He was a leader of the Cuban student body who was assassinated by dictator Gerardo Machado's police while participating in a demonstration on September 30, 1930. In his revolutionary work at the University of Havana he was linked to the events carried out by the student body against Machado's tyranny, for the recognition of university autonomy and to carry out the plan of reforms and purification of the teaching staff proposed by Julio Antonio Mella. In the university elections of 1930 he was elected vice-president of the Law School Students Association.

Gerardo Machado

He was a Cuban politician and military man who became president of Cuba. He had wide popularity and support from the main political parties. That support diminished over time as the socioeconomic conditions of the Cuban people worsened during his time in office. He intensified repression which led to tyranny. In 1933, through a revolutionary general strike, he was overthrown and left the country for the United States.