There are figures of the Cuban Revolution who played an important role for many years, and because of the modesty and simplicity with which they did so, few remember the date of their death. One of them was José Miguel Miyar Barruecos, Chomy, to whom we dedicate these lines on the third anniversary of his death on January 20, 2023, at the age of 90.
Chomy, as he was known in the political, professional, and academic world, devoted himself for more than 30 years to the direct service of Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz. He was Secretary of the Council of State of the Republic of Cuba from 1980 to 2009 and later Minister of Science, Technology, and the Environment between 2009 and March 2012.
He was born in the town of Siboney, Santiago de Cuba, on August 3, 1932. He was a combatant in the underground resistance and in the Rebel Army's Column 1. He graduated with a medical degree from the University of Havana in 1959. He was a member of the Commission for the Establishment of Rural Medical Service in Cuba, later becoming its director, and provided medical services in the Imías area of Baracoa.
He participated in the Bay of Pigs invasion and served as Vice Minister of Public Health between 1965 and 1966. From 1967, he was Rector of the University of Havana for a six-year period considered fruitful and transformative. In 1973, he assumed the general directorship of the National Citrus Program until 1976. In 1976, he became head of the offices of the Presidency of the Council of State and was elected deputy to the National Assembly of People's Power for the Havana municipality of 10 de Octubre. From 1980, he held the position of Secretary of the Council of State, replacing Celia Sánchez Manduley, who had held that responsibility until her death, and served until August 1, 2009. At the same time, Chomy was assigned new and very important tasks by Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz, in his capacity as personal aide.
In this role, as reported by the Granma newspaper, he earned the Commander-in-Chief's unlimited trust and the admiration and affection of all who knew him. He zealously preserved a valuable photographic and written record, particularly regarding the thought, life, and work of the Commander-in-Chief, and as a result of his unwavering dedication and commitment, he left a contribution of extraordinary significance for posterity.
He accompanied Fidel Castro on his historic trip to the liberated territories in southern Vietnam, from September 11 to 17, 1973. He served as Minister of Science, Technology and Environment from 2009 to 2012 and coordinated the Scientific Hub in western Havana from its inception until 2012. Chomy was responsible for the development of biotechnology and the creation and operation of the Latin American School of Medicine, an institution that awarded him an honorary doctorate in Biological Sciences. He was also Professor Emeritus at the "Victoria de Girón" Faculty of Medicine and the University of Havana, and received other teaching awards.
On June 14, 2018, he was nominated as an Honorary Member of the Cuban Academy of Sciences.
He was a founding member of the Communist Party of Cuba and a member of its Central Committee until June 2013. He received numerous decorations for his significant service to the nation, including the honorary title of Hero of Labor of the Republic of Cuba. At Dr. Miyar Barruecos's funeral in 2023, Army General Raúl Castro Ruz and President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez were present. His remains rest in the Armed Forces Pantheon at the Colón Cemetery in Havana, and the Cuban people remember him with the affection and respect he earned throughout his life.