GUSTAVO GUTIERREZ Y SANCHEZ: Pro-Palestine Committee (Hebrew) 1944

Jurist Politician Diplomat Economist

Professor of International Law, School of Law, University of Havana-1919-1934.

Secretary/treasurer-Cuban Society of International Law, 1920.

Legal Counsel to Secretary of State-1925-29

Delegate- VI American International Conference, 1928

Delegate/Technical Counsel-Conference on Conciliation and Arbitrage, Washington-1928

Secretary General-First Pan-American Conference of Municipalities, 1928

Delegate Plenapotentiary-Conference on Trademarks, Washington, 1929

Director of the International American Office for the Protection of Trademarks and Commerce, 1930.

Liberal Party - President-Havana province, 1930

Delegate-IV Pan-American Commercial Conference, Washington, 1931

Secretary of Justice, 1933

Member-House of Representatives, 1938-1942

Technical Advisor-Commission on Foreign Relations for the Senate, 1937

Technical Advisor-Commission for the Study of the New Constitution, 193?

President of the Foreign Relations Commission for the House of Representatives, 1939

Technical Director -Pan-American Commission for Intermuncipalities Cooperation, Chicago-1939

Delegate- VIII American Scientific Congress, Washington-1940

Speaker of the House of Representatives, 1940-1941

Cuban delegation head and Sub-Committee President, United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) Atlantic City, 1943, 1944 and 1945.

G.A.T.T. Chairman Legal Drafting Committee and Tech. Dir., Cuban Delegation) Geneva-1947; (Head of Cuban Delegation) Geneva, Petropolis-1950, 1954.

Head of Cuban delegation, (GATT) Havana Charter, 1948.

President-Junta de Economia de Guerra, 1942.

President-Cuban Maritime Commission, 1942-43.

Ambassador to the United Nations (Security Council)1948.

President-Cuban Delegation, General Assembly, 1949

Technical Director/Secretary/President-National Junta of Economy (Junta Nacional de Economia) 1948-1953.

President-United Nations Economic Committee, 1951.

Minister of Finance (Ministro de Hacienda) 1953-1955.

Special Envoy-O.A.S. Conference of the Presidents, Panama, 1956.

President-Cuban Nuclear Energy Commission, 1956.

President-Ministerial Commission for Tariff Reform, 1958.

Minister of Economy (a.k.a. Ministro Presidente-Consejo Nacional de Economia/National Board of Economy, 1955-1959.

September 15, 2023

Pro-Palestine Committee (Hebrew) 1944

At the height of the Second World War, the persecution of Europe's Jewish population was at an all time high. Jewish families were being rounded up, taken to concentration camps and murdered in the most unconscionable manner possible throughout Nazi German controlled Europe. Efforts were being made to combat this travesty by sympathetic parties throughout the world with little or no success. At the same time Jews outside of Europe were trying to expedite the creation of a Jewish state in the region of Palestine. Many countries in Latin America began creating committees to support the creation of a Jewish homeland and Cuba was one of the first to embark on such a venture.

Gustavo Gutierrez became the president of the Comite Cubano Pro-Palestina (Hebreo), established in early 1944. It was located on Teniente Rey No. 405, Havana. The vice-presidents were Carlos Prio Socarras, Rafael Guas Inclan and Juan L. Martin. Its secretary was Ofelia Dominguez. The vice-secretary was Felix Pita Rodriguez; treasurer was Miguel Angel Cespedes and vice-treasurer; Antonio Martinez Bello. Exact dates of its inception are not available yet some experts (Ignacio Klich) speculate as early as January or February or April. Upon viewing the photograph it is obvious that the "Comité" was in full swing by the summer since many of the man are wearing Cuba's traditional summer attire (white "Dril Cien" Irish linen suits) at this committee luncheon. Gustavo is seated seventh from the right facing the camera. His wife, Maria Vianello is seated to his left. No other individual is identifiable.

Some documentation obtained from the Georgetown University follows. The letters below add some information regarding this committee. The American Palestine Committee located in Washington, DC was headed by Senator Robert Wagner and Charles McNary. Gustavo Gutierrez wrote the Americans thanking them for their congratulatory letter regarding Cuba's creation of a pro Jewish Palestine committee, adding that, "The distinguished group of political and intellectual leaders that constitute this committee, is a good proof of the sentiment of the Cuban people towards the recognition of the Jews to enjoy the equality of rights everywhere and to the reconstitution of Palestine as their national home."