The front depicts the portrait of José Martí (1853-1895) was a crucial Cuban leader in the struggle for Cuban independence against Spain. A poet, essayist and revolutionary, he was exiled several times for his anti-colonial activities and played an essential role in the creation of the Cuban Revolutionary Party. Martí worked for the unity and freedom of Latin American nations, embodying a vision of social justice and human dignity through his writings, including “Versos Sencillos.” He died in 1895 during the Battle of Dos Ríos, becoming a symbol of resistance and a national hero in Cuba, his literary and political influence lasting across Latin America.
The reverse shows the event of January 8, 1959, Fidel Castro and his men, triumphantly entering Havana, the capital of Cuba, marking the end of the Cuban revolution. That day, Castro and his revolutionary forces overthrew the regime of dictator Fulgencio Batista, who had fled the country the day before. The entry into Havana of Castro and his supporters was a decisive moment in Cuban history, symbolizing the victory of rebel forces and the beginning of a new political and social era in the country.
