They were a different kind of days. For them and for those of us who had the privilege of accompanying them in the main activities organized jointly by the National Union of Communications, Informatics and Electronics Workers (SNTCIE, for its acronym in Spanish) and the Ministry of Communications, to which the unconditional support of ETECSA’s senior leadership was added.

This year the involvement of our Company in celebrating and recognizing Telecom workers arriving to their 50th Anniversaries working in this sector was much greater, but there were very powerful reasons, because in this 2022, the 24 recognized workers are from ETECSA, many of them still active, coming from eight provinces: Havana, Matanzas, Artemisa, Las Tunas, Villa Clara, Camagüey, Granma and Santiago de Cuba.

A total of 20 took part accompanied by one person, which completed the happiness of these living histories of communications in Cuba, examples of selflessness, dedication, perseverance and loyalty to a sector that has always been in the front line of combat, and today is one of the three strategic axes for the development of the country. Those who could not be present for health reasons or other causes, will also receive the Certificate supporting their 50 years of uninterrupted work in Communications, signed by Mayra Arevich Marín, the Communications Minister, and by Marisol Fuentes Ferrer, the General Secretary of our National Union.

Despite their five decades in Communications, most of them had not visited Mario Muñoz’s House, the Matanzas Martyrs’ Museum, and now they had the chance to tour the facility in Matanzas municipality of Colon. "The doctor of the Moncada" and Martyr of the Sector lived there his last years, and from there he left for the actions on July 26, 1953. He was killed by his captors that day, just when he was 41 years old. It was very moving for everyone when the Minister communicated with the country's radio amateurs via the station installed in the Museum itself.

These men and women were accompanied all the time by Labor Heroes and Heroine of the Republic of Cuba, Domingo González Estupiñán, from Matanzas, Leonel Hernández Pérez, from Pinar del Río, and Caridad González Borrego, from Artemisa. To which something they did not expect was added and that they treasure as a unique opportunity in their lives: to enjoy the company of Fernando González Llort, Hero of the Republic of Cuba, one of the Five, for whose return the entire Cuban people fought.

Their faces mirrored joy, emotion and the satisfaction of having fulfilled their duties. The dedication devoted by the Minister Mayra Arevich and the Secretary General Marisol Fuentes, in addition to ETECSA's Executive President, Tania Velázquez Rodríguez, contributed to all of this, making an adjustment to their complicated work schedules.

Other important executives from the Company also made a space in their tasks and responsibilities to share with these 50th-Anniversary workers. Grisel Reyes León, Vice Minister of Communications; Odalys Rodríguez del Toro, ETECSA’s First Vice President; Osmel Pérez, Senior Director for Human Capital; Taía López, Cadres Director; and three Territorial Directors: Guelsy González, from Matanzas as host province; Yurys Varas, from Artemisa; and Ricardo Serrano, from Santiago de Cuba among others were present with them.

The closing of the central activity of awarding the Certificates was equally beautiful and different, when Marisol Fuentes said that the closing remarks would be made by the honorees themselves. She invited them to share their life stories. They enthusiastically and very excited, with their diplomas in front, told interesting anecdotes, some of them with international missions in Angola working for Communications. Some relatives also talked, indispensable support in these 50 years of work in a sector which has neither day nor hour.

They received as stimulating and a vote of confidence Mayra Arevich and Marisol’s exhortations and calls to count on them in the important work with young people, so that they can pass on their expertise and share their knowledge learned throughout these 50 years in the sector, to which they started being very young, now with families and many of them show their affection for their grandchildren.

The climax of that morning was Fernando González’s speech, who reiterated the importance of the communications work, "at the present time, and in all times, because -he said- without communications equipment, systems and facilities in Cuba, we (the Five) and other comrades would not have been able to carry out our mission abroad".

But it was not all official activities, very solemn and organized, because if there is something to highlight, it is that the agenda was carried out like clockwork and the organization was its hallmark, to which areas such as Logistics belonging to ETECSA's central level and from the Matanzas Territorial Division, and the Human Capital Main Directorate contributed in a very particular way.

Our 50th-Anniversary workers fully enjoyed several cultural activities, one in Colon after visiting Mario Muñoz’s House, the Martyrs’ Museum, organized by the municipality authorities, for which our Minister of Communications is a Member of Parliament. Besides, they enjoyed night shows at the SumBeach Hotel where they stayed. And the last day, they were taken to Varadero Dolphinarium to see the dolphin show.

Well-deserved recognition and celebrations for these valuable men and women, with half a century of life making Communications their raison d'être, against all odds, always supporting the Revolution, at all stages. Paradigms for the new generations, and pride for all when unanimously, after receiving their Certificate, they expressed that if they were to choose their working life again, it would undoubtedly be in Communications. Congratulations!