Generals Lastres Pacheco, Martínez Puente, Peña and Verdecia Perdomo have died in the second half of July

July 27, 2021

The Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (MINFAR) of Cuba reported yesterday Monday the death of Reserve General Manuel Eduardo Lastres Pacheco.

Lastres Pacheco, is the fourth high-ranking officer to die in just over a week on the island, was a native of Yara, province of Granma, and joined Fidel Castro's guerrilla in 1957, where he served under the orders of Ernesto "Che" Guevara. Lastres was part of Column number 2 Antonio Maceo, directed by Camilo Cienfuegos, which carried out the invasion of Western Cuba. After 1959, he was battalion chief in the fight against bandits, brigade chief, infantry division and of the Territorial Troops Militias (MTT), he also commanded Cuban troops in Angola.

Last Saturday, July 25, MININT announced the death of Rubén Martínez Puente at age 79, also a general of division of the Reserve. He was a fighter of the Rebel Army, he joined the Revolutionary Armed Forces in 1958 as a soldier of the Second Eastern Front Frank País, under the orders of then Commander Raúl Castro Ruz. Upon the Triumph of the Revolution he held various responsibilities such as, Combat aviation pilot, Chief of the Air Brigade of San Antonio de los Baños, Substitute Minister of the FAR Chief of Air Defense and Revolutionary Air Force, Director of the Military Agricultural Union, among others. He was part of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and was a deputy to the National Assembly of Popular Power. He carried out internationalist mission in the Republic of Angola, and was awarded different decorations. It was Martínez Puente who gave the order to shoot down the small planes of the exile group Brothers to the Rescue.

On July 18 it was known from official sources also of the death of the chief of the Eastern Army, General Agustín Peña who joined the Revolutionary Armed Forces through the Camilo Cienfuegos military schools. During his time in the institution he held different positions, from platoon chief, company and tank brigade. He was in charge of the military regions of the provinces of Granma, Holguín (both in the east of the country), and Ciego de Ávila (center) and also directed the army's logistics department. Peña was promoted to the rank of Division General in 2020, participated as a delegate to the 8th Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba, held in April, and was elected member of its Central Committee. When he died he was chief of the Eastern Army of Cuba. For his trajectory he received different decorations.

And two days later, on July 20, the death of Brigadier General of the Reserve Marcelo Verdecia Perdomo was announced, who joined the Rebel Army in 1957, at only 16 years old, and had the opportunity to be as an escort at the side of the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution Fidel Castro, from the days of the Sierra Maestra until 1960. He was part of the Freedom Caravan and made his entry into Cienfuegos on January 6, 1959. He participated in the Cleansing of the Escambray, later in the Battle of Playa Girón, where he was chief of a battalion. Later he went to Africa and was also assigned to units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) in other provinces and territories. The last years of his life he dedicated to working with institutions and organizations supporting the Party, the Government and the people. When he died, in the city of Santa Clara, he served as President of the Association of Combatants of the Cuban Revolution in the province of Cienfuegos and among the numerous recognitions and decorations he received is the honorary title of Hero of Labor of the Republic of Cuba, delivered this year.