DOCSLIB.ORG

Cubazuela: Chronicle of a Cuban Intervention

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Cubazuela: Chronicle of a Cuban Intervention Cubazuela: Chronicle of a Cuban Intervention Juan Antonio Blanco /Rolando Cartaya Luís Domínguez / Casto Ocando Published by Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba Miami, Florida www.fhrcuba.org © 2019, Juan Antonio Blanco © 2019, Rolando Cartaya © 2019, Luis Domínguez © 2019, Casto Ocando © 2019, Cover Photo: Andres Gerlotti © 2019, This edition: Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba April 2019 All rights reserved Printed in the United States ISBN-13: 978-1-7339274-1-3 Table of Contents Acknowledgements .................................................................................................. 7 Overall Conclusions ................................................................................................ 9 What are we dealing with in Venezuela? ................................................................................ 9 What instruments does the international community have in the face of this situation? ........ 9 Is there a risk of internationalizing the conflict?................................................................... 10 Should the use of force, or even threat of use of force, be excluded, thus limiting all efforts to working on a negotiated political solution?...................................................... 10 Cubazuela: Cuba’s Model of Colonial Domination ........................................... 13 Executive Summary .................................................................................................................. 13 Make sure to address the right questions and beware of deliberate disinformation ................. 15 Manipulating public anxieties, language, and perceptions ................................................... 15 Cuba’s colonial model .............................................................................................................. 17 Definition and functions of Venezuela’s colonial status ...................................................... 17 Cuba: the "jinetero" (pimp) state and its colony Cubazuela ................................................. 18 Cubazuela: two strategic functions of the Cuban colony ...................................................... 20 The Cuban Mission in Venezuela and its tools for interference ........................................... 21 The Achilles Heel of the Cuban Colonial Model ..................................................................... 22 Conclusion: Totalitarian and Democratic Realpolitiks ............................................................. 23 Totalitarian Realpolitik ......................................................................................................... 23 Democratic Realpolitik ......................................................................................................... 24 There is a military invasion going on in Venezuela, and it came from Cuba ......................................................................................... 27 Executive Summary .................................................................................................................. 27 An exceptional witness: General Antonio Rivero .................................................................... 32 “Motherland, Socialism, or Death” ....................................................................................... 33 The GRUCE is born .................................................................................................................. 36 Cuban Major General Ermio Hernández .................................................................................. 39 Cuban Major General Leonardo Andollo ................................................................................. 39 The GRUCE plans for… today? ............................................................................................... 42 ¿“Civilian” aid workers? ........................................................................................................... 44 The GRUCES’s top brass ......................................................................................................... 45 Cuban Army Corps General Joaquín Quintas Solá .................................................................. 47 Venezuela, G-2’s laboratory for repression .............................................................................. 50 Shot in the face ...................................................................................................................... 51 Shot in the head ..................................................................................................................... 52 The colectivos: bike-riding death squads .................................................................................. 56 Cuban Brigadier General Alejandro Ronda Marrero ................................................................ 57 Cubazuela’s branch of Cuba’s Ministry of the Interior ............................................................ 60 Counterintelligence at the top ............................................................................................... 62 “The comrade who handles me” ........................................................................................... 62 Divide, discredit, indict, “neutralize”.................................................................................... 63 Cuban Black Wasps at the Colombian border .......................................................................... 65 Speaking out amounts to “treason to the Motherland” ............................................................. 66 To the core ................................................................................................................................ 68 Cubans in Venezuela ............................................................................................. 71 Executive Summary .................................................................................................................. 71 History ...................................................................................................................................... 72 Joint operations ......................................................................................................................... 72 Geographical location/Cubans in Venezuela ............................................................................ 74 Rings of protection ................................................................................................................ 