Celia del Pino is the matriarch of the family. She lives in Santa Teresa del Mar, on the northern coast of Cuba. Although her daughter Felicia and grandchildren Luz, Milagro, and Ivanito have remained on the island with her, her husband Jorge, daughter Felica, and granddaughter Pilar have emigrated to the United States. A fiercely loyal communist, Celia spends much of her time devoted to participating in revolutionary projects and helping the government to achieve its socialist aims.

One of Celia’s defining characteristics is her unwillingness to let go of the memory of her first love, the Spaniard Gustavo, whom she met while he was visiting the island. Although she had been sure that he would take her with him, he left Cuba without her, and she has never been able to stop loving him. This consuming love is evident in her refusal to get rid of the drop pearl earrings that he gave her, and they, along with the letters that she writes to him every month for many years after he leaves, are symbolic of her undying love.

Celia is also characterized by her unwavering devotion to communism. She believes in its underlying promises of equality and prosperity for all, and she is willing to work hard in any capacity that the government requires of her.