A few words and five faces

Their faces, their names, stars and phrases with heroes, five, freedom and ‘they will return’ everywhere in Cuba. This set of written words and painted faces, sketched or printed in the most unimaginable formats and places became one of the most vivid visual memories of the country.

We recognized them even when badly painted. “Return” was always in future. Then one day that seemed ordinary, if not for the presence of a miraculous saint, we woke up repeating it in the past tense, by word of mouth, the words so often heard and read. “They’ve returned!” The Five came back. Sounds strange, but it is a reality.