74 White Palace/Miraflores ....................................................................................................... 75 CESPPA ................................................................................................................................ 75 ZODI/REDI/Military Barracks ............................................................................................. 76 ZODI/Military garrisons ....................................................................................................... 77 Cubans at Fort Tiuna ............................................................................................................. 79 Military chiefs at Fort Tiuna and their relationship with the Cubans ................................... 81 Bolivarian National Guard (GNB) ........................................................................................ 82 Special Action Forces (FAES) .............................................................................................. 82 Bolivarian Militias ................................................................................................................ 83 Collectives/Francisco de Miranda Front ............................................................................... 83 Cubans and torture ................................................................................................................ 85 Chancery ............................................................................................................................... 86 Social Missions ..................................................................................................................... 86 Cuba and drug-trafficking in Venezuela ................................................................................... 87 Money laundering ................................................................................................................. 89 The Caracas-Havana drug connection .................................................................................. 90 About the Authors ................................................................................................. 93 Acknowledgements This work has been possible thanks to the information gathered from both public and confidential sources, many of which were obtained directly in Venezuela by a group of journalists and academic researchers, whom we do not mention for security reasons. It also adds the privileged information contributed by Venezuelan high-officers, who generously shared their knowledge and gave testimonies to the authors, including General Antonio Rivero and Colonel Julio Rodríguez Salas. Last but not least important for the accomplishment of this report was the meticulous work of investigation in Internet by Luis Domínguez, that contributed photos, videos and personal backgrounds of some of the main Cuban officers investigated. This research was assisted by Hugo Achá, a Washington D.C. based and well-known expert in regional defense and security
Load more

Recommended publications
  • An Analysis of the New York Times 2014 Anti-Government Protests in Venezuela
    Framing Rebellion: An Analysis of the New York Times 2014 Anti-government Protests in Venezuela A Research Paper presented by: Melanie Hughes Scotland, U.K. in partial fulfilment of the requirements for obtaining the degree of MASTER OF ARTS IN DEVELOPMENT STUDIES Major: Social Justice Perspectives (SJP) Specialisation: Peace & Conflict Studies Members of the Examining Committee: Dubravka Zarkov & Silke Heumann The Hague, The Netherlands, Sept. 2014 ii List of Acronyms ISS Institute of Social Studies NYT The New York Times; also referred to as the Times IMF International Monetary Fund WB World Bank IDB International Development Bank iii Acknowledgements I would like to extend a gargantuan thanks to my supervisor, Dubravka Zarkov, for her continual support and for her valuable insights into conflict in contemporary society. I would also like to express my appreciation for her sol- idarity and for keeping my extensive use of descriptive adjectives in check. I would also like to thank Silke Heumann for her reference material, which I had difficulty incorporating due to length and time constraints. iv Abstract This research explores how the mainstream news media outlet, the New York Times framed the 2014 anti-government protests in Venezuela, which erupted online in February, 2014. A content analysis revealed that the domi- nant narrative disseminated by the New York Times conveyed the misleading impression that Venezuela was yet another nation ripe for democratic revolu- tion, poised to overthrow a violently repressive regime. The Venezuelan anti- government protest(or)s were overwhelmingly framed in terms of state repression of peaceful protes(or)s, which masked their underlying causes.
    [Show full text]
  • Can Money Whiten? Exploring Race Practice in Colonial Venezuela and Its Implications for Contemporary Race Discourse
    Michigan Journal of Race and Law Volume 3 1998 Can Money Whiten? Exploring Race Practice in Colonial Venezuela and Its Implications for Contemporary Race Discourse Estelle T. Lau State University of New York at Buffalo Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.law.umich.edu/mjrl Part of the Comparative and Foreign Law Commons, Law and Race Commons, Law and Society Commons, and the Legal History Commons Recommended Citation Estelle T. Lau, Can Money Whiten? Exploring Race Practice in Colonial Venezuela and Its Implications for Contemporary Race Discourse, 3 MICH. J. RACE & L. 417 (1998). Available at: https://repository.law.umich.edu/mjrl/vol3/iss2/4 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at University of Michigan Law School Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Michigan Journal of Race and Law by an authorized editor of University of Michigan Law School Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. CAN MONEY WHITEN? EXPLORING RACE PRACTICE IN COLONIAL VENEZUELA AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR CONTEMPORARY RACE DISCOURSE Estelle T. Lau* The Gracias al Sacar, a fascinating and seemingly inconceivable practice in eighteenth century colonial Venezuela, allowed certain individuals of mixed Black and White ancestry to purchase "Whiteness" from their King. The author exposes the irony of this system, developed in a society obsessed with "natural" ordering that labeled individuals according to their precise racial ancestry. While recognizing that the Gracias al Sacar provided opportunities for advancement and an avenue for material and social struggle, the author argues that it also justified the persistence of racial hierarchy.
