Cárdenas, Cuba

Cárdenas on the map of Cuba

San Juan de Dios de Cárdenas Cárdenas, or simply is a city and a municipality in the province of Matanzas, Cuba. It is bordered to the north by the Straits of Florida, on the east by the Municipalities Martí and Perico, to the south by Jovellanos, on the southwest by Limonar and to the west by the province of Matanzas capital. Also belongs to the municipality of the town Varadero. The municipality has an area of ​​528.8 km ² and 143 593 people live here ( census 2012).

The city was founded in 1828. 's Population grew, thanks to the port, which allowed the efficient trade with agricultural products grown in the region and even today is one of the most important ports in the country. Cárdenas became the main center of sugar production in the country. 1850 hoisted the patriot Narciso López here for the first time the flag of Cuba, which is why the city is also nicknamed Ciudad Bandera carries ( "Flag City ").

Cárdenas is a good infrastructure by several highways and railway lines. Varadero International Airport is located on the territory of the Municipalities. More economic importance of the promotion of overlapping in the Bahía de Cárdenas oil and gas.

Popular uprising of June 1962

In June 1962 was Cárdenas site of the first large protest demonstration of the Cuban people against the government under Fidel Castro. Many city residents were dissatisfied with the impact of the communist economic policies and restrictions on their freedoms. The supply situation had deteriorated significantly since the revolution of 1959, so that the government introduced the nationwide food rationing. The main form of protest were street demonstrations predominantly poorer black women who fought on their empty cooking pots, while food and an end to the repressive measures demanded. The Cuban leadership sent soldiers and tanks from other parts of the country by Cárdenas to stifle the protests, there were numerous arrests and summary executions of four suspected leaders. Subsequently, the government let the tank mount up in a military parade, which included artillery and flyovers by fighter aircraft and was transferred, including a victory speech of President Cárdenas had come to Osvaldo Dorticós nationally televised and radio. As Castro Cárdenas gave a speech a year later, he set up this cautionary words to " the counterrevolutionary lumpenproletariat and its allies from the bourgeoisie " in the province of Matanzas, "To sell the lumpenproletariat enough a single day. "

Sons and daughters of the town

• Elián González ( * 1993), refugee boat
• Gisela Hernandez Gonzalo (1912-1971), musicologist and composer
• Danell Leyva (* 1991), American gymnast