Feature: Cubans condemn U.S. culture of war ahead of anniversary of Bay of Pigs invasion

MATANZAS, Cuba, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Cubans continue to condemn the U.S. culture of war ahead of the 61st anniversary of the victory over the U.S.-backed Bay of Pigs invasion on April 19.

Among them is 74-year-old Nemesia Rodriguez, who lives in the municipality of Cienaga de Zapata, located some 200 km east of the country's capital Havana.

She saw how her mother was killed and her brothers were wounded after a plane bombed a truck transporting her and a group of other Cuban civilians to be evacuated to a safe place during the invasion.

"The wounds of war are still open to me," she said. "The U.S. administrations have a long history of interventions and a double standard on democracy and human rights."

A pair of white shoes Nemesia was carrying with her during the invasion are exhibited at Playa Giron Museum as a reminder of the bloody confrontation.

Founded in 1976 and remodeled in 2016, the museum treasures more than 1,000 items, including weapons, photos and different documents.

"The U.S. administrations have systematically violated the human rights of Cubans," the museum's director Dulce Maria Limonta told Xinhua. "We firmly stand against U.S. interference in the internal affairs of other countries."

The Bay of Pigs invasion was executed by some 1,500 exiled Cubans paid by the U.S. government.

After three days of fierce combat, which left some 150 deaths on the Cuban side and 300 on the mercenary one, the Cuban people emerged victoriously.

Cienaga de Zapata resident Haydee Garcia, 72, said Cubans do not expect their country to be invaded again.

"The United States has invaded many countries throughout history, leaving a horrible trace of deaths," she said. "We believe in dialogue and diplomacy as effective tools for the resolution of conflicts."

The U.S.-backed Bay of Pigs invasion, which ran from April 17 to 19, 1961, was preceded by the bombing of a Cuban airbase, international airport and school complex on April 15.

Secondary school student Daniel Ortega said that new generations of Cubans would never forget that the beautiful beach of Playa Giron was one of the locations of a major U.S. defeat in Latin America.

"They tried to seize control of this country but failed. Many Cubans died during the invasion," he said. "We want a future of peace."