio Florida desde el año 1993 desempeñándose actualmente como editora del sitio digital de esta emisora. Contactos: Twitter: @MDuliet Facebook: Martha Martínez Duliet Blog personal: soyfloridana@wordpress.com

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