Bernabé Varona

Bernabé Varona (1845 – November 4, 1873), also known as Bembetta, was a Cuban revolutionary and Mambí general who was executed during the Ten Years' War in 1873.

Early life
Bernabé Varona y Borrero was born in the district of Puerto Principe in Cuba in 1845. He was the son of Bernabé Varona and María Borrero y Duque de Estrada. His father was a prominent Cuban citizen and wealthy sugar planter in Puerto Principe (now Camagüey).

Sent by his patriotic mother, he received his college education in the United States. After completing his education, he returned to Cuba and began his years-long opposition to Spanish rule.

Varona became a member of the Tínima Lodge No. 16 in Puerto Principe, along with other prominent figures of Camagüey society.

In 1868, Varona was taken prisoner and sent to Havana where he was reported to the captain-general Domingo Dulce as one of the most desperate and dangerous men then opposed to the Spanish government.

Ten Years' War
He first returned to the U.S. before heading back to Cuba to join the uprising in Yara, when Carlos Manuel de Céspedes proclaimed independence and established the Republic of Cuba. Resulting in the first independence war, the Ten Years' War, Bernabé Varona was one of the first to join the liberating ranks. He was heavily involved in many of the primary confrontations between the Cuban and Spanish forces. Operating out of Camagüey, he acquired a general command that extended across the district and additional areas.

By 1869, Varona was a Brigade major in the Cuban Liberation Army under General Manuel de Quesada.

The Virginius Affair
General Bernabé Varona was the chief of the filibustering Virginius expedition, that occurred during the Ten Years' War. The Virginius and crew including Captain Joseph Fry were captured by the Spanish corvette Tornado on October 31, 1873. Before the vessel was seized, Varona advised blowing up the vessel with all on board rather than falling into the hands of the Spanish government. All on board were made prisoners and taken to the port of Santiago de Cuba. Upon Varona's arrival, fifteen Spanish army officers, who had been taken prisoner by Varona on the battlefield, went to the Governor of Santiago to request that his life be spared since he had spared theirs.

On November 2, 1873, he was tried as a pirate and sentenced to death by the Council of war at Santiago.

Death
On November 4, 1873, General Varona was executed by a Spanish firing squad in Santiago de Cuba, along with the 3 other insurrection leaders, Jesús del Sol, Pedro de Céspedes, and William A.C. Ryan. After refusing to kneel, he was murdered alongside W.A.C. Ryan while standing firm in their resistance. Varona was 28 years old at the time of his death. His burial took place in the Santa Ifigenia Cemetery.

His brother Colonel Oscar Varona met the same fate on November 8 for his involvement in the failed expedition.