Raul Borges Rodriguez, a senior non-commissioned officer in the Revolutionary Armed Forces, stationed in the Holguin military region, boasts an impressive record of more than 4,000 parachute jumps and has rescued nearly a thousand individuals from perilous situations throughout his military career.
Borges's journey began with a series of rejections. At the age of 15 or 16, a medical board deemed him unfit to become a paratrooper due to insufficient height and weight. However, his determination never wavered. He eventually joined the skydiving club of the Patriotic-Military Education Society, thanks to instructor Alberto Font, even though he was still two kilograms below the minimum requirement.
Font was driven by a belief that guided his work: "A hero is someone who shows courage, assesses risks, identifies dangers, and makes decisions based on continuous training."
By the time Borges was called for military service, he had already made 20 jumps. Little did he know that decades later, he would be awarded the Calixto Garcia Medal for Valor three times, the highest honor of its kind in the Cuban armed forces.
Recognition for Courage in Crisis
His third medal was recently presented by Major General Eugenio Rabilero, head of the Eastern Army, during the 65th anniversary of that military command. This award acknowledged his brave efforts during Hurricane Melissa's assault on eastern Cuba in October 2025.
With weather conditions too severe for helicopter flights, Borges was part of a team that used heavy trucks and amphibious vehicles to evacuate flood-affected areas in Cacocum, rescuing around 200 people initially. Once the weather improved, helicopters reached isolated communities.
Heroic Acts in Dangerous Conditions
In La Fortuna, Borges descended by cable to save a woman and her two children. In the rural community of La Tania in Urbano Noris, surrounded by the Cauto River, helicopters made three landings prioritizing the evacuation of children, pregnant women, the elderly, and the ill.
Altagracia presented the greatest danger, with roofs barely peeking above murky waters. Borges landed on a house roof, identified by distress calls from a mobile phone, verified the roof's integrity, and rescued four people sheltering in a loft miraculously untouched by the flood.
The crew then moved to Granma, where they continued evacuations in areas impacted by the Cauto River's rise, employing steel cables and a metal basket for operations where landing was impossible.
Medals of Valor Earned Over the Years
Borges earned his second medal in late 2000 after rescuing a man trapped 72 meters high in the chimney of the Roberto Ramirez Delgado sugar mill in Niquero, Granma. He descended by cable amidst strong winds threatening the helicopter's stability.
His first accolade came in 1989, at just 19 years old, as a private. After a yacht capsized in the Bartlett Trench near Santiago de Cuba's Antonio Maceo Airport, Borges descended into the sea from a helicopter, located the shipwrecked individuals, and assisted them in boarding the aircraft. Left alone awaiting the helicopter's return, he swam ashore through force-four seas, scaled a stone wall several meters high with a rope thrown by bystanders, enduring body lacerations and foot injuries.
Hurricane Melissa, which flooded Holguin's provincial hospital and trapped families in floodwaters, led to the evacuation of more than 735,000 people nationwide, with Holguin and Granma among the hardest-hit provinces.
Receiving his first medal at 19, Borges felt that "the metallic body of the medal radiated a strange warmth," realizing then that "in life-or-death outcomes, courage does not retreat."
Raul Borges and His Heroic Rescues
Who is Raul Borges?
Raul Borges Rodriguez is a senior non-commissioned officer in the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba, known for his extensive experience in parachuting and lifesaving missions.
What recognition has Raul Borges received?
Borges has been awarded the Calixto Garcia Medal for Valor three times, the highest honor of its kind within the Cuban armed forces, for his bravery and lifesaving actions.
What was significant about his actions during Hurricane Melissa?
During Hurricane Melissa, Borges played a crucial role in evacuating approximately 200 people from flood-hit areas using heavy trucks and amphibious vehicles, highlighting his leadership and bravery under adverse conditions.