Founded by Fidel, Raúl, Camilo and Che, the magazine Verde Olivo, the official press organ of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, celebrates its 65th anniversary. From the publication of its first issue on April 10, 1959 in the form of a popular newspaper, and up to the present day, it has disseminated the national, military and international traditions of the Cuban Revolution.
Verde Olivo Publishing will present several special publications throughout this year, in honor of this important anniversary. Available to readers, in physical form and on the website, is the magazine titled 65 Years with the Revolution. This brings together some of the most influential aspects that occurred during seven key periods of its history.
It includes interviews with the founders, directors, war correspondents, and winners of the national press, who were direct witnesses to the history of the revolution and publishing in its various stages.
In addition to the photographs of the interviewees, documentary collections such as photographs, representative covers and the first issue of the magazine are also on display, which have been preserved thanks to the efforts of the staff of the archives of the Verde Olivo publishing house. For their outstanding work in facilitating the publication of history, they are also honored in this edition.
One of the testimonies that gives prestige to these pages is that of journalist and researcher Eduardo Blas Yacels. In addition to being one of the founders of the magazine, he was a war correspondent in Girón, the fight against bandits, and the October 1962 crisis. He accompanied the Cuban delegation headed by Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz, and attended the conference. Non-Aligned meeting in Algeria in 1973, among other missions.
More than his anecdotes, he told the magazine about Guerrillero Heroico’s relationship with the publication, in which, under the pseudonym El Francotirador, he tirelessly wrote about international politics and articles devoted to military training, among other topics.
“He was in the habit of carefully recording his observations in his personal diary every day in the Sierra Maestra. The vast majority of these notes initially appeared as of February 1961 as records in the magazine, and were generally known under the collective title “Sections from Our Revolutionary War.”
He also commented that Che, before publishing his works, “gathered many fighters in his office, there at the Central Bank, to get all the accounts of events, where he said he was in a corner and had to tell them everything. Once it was reviewed by everyone, it was published.”
Angolan War Stories by Its Heroes and Public Reception Juana Carrasco, winner of the Jose Martí National Journalism Award for Life’s Work, spoke to Ferde Olivo about these stories and many more. He added: “We tried to reflect, in realistic colors, the lives of soldiers, militia members, and reserve soldiers…”
He particularly noted how the magazine lived through the special period in peacetime, which forced the military press to close its pages. But she was calm because she trusted the promise made by Army General Raul Castro: “His deep, steady and clear voice, full of optimism, still resonates in my ears. It was also his commitment, made in accordance with the new era, but guaranteed to reach this 65th anniversary: We will go out again.
This is how it happened. In June 2007 the magazine was born again. Since then, it has gone through a process of growth and development, until it moved to virtual platforms in 2020.
For 65 years, the magazine and its entire team have been loyal soldiers of ideas, living glorious moments in our history. Thanks to simple, direct language, accompanied by evocative vision, she manages to interest readers of all ages in the life of an increasingly armed institution.
After this journey through time, the special edition, 65 Years with the Revolution, culminates in the words of the current director, Colonel (R) Roque Ernesto Garrio Andreu:
“Being Director of Verde Olivo Publishing, in addition to a very great honour, represents a strong commitment to the leadership of the FAR, to the high standing of the founders of the publishing house, and to all the generations of revolutionaries who created and built the working collective.
“Unapologetic tv specialist. Hardcore zombie trailblazer. Infuriatingly humble problem solver.”