Lino de las Mercedes Álvarez Padilla

Lino de las Mercedes Álvarez. Mambí of the 1895 war in Cuba, defender of the rights of the peasantry during the republican period.

He was born in Dos Bocas, between Santiago de Cuba and El Cristo, in 1877. Dark-skinned, small in stature, muscular, strong, with deep dark eyes, speaking slowly like someone who did not like to repeat words.

He was a veteran lieutenant of independence, fought in the 1895 war under the orders of José Maceo and Calixto García. He participated in the armed protest movement against the menocalato, known as La Chambelona.

In 1902 he lived in Buey Belona which was later called Finca Belona and finally, Finca Azucarera Maisí; defender of all those who were mistreated or oppressed, an example of this was the confrontation he had with the foreman Manuel Chávez, to whom he went out in defense of a mistreated cart driver, which led to his transfer to Santa Rita and from there to Marcos Sánchez, where he cultivated the land on the Colón farm.

Once he was ordered to carry out an eviction of the realenguistas and he refused, claiming "that he had gone there to drive carts and not to evict peasants"; for which he was dismissed, went to the Realengo to work the land and became a leader of the peasants, dedicating himself to the defense of the settlers and the land.

In 1917 he was offered land and money to abandon the struggle, offers that he rejected, becoming then a victim of an assassination attempt: the soldier Aniceto Cuervo shot him twice, resulting in wounds to both arms and other parts of his body; he managed to escape by hiding in a pond known as La Guadalupe, where he remained hidden until he was assisted by Juan Nápoles, brother of his wife Gumersinda.

In 1933 a rural guard couple arrested him between Alto de la Caridad and Soledad del Mango, unexpectedly as he passed in front of his farm, he escaped by jumping a barbed wire fence.

The soldiers pursued him with gunfire, but could not wound him. Those who heard the shooting believed they had killed him, and from there arose the legend that Lino was a sorcerer, that he transformed at will without leaving a trace.

With a natural disposition for struggle and with a wealth of practical knowledge, he came to acquire great authority among the realenguistas, who saw in him the guide, the man with a sense of command and with the drive of action and daring; those to whom neighbors came seeking advice on family problems and matrimonial matters.

In this struggle he saw himself as a mambí, dressed as one, with his warrior attributes; uniform, leggings, saber and his ranks of lieutenant of the Liberation Army.

His personality stamped its mark on the struggle for land and for life, he was impregnable before threats and bribery, was wounded 3 times and did not falter, did not hesitate before the rifles of the army.

He sacrificed his personal assets in lawsuits before the courts in demand of justice for all, he lived as a poor peasant on his farm El Desengaño.

His strength of character, his proven courage and tested honesty were the virtues that made him the respected leader of the peasants.

He died on October 3, 1954.