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File ID: #8567
Resolution
Sponsored by: Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla, Commissioner Joe Carollo,
Commissioner Manolo Reyes, Commissioner Jeffrey Watson
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION COMMEMORATING THE LIFE
OF EUGENIO ROLANDO MARTINEZ.
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City of Miami
Legislation
r=f Resolution
Enactment Number: R-21-0067
File Number: 8567
City Hall
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, FL 33133
www.miamigov.com
Final Action Date:2/11/2021
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION COMMEMORATING THE LIFE
OF EUGENIO ROLANDO MARTINEZ.
WHEREAS, Eugenio Rolando Martinez Careaga ("'Martinez") was born in Artemisa,
Cuba in July 1922 to Cosme and Clara Martinez; and
WHEREAS, Martinez, known by his friends as "Musculito" for his muscular physique,
lived at home with his parents while he studied medicine at the University of Havana,
completing four (4) years, before his father became ill forcing Martinez to leave medical school
and take over the family business; and
WHEREAS, Martinez was inspired into public service by his uncle and godfather,
Manual Perez Galan, a successful entrepreneur and industry leader in the pineapple business
in Cuba and honorably served as a state senator for over thirty (30) years; and
WHEREAS, Martinez followed his patriotic inspiration and joined an underground
resistance to President Fulgencio Batista when Batista seized control of the Cuban government
and ended the democratic process; and
WHEREAS, Martinez's commitment to a free and democratic Cuba was exemplified
when Batista fell and Fidel Castro seized control of Cuba as Martinez and many of his fellow
fighters in the anti -Batista movement continued to demand the reinstitution of democracy and
immediately began an anti -communist movement against the Castro regime; and
WHEREAS, Martinez and his family were persecuted and deprived of any and all
property and forced to flee Cuba for the United States; and
WHEREAS, upon his arrival in the United States, Martinez joined the Central Intelligence
Agency ("CIA") where he served the United States of America during the height of the Cold War,
while continuing his lifelong struggle to bring freedom to Cuba; and
WHEREAS, Martinez played a key role in the Bay of Pigs Invasion; and
WHEREAS, Martinez undertook over three hundred fifty (350) clandestine missions into
Cuba to support pro -democracy fighters and extract endangered persecuted people out of the
island to freedom, saving numerous lives; and
WHEREAS, Martinez willingly undertook his service at great personal expense, unable
to help his own parents as noted in an interview published by Vanity Fair magazine in 1974: "My
mother and father were not allowed to leave Cuba. It would have been easy for me to get them
out. That was my specialty. But my bosses in the Company -the CIA -said I might get caught and
tortured, and if I talked I might jeopardize other operations. So my mother and father died in
Cuba. That is how orders go. I follow orders"; and
WHEREAS, Martinez was one the key players in the 1972 Watergate scandal that led to
President Richard Nixon's resignation as he was part of the infiltration team recruited under the
premise that they would uncover proof compromising the Castro regime of influencing United
States elections; and
WHEREAS, in recognition for Martinez's dedication to fighting for freedom and his
service to the United States during the Cold War, Martinez received a Pardon from President
Ronald Reagan in 1983, absolving him of responsibility for the Watergate scandal; and
WHEREAS, in recognition of Martinez's lifetime dedication to fighting for the freedom of
his homeland and his service to the United States, at great personal risk, Martinez was granted
the title of Leyenda del Exilio by the America Teve Network, who dedicated a one -hour
autobiographical docu-drama on his life; and
WHEREAS, Martinez died on January 30, 2021 at his daughter's home in Minneola,
Florida at the age of 98 and is survived by a loving and devoted family; and
WHEREAS, Martinez will be remembered for his legacy of saving an untold number of
lives and is rightly being honored by the City of Miami ("City") for his contributions to the City
and the Cuban exile community;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, FLORIDA:
Section 1. The recitals and findings contained in the Preamble to this Resolution are
adopted by reference and incorporated as if fully set forth in this Section.
Section 2. The Miami City Commission hereby commemorates the life of Martinez.
Section 3. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption.
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS:
Barnaby L. Min, Deputy City Attorney 2/2/2021
Pursuant to the resolution, this item became effective immediately upon adoption by the Commission.