Medal Of Independence.

[Taz]

The Medal of Independence was created by President D. José Miguel Gómez (1909-1913) under Presidential Decree number 129 of February 24, 1911.
This medal was created to reward all members of the Liberation Army, "to save the omission suffered so far, ensuring the glories beloved homelands and historical memories." The fifth article of the Presidential Decree provides that to qualify for the diploma signed by the President and countersigned by the Secretary of the Interior, and the use of the coin, you should have fought and been part of the Liberation Army, from incorporating the same until August 24, 1898, when forgone the assets of the Army. The sixth article provides that membership of the Liberation Army and the individual's graduation certificate will be tested with the liquidation of assets and the seventh that the use of the medal does not mean privilege, prerogative or precedence.


The Medal of Independence, still in force by Article 2 of Decree-Law No. 30 of December 10, 1979, consists of three classes: gold, for the General and Heads; silver for officers, and bronze , for the kinds of troops.
Its type is established in Article 3 of Presidential Decree No. 129 above, the medal comes on the obverse the bust of Liberty with the motto "Patria their liberators", and back Shield of the Republic with the inscription: "War of Independence, 1895-1898."
While it is often the creators of Presidential Decrees decorations include the dimensions and shapes of the pieces that represent them, this merely refers to the file of the Interior Ministry, where the model and design act approved today in the Archive Republic National.


This award begins the painful habit of the first medals to be born Republican honorary law by signing a certificate, without support in a standard derivative.
Apparently it was not considered necessary as the text of Presidential Decree No. 129 was sufficiently clear about those who were entitled to receive the award.


By Act of Congress of July 4, 1911 (Official Gazette of 6 July), was granted a loan of seven thousand dollars ($ 7,000) for expenses of issue of the Medal of Independence, which would be distributed free, for once, to the rank and file who obtain the diploma.


Decree-Law No. 30 of December 10, 1979 upheld the validity of this award and consequently that of its constitutive rules, and although it has fallen into disuse because their owners have died and again has not been granted, the institution remains in force.


CO Maikel Arista-Salado

[Taz]

Medalla de la Independencia in gold

[medals73]

Fascinating. I am amazed that this earlier award from the bad old days is still recognised.

[Taz]

Medalla de la Independencia in silver

[Taz]

Medalla de la Independencia in bronze

[Taz]

Originally Posted by medals73

Fascinating. I am amazed that this earlier award from the bad old days is still recognised.

Yes Ed is very strange, just like the Medalla "De la Emigración"
This Medal has been eluding me since i started researching about Cuban awards and it was right in front of my nose.
As for the original ribbon now that still remains a bit of a mystery to me.
In the ribbon charts its pale blue and white but i have never seen this medal with a ribbon like that.
The image below is part of a group, and i think its what it should be for at least the silver and bronze/copper versions.

[medals73]

Yes, that last one is the original ribbon though, for obvious reasons, it was a difficult one to find as old ribbons ran out. It has never been clear to me how many Cubans got it, but it was widely awarded to US military personnel (by purchase from the new Cuban government) for bringing "freedom" to Cuba through the Spanish-American War and then in suppressing "bandits" who felt Cuba's subservience to Spain should not simply be replaced by subservience to the USA.