Fidel embraces Pedro Jiménez, who was then the first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba in the southern municipality.

It was 1996; more than three thousand Jobabo sugar workers were doing their best to comply with the sugar plan of that harvest. Farmers played their part and those from the mill sought higher yields during the manufacturing process.

Jobabo, Las Tunas.- March 31 would not be just any day. That day the longed-for goal would be reached, with more than 23 thousand tons of raw sugar, never before achieved in the Peru sugar mill, whose group was always willing to overcome challenges and adversities.

From early in the morning, they finalized details in the cane fields and greased the mechanisms, because that day the final whistle would be tinged by an intense smell of molasses, which already overflowed the smiles of those who spilled sweat to achieve success.

Everything flowed smoothly. At 11:00 in the morning, the traditional part was given from the control and analysis room. It was not long to reach the goal, all looking forward to it. The day progressed, sweat ran, the workers took no rest, the managers did not stop communicating, and questions did not end.

On the outskirts of the industry, in various agencies and many other places, vehicles and residents joined. No one knew what will happen later, but human intuition is powerful. Some senior leaders would come to celebrate the triumph of "Peru" together with the people. What no one imagined who that personality might be.

After 3:30 in the afternoon, in the middle of a blazing sun, a caravan broke in. A few minutes passed and many said almost in unison: "Fidel is in Jobabo." The Commander-in-Chief had previously gone to the analysis room of the sugar mill.

A short time later, he ascended -majestic, virile and smiling- the stairs of the La Punta cultural square, where thousands of inhabitants of the capital city and the periphery attended. They wanted to see and greet the man who triumphed in the Sierra Maestra, who attacked the Moncada and challenged the danger in Girón, whose life was never taken by the enemy with his murderous plans.

Fidel had come to Jobabo to acknowledge the victory of the sugar producers, to whom he thanked the meritorious work carried out in 73 days of harvest. There he awarded diplomas to the most prominent in the contest.

He delivered an eloquent speech in which he pointed out that the sugar makers had achieved historical records involving great merit, great will, and great effort.

This is how that afternoon passed, of which we jealously guard memories of a leader who criticized what was not done well, but still knew how to praise and acknowledge the good results.