1905. General Máximo Gómez dies in Havana.

He begins his military career, about to turn 20 years old, when he enlists as a soldier to defend his country, the Dominican Republic, from attacks from neighboring Haiti. Already in 1863 he holds the rank of Cavalry Captain. When the Spanish domination over Santo Domingo ceased, many officers from that country moved to Cuba together with their families. In 1865 he arrived on the island with the rank of Commander of the Dominican Reserves. He had extensive military experience, especially the tactics of machete charges.

On October 16, 1868, he joins those who had started the war for the independence of Cuba almost a week before. Initially he held the rank of sergeant, but two days later, based on his experience and ability from a military point of view, Carlos Manuel de Céspedes promoted him to Major General. With a small troop on November 4, 1868 he led the first machete charge of Cuban independence fighters. Later, during the development of the war, he held the military leadership of all the army corps and showed exceptional combat qualities. After the signing of the Zanjón Pact, in 1878, Máximo Gómez returned to his country. Already in the years of the nineties in the nineteenth century, José Martí, establishes contact with him again and in his capacity as Delegate of the Cuban Revolutionary Party, appoints him General in Chief of the Liberation Army. On March 25, 1895, Martí and Gómez signed what Cuban history has collected under the name of the Montecristi Manifesto, in which the objectives and characteristics of the war were outlined.

On April 11, 1895, together with José Martí Gómez, he arrived in Cuban territory through the southeastern area of ​​Playitas de Cajobabo.

Later he led various battles and also, together with Antonio Maceo, contributed to the invasion of a large column of fighters who moved from the eastern to the western part of Cuba.

1943. Rosa Elena Simeón is born in the town of Bejucal, then province of Havana.

From her childhood and youth, her family created a favorable environment for learning, which contributed to her becoming an excellent student. At the triumph of the Revolution she was 16 years old and in high school. Like thousands of young people of his time, he received a scholarship for his university education and was able to study medicine at the University of Havana, where he graduated in 1966. During his time as a student, he actively participated in the activities and tasks as well as in the defense of the Revolution. Based on her results and her work in general, she was selected to continue her career as a researcher at the National Center for Scientific Research, one of the most prestigious institutions in the country. In 1969 she was appointed head of the Virology department of that institution and was assigned the task of advising the Animal Virology department. In 1970 she became the director of the Microbiology department of said center and in 1975 she obtained the degree of Doctor of Veterinary Sciences, as well as in 1981 that of Senior Researcher.

Characterized by her profound revolutionary conviction and her complete mastery of her assigned missions, she was able to represent Cuba in various international forums related to science, technology and the environment. Her personal prestige and her moral authority were widely recognized among the authorities and personalities of several countries linked to that branch in the world. As a result of her long and fruitful work, she received numerous scientific and professional recognitions and the highest distinctions, among them, that of National Labor Heroine of the Republic of Cuba and the Carlos J. Finlay Order, the highest national recognition awarded awarded to scientific personalities in the country.

Until the last moment of her life, she was aware of all the affairs of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, which she directed since its creation in 1994.

Her death occurred in Havana on October 22, 2004.