    [Show full text]
  • ORGANIZATION of AMERICAN STATES Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
    ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Application filed with the Inter-American Court of Human Rights In the case of Luisiana Ríos et al. (Case 12.441) against the Republic of Venezuela DELEGATES: Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, Commissioner Santiago A. Canton, Executive Secretary Ignacio J. Álvarez, Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression ADVISERS: Elizabeth Abi-Mershed Débora Benchoam Lilly Ching Ariel E. Dulitzky Alejandra Gonza Silvia Serrano April 20, 2007 1889 F Street, N.W. Washington, D.C., 20006 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page I. INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................... 1 II. PURPOSE................................................................................................................ 1 III. REPRESENTATION ................................................................................................... 3 IV. JURISDICTION OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COURT........................................................ 3 V. PROCESSING BY THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ................................................ 3 VI. FACTS...................................................................................................................11 A. The political situation and the context of intimidation of media workers................11 B. The Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV) Network and employees who are the victims in the instant case..............................................................................13 C. Statements by the President
    [Show full text]
  • The Rhetoric of Fidel Castro Brent C
    Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 2008 From the mountains to the podium: the rhetoric of Fidel Castro Brent C. Kice Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations Part of the Communication Commons Recommended Citation Kice, Brent C., "From the mountains to the podium: the rhetoric of Fidel Castro" (2008). LSU Doctoral Dissertations. 1766. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/1766 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized graduate school editor of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please [email protected]. FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO THE PODIUM: THE RHETORIC OF FIDEL CASTRO A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Communication Studies by Brent C. Kice B.A., Loyola University New Orleans, 2002 M.A., Southeastern Louisiana University, 2004 December 2008 DEDICATION To my wife, Dori, for providing me strength during this arduous journey ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Andy King for all of his guidance, and especially his impeccable impersonations. I also wish to thank Stephanie Grey, Ruth Bowman, Renee Edwards, David Lindenfeld, and Mary Brody for their suggestions during this project. I am so thankful for the care and advice given to me by Loretta Pecchioni.
    [Show full text]
  • The Role of the Judiciary in a Post-Castro Cuba: Recommendations for Change
    54978 #7 Laura Patallo San #2 1/31/03 3:32 PM Page 1 ctpctp THE ROLE OF THE JUDICIARY IN A POST-CASTRO CUBA: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHANGE By Laura Patallo Sánchez INSTITUTE FOR CUBAN AND CUBAN-AMERICAN STUDIES U NIVERSITY OF M IAMI 54978 #7 Laura Patallo San #2 1/31/03 3:32 PM Page 2 ISBN: 0-9704916-7-0. Published in 2003. 54978 #7 Laura Patallo San #2 1/31/03 3:32 PM Page 3 THE ROLE OF THE JUDICIARY IN A POST-CASTRO CUBA: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHANGE 54978 #7 Laura Patallo San #2 1/31/03 3:32 PM Page 4 Cuba Transition Project – CTP The Cuba Transition Project, at the Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies (ICCAS), University of Miami, is an important and timely project to study and make recommendations for the reconstruction of Cuba once the post-Castro transition begins in earnest. The transitions in Central and Eastern Europe, Nicaragua, and Spain are being analyzed and lessons drawn for the future of Cuba. The project began in January 2002 and is funded by a grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development. Programs and Activities • The CTP is publishing original research, with practical alternative recommendations on various specific aspects of the transition process, commissioned and written for the CTP by ICCAS Staff and U.S. and foreign scholars with expertise on Cuba. • The CTP is developing four key databases: 1. A full-text database of published and unpublished articles written on topics of transition in Cuba, as well as articles on transition in Central and Eastern Europe, Nicaragua, and Spain.
    [Show full text]
  • The Venezuelan Crisis, Regional Dynamics and the Colombian Peace Process by David Smilde and Dimitris Pantoulas Executive Summary
    Report August 2016 The Venezuelan crisis, regional dynamics and the Colombian peace process By David Smilde and Dimitris Pantoulas Executive summary Venezuela has entered a crisis of governance that will last for at least another two years. An unsustainable economic model has caused triple-digit inflation, economic contraction, and widespread scarcities of food and medicines. An unpopular government is trying to keep power through increasingly authoritarian measures: restricting the powers of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, avoiding a recall referendum, and restricting civil and political rights. Venezuela’s prestige and influence in the region have clearly suffered. Nevertheless, the general contours of the region’s emphasis on regional autonomy and state sovereignty are intact and suggestions that Venezuela is isolated are premature. Venezuela’s participation in the Colombian peace process since 2012 has allowed it to project an image of a responsible member of the international community and thereby counteract perceptions of it as a “rogue state”. Its growing democratic deficits make this projected image all the more valuable and Venezuela will likely continue with a constructive role both in consolidating peace with the FARC-EP and facilitating negotiations between the Colombian government and the ELN. However, a political breakdown or humanitarian crisis could alter relations with Colombia and change Venezuela’s role in a number of ways. Introduction aimed to maximise profits from the country’s oil production. During his 14 years in office Venezuelan president Hugo Together with Iran and Russia, the Venezuelan government Chávez Frias sought to turn his country into a leading has sought to accomplish this through restricting produc- promotor of the integration of Latin American states and tion and thus maintaining prices.
