HomeMy WebLinkAboutRafael Cabezas Fundora's BiographyRafael Cabezas Fundora
Rafael Cabezas Fundora was born on June 11, 1936 in the Parraga
neighborhood of Havana, Cuba. He was born to Sira Fundora Cabezas and
Pedro Cabezas. He had two brothers - his twin, Pedro, and Lazaro Cabezas, a
younger sibling. As a young man, he studied and graduated from
Universidad de La Habana, In 196o, he arrived in Miami and joined the
Brigade 25o6 to fight with his fellow countrymen in the unsuccessful military
attempt to overthrow the communist Cuban government. During the Bay of
Pigs invasion on April r7, 1961, he fought, was captured. He was imprisoned
by the Cuban government for 20 months for his role in the invasion, and was
eventually released and left for the United States in December of 1962. He
married the love of his life, Patricia Inez Mendez in March of 1963, and his
brothers joined him in Miami shortly after in 1968. Rafael and Patricia had
their only child, Rosa Cabezas in February of 1964. She gave him two
grandchildren - Carolina in 1999 and Rafael Renato in 2001.
Despite the failure of the Bay of Pigs invasion, Rafael's passion and
dreams for the democratization of his homeland never waned. He spoke
fondly of Cuba and believed that one day, the communism that entrapped its
beauty and bounty would one day fall. In the meantime, he became a
successful businessman in Miami, as well as a community leader and
political activist. He owned and maintained garages around Miami,
becoming most knowledgeable in the oil trade and the implications on
economic relations around the world. He became an educator, serving as an
adjunct professor of international politics at Florida Memorial College from
1975 to 1980. He spent the last 10 years as chairman of the Allapattah
Business Development Authority (ABDA), which is devoted to improving the
economic and social success of the area in Miami. Rafael was also very active
with.the Brigade 25o6 Veterans Association, becoming its President from
1990-1993. He was an exemplary leader, a committed man of the community,
a lover of Cuban history, and an authority on the political economy of
modern Latin American/U.S. relations.
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