INTRODUCTION
The city of Santiago de Cuba could rightly consider itself to be the second city of Cuba. Indeed, Cuba’s founder – Diego Velazquez – is buried in the city’s cathedral. The city serves as Cuba’s second port – and, as such, has been a hive of trading activity since shortly after it was established.
HISTORY
Founded in 1514, and serving as the command center during the first stages of the ‘Conquista’, Santiago de Cuba was the capital city of Cuba in the days before the capital was moved to Havana. Later, during the Wars of Independence with Spain, Santiago quietly supported the rebels providing them with medicine and arms needed to carry on their fight. Santiago is also where the Socapa event occurred, with Gneralisimo Maximo Gomex in charge of the now famous Division de Cuba. Later, the decisive naval battle in the North American war with Spain was to occur in the waters just off the shores of the city. In keeping with its strong history of being a place that has an affect on Cuban history, in the 1950s the city would become a center of rebellion activity.