    [Show full text]
  • Cuba: Update on Drug Trafficking Scandal, High-Level Shakeup, June 29-July 1 by John Neagle Category/Department: General Published: Tuesday, July 4, 1989
    LADB Article Id: 072505 ISSN: 1060-4189 Cuba: Update On Drug Trafficking Scandal, High-level Shakeup, June 29-july 1 by John Neagle Category/Department: General Published: Tuesday, July 4, 1989 June 29: Cuban news agency Prensa Latina reported that President Fidel Castro fired Interior Minister Gen. Jose Abrantes because he failed to identify and stop officials linked to drug trafficking. Abrantes was replaced by Gen. Abelardo Colome Ibarra, third highest ranking military official after President Castro and Defense Minister Raul Castro. Abrantes took over as Interior Minister in December 1985. He had replaced disgraced Ramiro Valdes with the mission of cleaning up police units accused of corruption. President Castro signed the front-page Granma article appearing Thursday. Colome, 50, was the first Cuban general to head Cuban troops in Angola in 1975 and was replaced by Arnaldo Ochoa Sanchez. (See Chronicle 06/27/89, 06/29/89 for summaries of prior developments.) Prensa Latina also transmitted a communique Thursday from President Castro urging all officials to cooperate with the new interior minister in an expanded narcotics investigation. The news agency said Colome would make "a profound analysis of the causes that permitted the birth of the web of Interior Ministry officials embroiled in drug trafficking." In an interview with The Miami Herald in the Oval Office, President George Bush said Cuba will have to do "much more" to deserve better ties with the US: "I am not about the shift our policy towards Fidel Castro. I would love to find a way to improve relations in a way that would help the Cuban people, but we cannot do it as long as we have a regime that appears to be as negative towards reform, towards human rights, towards...the continuous transhipment of goods into Central America..."As long as these problems exist, there will not be improved relations with Castro's regime.
    [Show full text]
  • Historical Narratives of Denial of Racism And
    Historical Narratives of Denial of Racism and the Impact of Hugo Chávez on Racial Discourse in Venezuela Valentina Cano Arcay DEVL 1970: Individual Research Project Prof. Keisha-Khan Perry December 19, 2019 Do not copy, cite, or distribute without permission of the author. / Cano Arcay 2 INDEX INTRODUCTION 3 Structure of the Capstone 10 PART I: NARRATIVES OF DENIAL OF RACISM THROUGHOUT VENEZUELAN HISTORY 11 "Mejorando la Raza": Racism through Miscegenation and Blanqueamiento 12 "Aquí no hay racismo, hay clasismo": The Separation of Race and Class 19 Comparison with the United States 23 Is this Denial True? Examining Forms of Racism in Venezuela 25 Language 26 Perceptions of Racism by Black Venezuelans 26 Media 30 PART II: HUGO CHÁVEZ AND RACIAL DISCOURSE 33 Hugo Chávez's Personal Background and Narrative 35 Policies 37 "El Pueblo" and President Chávez 40 Popular Support for President Chávez 41 The Opposition and President Chávez 42 Limitations and Backlash 43 How Does This All Negate the Historic Denial of Racism? 44 CONCLUSION 46 APPENDIX 50 BIBLIOGRAPHY 52 / Cano Arcay 3 INTRODUCTION On September 20, 2005, President of Venezuela Hugo Chávez Frías, in an interview with journalist Amy Goodman, stated that: "hate against me has a lot to do with racism. Because of my bemba (big mouth), because of my curly hair. And I'm so proud to have this mouth and hair because it's African" (Nzamba). In a country with legacies of slavery and colonialism, it seems evident that, throughout history, politicians would address the topic of racial discrimination. However, this comment by President Chávez was very uncommon for a Venezuelan politician.
