Born on February 17, 1927 in Havana, the Commander of the Revolution Juan Almeida Bosque became a prestigious fighter and revolutionary leader.

He also made a great contribution to Cuban culture with multiple musical creations and also for the important books he wrote.

He was born into a humble family. Although due to economic limitations he had to drop out of school when he was in the eighth grade, he always liked to read and was very interested in the political events of the country. 

It was when he started working at the Balneario Universitario that, due to his daily contact with students, he was able to have greater contact with cultural activities. 

It was precisely at that facility that he later met Fidel Castro, when he was studying at the University of Havana. From the first moments a friendship was established between them. 

After the coup d'état of March 1952, Almeida again became more directly related to Fidel with whom he shared the decision to fight against the dictatorial regime.

Almeida joined a clandestine cell of the Movement that Fidel was developing and participated in the trainings that were being carried out.

And on July 26, 1953 he was part of the group of young revolutionaries who under Fidel's leadership carried out the assault on the Moncada Barracks in Santiago de Cuba.

Months later, after being judged and condemned for his participation in that action, he was interned in the Model Prison of Isla de Pinos, where together with Fidel and the other combatants imprisoned there, he maintained a very firm position.

In May 1955 he was released as a result of the general amnesty that Batista's regime was forced to decree.  But the tyranny developed a tenacious vigilance over him, and he was even arrested again. 

It was then that in February 1956 he left for Mexico where he immediately began to participate in the training that took place in a ranch in the outskirts of the capital of that country.

On November 25, 1956, together with Fidel, he left for Cuba aboard the Granma Yacht.  Then he makes his decisive contribution to the revolutionary struggle in the Cuban territory for more than two years. 

On February 27, 1958, he was promoted to Commander and Fidel entrusted him with the leadership of the Third Eastern Front to be created. He fulfilled this responsibility to the full and the work he carried out contributed effectively to the development of the revolutionary war until the triumph of the Revolution.

From 1959 onwards, he held various responsibilities in the armed forces as well as in the leadership of the Party and the Cuban Government. He was a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Party and Vice President of the Council of State.

For his relevant merits he received several decorations, among them the Honorary Title of Hero of the Republic of Cuba and the Máximo Gómez Order of first degree.

Without neglecting his responsibilities, Almeida also carried out an important creative work. Already in 1956 he created La Lupe, which after the revolutionary victory was popularized by Amelita Frades.

Subsequently, many Cuban singers and groups included in their repertoire this creation by Almeida, as well as others, both romantic and political, such as the song entitled Cualquier lugar es mi tierra, in which he reflected the internationalist vocation of the Cuban people and in the final part of which he emphasized: "Y que viva Fidel" (Long live Fidel).

Juan Almeida Bosque died in Havana on September 11, 2009. Two days later in a Reflection prepared by Fidel, when summarizing the transcendence of Almeida's life and work, he expressed: ""He defended principles of justice that will be defended at any time and in any era, as long as human beings breathe on earth. Let us not say that Almeida has died! He lives today more than ever!""