Founder of the Cuban Revolution's Mariana Grajales women's brigade passes away
Granma | Wednesday, 12 November 2025 | Click here for original article
Lilia Rielo Rodríguez, revolutionary combatant and one of the founders of the Mariana Grajales women's platoon in the Rebel Army passed away aged 90 years old in Havana on Tuesday 11 November.
Lilia was born on 27 March 1935 in San Luis in the east of Cuba and at 22 years old joined the 26th of July Revolutionary Movement in 1957 along with her sister Isabel. They carried out activities such as selling bonds, making armbands, distributing the Sierra Maestra newspaper, and raising funds to support the struggle
In March 1958, she joined the Sierra Maestra, where months later she became part of the group of heroic women who, on 4 September formed the women's platoon founded by Fidel Castro Ruz at the La Plata Command Post.
An obituary in the Cuban newspaper Granma stated: "After the revolutionary triumph of 1 January 1959, Lilia took on various tasks assigned by the highest leadership of the Revolution, to which she remained loyal until her last moments. Lilia Rielo is an example of Cuban women in the struggle for their sovereignty and emancipation.
"Our condolences to her family and comrades in arms."
Find out more about women in the Cuban Revolution. Read Women in Cuba: the making of a revolution within a revolution available from the CSC shop
Lilia pictured second from right
