Manolo López López

Manolo Manuel López López (1943 – August 28, 1962), known as Manolito El Loco or El Loco López, was a Cuban anti-communist rebel who participated in the Escambray rebellion against the government of Fidel Castro in northern Camagüey. He was one of the youngest rebel commanders. He was killed in battle with government forces.

Arrest Manolo Lopez was into a village family in the Chambas region of Camagüey Province, at the age of 16 he was arrested on charges of involvement in the anti-Castro rebel movement. He was sent to Torrance, Havana's juvenile prison to serve his sentence and receive political indoctrination. There he injured himself with a knife in order to get to the hospital. He escaped from the hospital through the window, climbing down the sheets. With almost no resources, he was sought by the police and reached his birthplace.

Death The army's special anti-bandit unit, Lucha contra bandidos, LCB, under the command of Oscar Figueredo, was sent against Loco's squad. On 10 August he was surrounded in the Los Barriles village, wounded twice, but managed to escape pursuit. On 28 August 1962 he was again surrounded. During the battle, Lopez shot Figueredo and ordered his men to leave. He considered himself dead due to two serious wounds he received in the previous battle. Lopez's command was given to the rebel Floro Camacho Alfaro.

Lopez fired from the embankment with an M1 carbine and an M1911 pistol. After a while he shouted that he was giving up. When the commandos approached him to take him prisoner, Loco opened fire and threw grenades. After that, several bursts of machine gun fire were fired at him. Manolito Loco López, 19, was killed. Floro Camacho Alfaro and the rest of the rebels escaped through the barrier.