Heroine of the Cuban Revolution: Melba Hernández

Young revolutionary Melba Hernández involved in the 1953 Moncada Barracks assault with her comrade Haydée Santamaría. She is known by Cuban people as the “Heroine of the Cuban Revolution” for her actions during the Cuban Revolutionary war.

News Center- Melba Hernández Rodríguez del Rey was born in 1921, Las Villas. She was the only child of her family so she was sent to school. She was a successful student in her school life. She graduated from the University of Havana School of Law in 1943. After her graduation, she worked as a Customs attorney for a while. She grew increasingly fed up with government corruption under Dictator Fulgencio Batista, who had seized power in a 1952 coup. She became a member of the Orthodox Party. In time, she met the Cuban revolutionaries and began to act with them.

“Militancy 24 hours a day”

Cuban Orthodox youth were making preparation for the 1953 Moncada Barracks assault led by Fidel Castro. 200 young people were involved in the assault. Young women such as Melba Hernández and Haydée Santamaría were among them. Melba Hernández described the months leading up to Moncada as “militancy 24 hours a day”.

“The last meal”

Melba Hernández helped the revolutionaries by obtaining 100 soldiers' uniforms and stitching different ranks on them. The uniforms were used to attack the Moncada Barracks. Before the attack, the revolutionaries had their meal. After the revolution, this meal was called “The last meal of the revolutionaries.”

She took on important tasks

The attack failed and Fidel Castro, Melba Hernández, Haydée Santamaria, and the remaining survivors of the attack were arrested. Although she had been practicing law for a decade, during the Moncada trial she chose not to defend herself. Melba Hernández and Haydée Santamaria were sentenced to seven months in prison. After 5 months Melba Hernández and Haydée Santamaria were released. Melba Hernández kept in contact with Fidel Castro. In the early 1960s, she was in charge of women's prisons in Cuba. In 1986, she became a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba. She served as the Secretary-General of OSPAAAL (Organization of Solidarity of the People of Asia, Africa & Latin America). She also served as the Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam and to Cambodia. 

Melba Hernández was given the name “Heroine of the Cuban Revolution” for her actions during the Cuban Revolutionary war. She died of complications from diabetes on 9 March 2014.

Tomorrow: The revolution’s ‘Yeyé’: Haydée Santamaría Cuadrado