Abel Santamaria House Museum

Here you are, at 120 Calle P, where Abel Santamaría once lived—a young Cuban who, in just a few years, went from being an ordinary citizen to the second-in-command of the revolution led by Fidel Castro. Let’s rewind a bit. Born in Encrucijada, Cuba, Abel moved to Havana in 1947 at the age of 20 to continue his studies. He soon found work in a textile factory and joined the Cuban Orthodox Party, a step that reflected his growing political and social commitment. In March 1952, Fulgencio Batista, who had previously served as president of Cuba in the 1940s, seized power through a military coup. The move was highly controversial—especially to Abel Santamaría. By May 1953, he had aligned himself with Fidel Castro. The two men formed a close bond and organised resistance meetings here, in apartment 164, which Abel shared with his sister Haydée. The assault on the Moncada Barracks on 26 July 1953 was planned in this apartment, but the attack partially failed, forcing Castro to retreat. Abel and several companions, unaware of this, were captured by government forces. Abel was tortured and executed, while others, including his sister, were imprisoned. During the trial that followed, Fidel Castro described his fallen comrade as “the most generous, the most beloved, and the bravest of our young men.” Today, Abel’s apartment is a national monument and a museum, where every object remains exactly as it was on the day of the attack.