The general director of the Marabana-Maracuba project, Carlos Gatorno,
talked to ACN about this event.

- How did Maracuba emerge?

“Maracuba emerged from the need to spread the experiences that resulted
from Marabana, which has been carried out for several years through the
streets of Havana, to the whole national territory. The purpose of this
event is to promote physical activity nationwide in view that the people
have the right to practice sports”.

- What’s the most significant characteristic of this event?

“Simultaneity is the main feature that makes it different from similar
events worldwide and Cuba possesses the necessary conditions so as to
develop the same sport activities in every province.

Marabana is an allegorical event because the participants compete in
accordance with official distances established by international marathons,
but Maracuba has to do with every Cuban territory, every action and every
minute lived so as to shape values in the new generations and the
population in general. Maracuba allows people from all ages, with
disabilities or not, to compete and fraternize together as a way to
illustrate the importance of socializing sports”.

- How would you describe Maracuba in relation to the struggle of the Cuban
people for the immediate release of the five Cuban antiterrorists unjustly
imprisoned in the U.S.?

“Since 2002 Maracuba reserved that same number for these antiterrorists so
that no one could wear it during a race because it belongs to them.
Besides, the Seventh International Colloquium to Free the Cuban Five ––as
they are internationally known–– will end by November 19, on the same date
that marks the National Day of Culture and Sports. All the activities
arranged within the context of Maracuba focus on demanding the release of
our fellowmen to their homeland”

Gatorno also noted that the Cuban radio station Radio Reloj will mark the
start of the race at ten in the morning in order to assure the desired
simultaneity nationwide and added that this event will take festivities to
every Cuban street.

The minimum distance to travel is one meter and the maximum is four
kilometers. Participants can compete by running, walking, and in
wheelchairs or roller skates.

Maracuba, the most attended event of the Cuban sports movement, will
celebrate on Saturday ––the previous day to the 25th edition of Marabana––
the National Day of Culture and Sports, the 492nd anniversary of the Villa
de San Cristobal de la Habana, and the International Students Day.