This revolutionary resident in Mexico, welcomed the group of revolutionaries who were preparing to resume the fight against the tyranny of Fulgencio Batista upon the arrival of Fidel Castro to Mexico in 1955 after his release from the Model Prison of Isla de Pinos. After the revolutionary triumph in Cuba, María Antonia continued to be faithful to Fidel and the Revolution. She passed away on April 3, 1987.

Model Prison of Isla de Pinos

In the second decade of the 20th century, during the regime of dictator Gerardo Machado, Isla de Pinos was selected as the ideal site for the creation of a large prison, which was built in the style of the Juliett prison in Illinois, in the United States. The Presidio Modelo had four large five-story circular galleys, which had a total of 465 cells with capacity for two prisoners each. In the center of the circulars there were tall towers where the guard was located. These towers were reached through tunnels whose entrance was located outside the circular galley. The first circular galley was opened on February 17, 1928, and the facility as a whole was completed in 1931.