Julio Antonio Mella

Julio Antonio Mella (25 March 1903 - 10 January 1929) was a Cuban revolutionary in Mexico trying to organize the overthrow of the Cuban government of General Machado. Mella was assassinated January 10 1929 while walking home late at night with photographer Tina Modotti. The Mexican government tried to implicate Modotti in the murder, even releasing nude photographs of her by Edward Weston to try and generate public opinion against her. Muralist Diego Rivera played a very active role in defending her and exposing the government's attempt to frame her. It is unclear whether Mella was murdered by the Cuban government or if his death was brought about by internal Communist Party feuding, i.e. by the notoriously bloody hand of Vittorio Vidale.