Onelio L. Pino Izquierdo

Captain of the Merchant Marine Onelio Pino Izquierdo
On this date, Captain of the Merchant Marine Onelio Pino Izquierdo passes away in La Habana, he who was pilot of the yacht Granma on its journey from Tuxpan (México) to Las Coloradas beach (in the former Cuban province of Oriente), in December of 1956, when 82 expeditioners under the leadership of compañero Fidel Castro, leader of the Cuban revolution, formed and integrated the Rebel Army afterwards to restart the armed struggle on the island against the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista.

Onelio Pino Izquierdo was a graduate of the Naval Academy of Mariel, in La Habana, as an officer of the Cuban Navy from which he was expelled in the first months after Batista took power (March 13, 1952, through a coup d'état) due to opposition to the regime.

After the Granma landing he managed to evade persecution by the dictatorial army, leaving the country clandestinely some time later and returning to it with the triumph of the revolution on January 1, 1959.

He subsequently held various positions: he was Captain of the Merchant Ship "Sierra Maestra", he commanded the ship "Cerro Pelado" to Puerto Rico carrying the Cuban sports delegation that participated in the IX Central American and Caribbean Games of 1966.

Later he was appointed chief of the Mambisa Navigation Fleet.