The arrival of the Cuban Revolution meant for Cayo
Largo del Sur emerging from anonymity and isolation. President Castro was the main
promoter for its natural charms. On August 16 1959 the President visited the Cayo for the
first time and remained there until August 18, sufficient time to appreciate the natural
beauty of the place. It was then that the idea emerged. He suggested the construction of a
hotel to make Cayo Largo into a tourist resort. In the face of an imminent mercenary invasion, Fidel Castro directed the artillery for the defense of Cayo Largo del Sur which was lead by the then Commander of the Rebel Army Vitalio Acuña (Vilo), who was subsequently renowned for this role with Che guerrilla in Bolivia. A total of 53 mercenaries were captured on the site when they attempted to flee from the disaster at the Bay of Pigs Cayo Largo: school and fishing cooperative In 1961 construction work was completed on the building which Fidel Castro had proposed to start off tourism on the Cayo, but the final details were never concluded. The building was used for the creation of a fishing cooperative, that later became a school were young people from throughout the county were trained in this profession. Cayo Largo had changed from the place it was in 1959, it became a place inhabited by a "family" of 300 seamen. Fidels´s ideas become reality With the last administrative reshuffle of the
island's provinces, Cayo Largo, as part of the Los Canarreos archipelago, became part of
the Isle of Youth municipality. A decision was taken then to resume the project that was
begun in 1960 to transform Cayo Largo in a tourism resort capable of competing with the
best in the world. |
