• On January 14, Electrical Workers' Day is celebrated throughout Cuba. For this reason, 26 approached one of the men with the most years of experience in this sector in the province to learn about his story and share it with readers.

Las Tunas, Cuba.- In the classroom of the Las Tunas Electric Company's Training Base Business Unit (UEB in Spanish), where young faces predominate, experience has a name: Juan Carlos Miralles Pelegrín, who, with 43 years of uninterrupted service, tells his story, which is intertwined with that of the institution itself, a legacy that today refuses to fade and continues to light the way for new generations.

“Since I graduated as an electrical engineer from the University of Oriente, in the province of Santiago de Cuba, in 1976, I have not worked anywhere else. That was the beginning of my professional life dedicated to the national electrical system.”

His career began in the substation area in Santiago, where he rose through the ranks to become the manager of a facility and serve as technical chief. However, a call from the management of the Electric Union changed his life forever.

"In 1986, I came to Las Tunas. I have always thought that this was their way of recognizing me for the work I had done. At that time, the Electric Company in Las Tunas was in the process of forming its electrical structure and lacked technical staff.

“I came here with the family I had built in Santiago. We had to find schools for the children and work for my wife. It was a big challenge for her, but we adapted,” he says.

Miralles' story at the Electric Company is that of a founder. It took several years to complete the entity that is now consolidated in the territory.

Several calendars passed before it was time to retire. "I retired, and then they rehired me. Now I've been a professor at the UEB de Formación since 2023, teaching my knowledge to engineers, readers, inspectors, and operators. I'm the only ‘old guy’ here.

“I feel fulfilled because I'm contributing what little I know to these young people, who are the future,” he reflects with a smile, referring to the youthful atmosphere that surrounds him.

His connection to the company remains strong and respected. “I feel that I have a certain prestige. Management consults me frequently. Currently, I am immersed in the creation of study programs, such as one aimed at training personnel to monitor unattended substations, a vital safety task.”

Although he admits that he and his wife once thought about returning to Santiago de Cuba, time and circumstances have consolidated their life in the Balcón del Oriente.

“Things are not the same as they used to be, and our age does not allow us to make many changes either. My children are now from Las Tunas themselves and have built their own lives here, closing a family circle that began with a work decision.”

Miralles, as everyone knows him, represents more than a university career; he is the embodiment of continuity and respect. He is the engineer who helped build the infrastructure, the manager who ran it, and now the teacher who ensures its future. His career is guided by the same light that has guided his life as he served, built, and now teaches.