Yaguajay is a municipality an ceety in the Sancti Spíritus Province o Cuba. It is locatit in the northren pairt o the province, an borders the Bay o Buena Vista tae the north. The Caguanes Naitional Pairk (protectin swamp an coastal ecoseestems, caves an mural airt) is locatit in Yaguajay.[4]

Yaguajay
Yaguajay is located in Cuba
Yaguajay
Location o Yaguajay in Cuba
Coordinates: 22°19′49″N 79°14′13″W / 22.33028°N 79.23694°W / 22.33028; -79.23694
Kintra Cuba
ProvinceSancti Spíritus
Foondit1847[1]
Established1879 (Municipality)
Area
 • Total1032 km2 (398 sq mi)
Elevation
30 m (100 ft)
Population
 (2004)[3]
 • Total58,938
 • Density57.1/km2 (148/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
Area code(s)+53-41

History eedit

It wis foondit in 1847[1] an established as a municipality in 1879, then pairt o the province o Las Villas.

The Battle o Yaguajay eedit

Camilo Cienfuegos focht an important battle in this ceety ane o the last battles o the Cuban Revolution in 1958 defeatin a Cuban Airmy Caiptain Alfredo Abon Lee, kent as El heroe de Yaguajay (Spaingie: the hero o Yaguajay). In 1958, Fidel Castro ordered his revolutionary airmy tae go on the affensive against the airmy o Fulgencio Batista. While Fidel led ane force against Guisa, Masó an ither touns, the ither major affensive wis directit at the captur o the ceety o Santa Clara, the caipital o wha wis then Las Villas Province.

Three columns wur sent against Santa Clara unner the command o Che Guevara, Jaime Vega, an Camilo Cienfuegos. Vega's column wis caucht in an ambush an completely destroyed. Guevara's column teuk up positions aroond Santa Clara (near Fomento). Cienfuegos's column directly attacked a local army garrison at Yaguajay. Initially Cienfuegos's column wis juist 60 men, oot o Castro's hardened core o 230. But as they muivit through the launds towards Santa Clara, they gained mony recruits. A best guess is that Cienfuegos haed atween 450 tae 500 men fechtin for him. The garrison wis some 250 men unner the command o Lee. The attack seems to have started around 19 Dizember. Convincit that reinforcements wad be sent frae Santa Clara, Lee put up a determined defence o his post. Repeatedly, the guerrillas attemptit tae owerpouer Lee an his men, but each time they failed. By 26 Dizember, Cienfuegos haed become quite frustratit; it seemit that Lee coud no be owerpouered, nor coud he be convincit tae surrender. In desperation, Cienfuegos began tae uise a hamemade "tank" against Lee's position. The "tank" wis actually a lairge tractor encased in iron plates wi attached makeshift flamethrowers on top. It pruivit unsuccessful an aw. Feenally, on 30 Dizember, Lee, oot o ammunition, surrendered his garrison.[1]

Eftermath o the battle eedit

The surrender o the garrison wis a major blow tae the defenders o the provincial caipital o Santa Clara. The next day, the combined forces o Cienfuegos, Guevara, an local revolutionaries unner William Alexander Morgan captured Santa Clara in a fecht o vast confusion. News o the loss o Santa Clara an ither losses elsewhaur panickit Batista an he fled Cuba the next day.

Demographics eedit

In 2004, the municipality o Yaguajay haed a population o 58,938.[3] Wi a total aurie o 1,032 km2 (398 sq mi),[2] it haes a population densitie o 57.1/km2 (148/sq mi).

The municipality wis dividit intae the barrios o Bamburanao, Cabecera, Centeno, Mayajigua, Meneses an Seibabo.[1]

References eedit

  1. a b c Guije.com. "Yaguajay". Retrieved 7 October 2007. (in Spaingie)
  2. a b Statoids (2003). "Municipios of Cuba". Retrieved 7 October 2007. Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  3. a b Atenas.cu (2004). "2004 Population trends, by Province and Municipality". Archived frae the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 7 October 2007."Archived copy". Archived frae the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 12 December 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) (in Spaingie)
  4. Radio Habana. "Yaguajay y el Parque Nacional Caguanes". Archived frae the original on 4 October 2007. Retrieved 9 October 2007."Archived copy". Archived frae the original on 4 October 2007. Retrieved 12 December 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) (in Spaingie)