HAVANA, Cuba.- One of the lesser-known aspects of the leader of the Orthodox Party Eduardo Chibás Ribas are the luxurious houses in which he lived, Vedadoduring its 43 years of existence.
During his youth, according to a plaque on the façade, Chibás lived with his relatives in a large three-story mansion located on the corner of 17th and H.
The beautiful residence, converted into a citadel, is currently in a state of ruin, with botched construction additions that further detract from its former splendor.
Opposite is what was once the lavish residence of the Gelats family, which has been the headquarters of the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC) for decades. It is well preserved, although it has undergone architectural modifications.
The second place where he lived Chibas It was in the López Serrano building, on the corner of 13th and L, near the Malecón and the Rampa, among other notable points of El Vedado.
The majestic building, designed by the famous architect Ricardo Mira —who also designed the bookstore Modern Poetry—, it was the tallest building in Havana until the Focsa was built in 1956.
The López Serrano, in Art Deco style and with a central tower imitating the skyscrapers of New York, is a true symbol of Cuban architecture.
The place where it is located was originally the so-called “Casa del Chino” (Chinese House), because the Chinese ambassador lived there.
The residence was later purchased by Spanish-born tycoon José López Rodríguez, better known as Pote.
During the 1929 banking crash in the United States, which affected local investors, Pote considered himself bankrupt and committed suicide. His fortune was estimated at 93 million dollars, and he left his heirs 11 million pesos, the La Moderna Poesía bookstore, and his luxurious residence.
The widow and her son, José López Serrano, invested and multiplied the capital they inherited, building, among other things, the emblematic López Serrano building.
This building, built with the best resources of its time, has 14 floors. The first 10 have eight apartments on each floor. The remaining four are in the tower and are the most luxurious and independent, since each one contains only one dwelling, as a horizontal property model adopted later in other buildings.
It was precisely on the 14th floor, the highest, that its owner, José López Serrano, lived. Later, in February 1944, it passed into the hands of Chibás.
The apartment also served as a meeting place for the leader of the Orthodox Party’s followers. The characteristics of the building allowed Chibás to reject people he did not wish to receive.
The building where Chibás lived was 600 meters from the CMQ, where he did his weekly radio program. It was also close to the University of Havana, an important point for recruiting proselytes for the Orthodox Party.
Julio Antonio Mella’s daughter, Natashawho was recruited to the Orthodox Party at a very young age, visited Chibás, who convinced her to run for councillor. Later, disenchanted with Chibás, Natasha Mella said that “he was very egocentric, that he was crazy, with a delusion of unlimited power, interested in popularity, willing to rise above everyone.”
Another person captivated by Chibás who also visited López Serrano’s apartment was the then young lawyer Fidel Castro.
Chibás, who came from a wealthy family, had as his party’s motto “Shame against Money.” However, his comfortable life did not correspond much to his slogan.
Eduardo Chibás died on August 16, 1951, ten days before his 44th birthday, as a result of a gunshot wound he had inflicted on himself on August 5, when he attempted suicide at the end of his radio program because he was unable to present evidence against the Minister of Education Aureliano Sánchez Arango and other government officials whom he accused of corruption.
At López Serrano there is a plaque dedicated to Chibás by “his fellow fighters” that recalls that he lived there for his last seven years.
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