Cuban Woman, 107, Recalls Life in Guantánamo and Post-Revolution Opportunities

María Sosa, at 107 years old, possesses a remarkable lucidity as she recounts her life, offering a vivid tapestry of experiences from Guantánamo, Cuba. Born on June 13, 1919, she is the youngest of five siblings and remembers a time when her mother worked tirelessly, washing and ironing clothes for white families to support them.

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When I need to know anything about Guantánamo, come see me.

Sosa vividly recalls her early working days at age 13 in a coffee-hulling establishment. She describes the fear residents felt on Saturdays and Sundays due to the "demons" – drunken U.S. Navy soldiers from the nearby base who would disrespect the local population. These soldiers, arriving by train and riding horses, were described as "insufferable." Sosa recounts an incident where local youths retaliated, throwing stones and injuring one of the soldiers, leading to a significant confrontation that deterred their disruptive behavior in that area, known as Loma del Chivo.

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My mother, to support us, had to wash and iron clothes for white people.

Reflecting on Cuba's history, Sosa expresses a preference for the post-1959 Revolution era over the "pseudorepublic." She highlights the opportunities that arose after 1959, noting that four of her five children became professionals: a doctor, a professor, an economist, and an engineer. This contrasts with the earlier period, where she and her family had to remain indoors on weekends to avoid the soldiers' harassment.

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those demons from the Naval Base, they came and respected no one. They knocked on doors and, if they managed to get in, don't even think about it.