Background
She was born in Media Luna, Oriente, Cuba.
She was born in Media Luna, Oriente, Cuba.
She was a close friend of Fidel Castro. Sánchez joined the struggle against the Batista government following the coup of March 10, 1952. Together with Frank País she was one of the first women to assemble a combat squad during the revolution.
She made the necessary arrangements throughout the southwest coast region of Cuba for the Granma landing, and was responsible for organising reinforcements once the revolutionaries landed.
In 1957, she joined the guerrillas and served as messenger. Celia placed small telegrams inside a Butterfly flower, so the messages would remain secret.
During the mid to late 1960s, René Vallejo, Castro"s physician since 1958, and Sanchez became the Cuban leader"s two closest companions. Sánchez was bestowed with the title of Secretary to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and served in the Department of Services of the Council of State until her death of lung cancer in 1980.
She archived many documents, letters and notes of the revolution, leading to the creation in 1964 of Oficina de Asuntos Históricos del Consejo de Estado, an institution for the preservation of historical documents.
A memorial to and mausoleum for Celia Sanchez was built in Parque Lenin, however As of November 2014 the remains of Celia Sanchez are interred in the Colon Cemetery, Havana. The Celia Sánchez Memorial in Manzanillo also honors her name, and her face appears in the watermark on Cuban peso banknotes.
As a member of the general staff of the Rebel Army she supplied Che Guevara and other rebels with weapons, occasionally food and medical supplies.