Oscar Fernández Mel

Brigadier General ® of the Revolutionary Armed Forces was commander of the rebel army, aide to Ernesto Guevara in Africa, chief of staff, mayor of Havana and ambassador of Cuba in London and Helsinki.

A native of Colón, Matanzas, he completed primary education and graduated with a degree in medicine from the University of Havana in 1956.

His parents were José María Fernández Penelas and Mel Castro, from Currás, in the municipality of Lugo's Pastoriza. His father emigrated to Cuba at a young age, where he sold charcoal in the street and worked in a pharmacy in the municipality of Perico, in the province of Matanzas, until he remarried María in Brittany. They later went to Cuba and settled in Colón, where they had five children, the last of whom was Óscar. Shortly after, the family returned to Galicia. At the end of 1937, during the civil war, the family returned to Cuba.

Thus, Oscar completed his primary and secondary education in Columbus and studied medicine at the University of Havana. At the university he began in the student movement and joined the Revolutionary Directorate and the Movement of July 26.

He joined the Rebel Army in the Sierra Maestra as a doctor and combatant, under the orders of Ernesto Che Guevara. He was a member of Column no. 8 which carried out the invasion from East to West and there he served as aide to Che in the Battle of Santa Clara, later he was assigned to the III Front Mario Muñoz.

He was handsome, an athlete, and married Odalys Fuentes who was a famous model since the 50s, both in commercials for Hatuey beer and Max Factor cosmetic products, as well as a Cuban actress since the 50s. Ernesto Che Guevara was the godfather of their wedding. Three children were born from this marriage: Oscar, María Karla and Oscar Ernesto.

Following the triumph of the Revolution on January 1, 1959, he assumed different responsibilities in the Western Army. Fernández Mell participated in the victory over mercenary troops at Playa Girón and for his outstanding trajectory deserved several decorations. He was chief of medical services of the FAR, chief of staff of the western army, and member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba from 1965 to 1991.

He fought with Argentine-Cuban guerrillero Ernesto Che Guevara in the internationalist mission in the Congo in 1965, where he was appointed Chief of Staff of the Cuban contingent.

He served as Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba in the United Kingdom and in Finland. He presided over the Government of the City of Havana.

Oscar Fernández Mel returned to Galicia in 2008, when he was named an illustrious son of Pastoriza.

He died in Havana on June 24 from a pulmonary thromboembolism.