The Che Guevara Invading Brigade was launched on October 30, 1967, in La Concepción, an area located 54 kilometers from Bayamo (Eastern Province), after several months of organization. Its main objective was to clear 15,000 caballerías (approximately 1,500 acres), primarily of marabou weed, to plant not only rice, but also cotton, kenaf, as well as citrus fruits, sugarcane, pasture, and root crops in western provinces.

The groundbreaking ceremony was presided over by Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz, who stated in his address that “To make an effort of this nature possible, the long learning process of the years of the Revolution has been necessary. To have such an organization, to have a contingent of men with the preparation and discipline of those who will manage this brigade, to have competent personnel, to have the organizers of this gigantic undertaking, the constant improvement of our people since the first days of the Revolution has been essential. And, most importantly, the process of learning and mastering the techniques and methods of organization, management, and execution that the men of our Revolutionary Armed Forces have acquired has been necessary.”

The brigade began its campaign with 159 pieces of heavy equipment and everything necessary for maintenance, repairs, and providing meticulous care to the personnel. Bulldozing with mechanical equipment would be used for this work, because the traditional method of using an axe or working by hand would require much more manpower, and working hours were essential. They also worked on road construction throughout the country.

Fidel announced that humble men from the people who had fought in the war and who, in peacetime, had learned the techniques and methods to achieve this impressive organization would lead the brigade. Among them was Commander Raúl González Bermero Maro, and with him a large group of veteran and skilled fighters from the Sierra Maestra war.

At that same event, it was agreed, by the will of those present, that it would bear the name of the Heroic Guerrilla, and it was jubilantly proclaimed that this was “another glorious day in the history of our homeland, another day that marks a date: the date on which the Che Guevara invading brigade began its march!” The plan was to clear 58,000 acres in the country.

At the conclusion of the event, Fidel called upon the brigade members: “Forward, comrades, without anything or anyone being able to stop you, without any task being too difficult, without any obstacle difficult!” (Exclamations: “Never!”). “Go as far as the Isle of Pines and Pinar del Río and return victorious to the heroic eastern province, from where those who departed in 1895 and 1958 set out, whose epic history you will emulate from this moment forward!”

Two months later, on December 24, in 40 Pesos, Jobabo, the Commander-in-Chief, addressed the “Che Guevara” Brigade members once again. This time, it was to conclude their work in Oriente province and move on to Camagüey.

It was night, illuminated by the lights of the machinery used in their daily work. The National Flag, the brigade flag, and the banners of the respective battalions waved in the wind at that moment of victory. Commander Maro, accompanied by other officers, informed the Commander-in-Chief that the troops were ready to carry out new missions. Also present at the event were Osvaldo Dorticós Torrado, Blas Roca Calderío, Armando Acosta Cordero, Celia Sánchez Manduley, and Aleyda March, Che's widow, with her children Aleida, Camilo, and Celia.

In his speech, the Commander-in-Chief expressed his admiration for the work they had accomplished in less than two months, despite starting with approximately half their total strength and receiving training on the fly. Having cleared 4,236 caballerías of land, “of absolutely unproductive, practically virgin land, undoubtedly constitutes an extraordinary effort and justifies the trust that the Revolution, its leaders, and the people placed in you,” he commented.

Fidel acknowledged the tenacity with which they undertook the mission. “The effort made, the spirit demonstrated, the amount of work done, and the organization, innovations, and results being obtained are all revolutionary.” The brigade focused primarily on clearing land for new rice plantings. Camagüey would work not only on rice but also on sugarcane crops.

At the meeting, the Cuban leader announced that after the land clearing work was completed, the group would become a hydraulic brigade by 1969, to give a decisive boost to the advancement of the country's water resources, the construction of reservoirs, drainage systems, and the utilization of groundwater; he also outlined the work program for each province and the resources the Revolution was allocating to achieve hydraulic and productive development in the coming years.

In his speech, the Commander-in-Chief acknowledged the dedication and commitment of the brigade members who, day and night, tirelessly worked alongside the machinery, “living in the field as if in a war, waging a true battle. This effort will be decisive —I repeat— decisive for our country, decisive for our country's agricultural programs.”

He paused to remember a worker who had lost his life in the line of duty. “We also express our gratitude to this comrade, whom we can rightfully call heroic, who gave his blood and his life like the combatants who came before him, like the combatants who made the present of our nation possible in the war.” He said that man finds himself needing to fight, to face adversity, to confront harsh nature, to confront poverty and underdevelopment.

“But only through the efforts of men, through the sacrifices of men, can we move forward!” And on behalf of the Cuban Communist Party and the people, he expressed his deep congratulations for what they had done and his satisfaction that they were worthy of the troop's most honorable name.

Fidel's presence in the territory of Jobabo, at that time part of the municipality of Victoria de las Tunas, was of singular importance. That night, the Leader of the Revolution dined with the members of the brigade under field conditions. There aren't many anecdotes about that day; the event wasn't a large gathering. Some residents came to see Fidel up close. That day is no longer just Christmas Eve for them; it is a historic day in the municipality of Jobabo, according to journalist Yaidel Rodríguez Castro, due to the presence of the Commander-in-Chief in this land of "humble people who proudly remember his legendary figure."