{"id":231898,"date":"2020-12-18T12:52:42","date_gmt":"2020-12-18T17:52:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/?p=231898"},"modified":"2020-12-18T12:52:42","modified_gmt":"2020-12-18T17:52:42","slug":"eusebio-leal-in-the-heart-of-havana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/cuba\/eusebio-leal-in-the-heart-of-havana\/","title":{"rendered":"Eusebio Leal in the heart of Havana"},"content":{"rendered":"

The death of Dr. Eusebio Leal<\/a> on July 31 left Havana orphaned, the city to which he consecrated his life and that this Thursday, as a full tribute to his work, went to give him his choral and at the same time intimate goodbye at the National Capitol.<\/p>\n

There, in the monumental building that he got to see restored, in the symbolic Hall of Lost Steps, at the foot of the gleaming statue of the Republic<\/a>, his ashes received the last tribute from the people of Havana, from all Cubans. Floral wreaths, the national ensign and a beautiful portrait of he who was and will always be for many the Historian of Havana<\/a>, he who devoutly kisses the Cuban flag, accompanied his remains, while thousands of people passed in front of his ashes in silence, sad, grateful, moved.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Box with the ashes of Havana Historian and a portrait of him in which he kisses the Cuban flag, placed for his funeral in the National Capitol, on December 17, 2020. Photo: Otmaro Rodr\u00edguez.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From great artists and figures of the country\u2019s public life to students and humble workers, townspeople, came this December 17 to say goodbye to Eusebio. Loyal to Leal\u2015as the Office of the City Historian named the campaign for the 501st anniversary of the Cuban capital\u2015women and men, young and old, joined in a line that went around the Capitol until it went inside, in the midst of an organized security mechanism in which the necessary measures for the prevention of COVID-19 were not lacking.<\/p>\n

It was precisely the coronavirus<\/a> pandemic that prevented Leal\u2019s funeral services from being held after his death, and although now the island is experiencing an upturn in cases\u2015many of them imported after the opening of the borders\u2015the Cuban authorities did not want 2020 to end without the famous intellectual having the deserved goodbye.<\/p>\n