Explosion of the steamship La Coubre, more of the dirty war against Cuba

The French steamer La Coubre, with weapons for the defense of Cuba, exploded during her stay in Havana due to sabotage that caused 62 years ago today a hundred dead and 400 wounded.

The next day, during the funeral, the historical leader Fidel Castro explained the facts and showed that the explosion was intentional.

Years later, other investigations would prove the link of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the United States in those events.

According to historical documents, in March 1960 the Revolution on the island was already under political, diplomatic and economic siege by the United States government.

La Coubre was transporting rifles, grenades and bullets, bought from the Belgian national industry by the Cuban government to face the growing aggression of the CIA.

Around three in the afternoon the first detonation occurred that prevented the unloading of all the ammunition and also caused Cuban authorities, rescuers, soldiers, firefighters and the people in general to come to the scene.

For this reason, a second explosion in the middle of the rescue work caused a total of 101 deaths, more than 400 wounded, 34 disappeared and 82 children were left without a father, according to documentary sources.

National historiography coincides in pointing out that it was a sabotage prepared at the embarkation point by agents at the service of the United States with the objective of preventing the arrival in Cuba of the shipment of weapons and ammunition.

In fact, by that date a report had reached the island about the efforts of the US consul in Antwerp, Belgium, who sought to stop the shipment.

At the funeral for the victims (March 5), Fidel Castro mentioned for the first time the slogan that would accompany the Cuban revolutionary process to the present day: Homeland or Death.