    [Show full text]
  • Venezuela: Background and U.S
    Venezuela: Background and U.S. Policy (name redacted) Specialist in Latin American Affairs June 14, 2017 Congressional Research Service 7-.... www.crs.gov R44841 Venezuela: Background and U.S. Policy Summary Venezuela is in an acute political, economic, and social crisis. Following the March 2013 death of populist President Hugo Chávez, acting President Nicolás Maduro of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) narrowly defeated Henrique Capriles of the opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) to be elected to a six-year term in April 2013. President Maduro now has less than 20% public approval, and fissures have emerged within the PSUV about the means that he has used to maintain power, including an aborted attempt to have the Supreme Court dissolve the MUD-dominated legislature. Since March 2017, large-scale protests have called for President Maduro to release political prisoners, respect the separation of powers, and establish an electoral calendar. Instead, Maduro has scheduled July 30, 2017, elections to select delegates to a constituent assembly to rewrite the constitution (the opposition is boycotting). Security forces have repressed protesters, with some 70 dead and thousands injured and jailed. Venezuela also faces crippling economic and social challenges. An economic crisis, triggered by mismanagement and low oil prices, is worsening. In 2016, the economy contracted by 18% and inflation averaged 254% according to the International Monetary Fund. Shortages of food and medicine have caused a humanitarian crisis. The Maduro government is struggling to raise the cash needed to make its debt payments and pay for imports. Some economists maintain that Venezuela is at risk of default in 2017.
    [Show full text]
  • Highlights Situation Overview
    Response to Hurricane Irma: Cuba Situation Report No. 1. Office of the Resident Coordinator ( 07/09/ 20176) This report is produced by the Office of the Resident Coordinator. It covers the period from 20:00 hrs. on September 06th to 14:00 hrs. on September 07th.The next report will be issued on or around 08/09. Highlights Category 5 Hurricane Irma, the fifth strongest Atlantic hurricane on record, will hit Cuba in the coming hours. Cuba has declared the Hurricane Alarm Phase today in seven provinces in the country, with 5.2 million people (46% of the Cuban population) affected. More than 1,130,000 people (10% of the Cuban population) are expected to be evacuated to protection centers or houses of neighbors or relatives. Beginning this evening, heavy waves are forecasted in the eastern part of the country, causing coastal flooding on the northern shores of Guantánamo and Holguín Provinces. 1,130,000 + 600 1,031 people Tons of pregnant evacuated food secured women protected Situation overview Heavy tidal waves that accompany Hurricane Irma, a Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale, began to affect the northern coast of Cuba’s eastern provinces today, 7 September. With maximum sustained winds exceeding 252 kilometers (km) per hour, the hurricane is advancing through the Caribbean waters under favorable atmospheric conditions that could contribute to its intensification. According to the Forecast Center of the National Institute of Meteorology (Insmet), Hurricane Irma will impact the eastern part of Cuba in the early hours of Friday, 8 September, and continue its trajectory along the northern coast to the Central Region, where it is expected to make a shift to the north and continue moving towards Florida.
    [Show full text]
  • Portal Del Periódico La Demajagua, Diario Digital De La Provincia De Granma. Portal of Newspaper La Demajagua, Digital Journal of Granma Province
    Portal del periódico La Demajagua, Diario digital de la provincia de Granma. Portal of Newspaper La Demajagua, Digital Journal of Granma Province. Ing Leover Armando González Rodríguez Facultad Regional de Granma de la Universidad de las Ciencias Informáticas, Ave Camilo Cienfuegos, sin número, Manzanillo, Granma, Cuba. Ministerio de la Informática y las Comunicaciones Departamento de la Especialidad "Ing Leover Armando González Rodríguez" <[email protected]> Manzanillo, Granma, Cuba Junio de 2011 “Año 53 de la Revolución” Contenido Resumen: ................................................................................................................................................................. 3 Abstract:................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Introducción: ............................................................................................................................................................ 4 Tipos de Prensa. ................................................................................................................................................... 4 Principales tecnologías utilizadas en el desarrollo del sistema. .............................................................................. 9 Lenguajes de programación: ............................................................................................................................. 9 Herramientas utilizadas ...................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Redalyc.Ideas Historiográficas Y Políticas De Francisco Tosta García
    Politeia ISSN: 0303-9757 [email protected] Universidad Central de Venezuela Venezuela Ruiz Chataing, David Ideas historiográficas y políticas de Francisco Tosta García Politeia, vol. 32, núm. 43, julio-diciembre, 2009, pp. 215-235 Universidad Central de Venezuela Caracas, Venezuela Disponible en: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=170018454009 Cómo citar el artículo Número completo Sistema de Información Científica Más información del artículo Red de Revistas Científicas de América Latina, el Caribe, España y Portugal Página de la revista en redalyc.org Proyecto académico sin fines de lucro, desarrollado bajo la iniciativa de acceso abierto 215 REVISTA POLITEIA, N° 43, VOL . 32. IN STITUTO DE ESTUDIOS POLÍTICOS , UCV, 2009:215-235 Politeia 43 Ideas historiográficas y políticas de Francisco Tosta García Francisco Tosta García’s historiographic and political ideas David Ruiz Chataing* Licenciado en Historia, egresado de la Escuela de Historia de la UCV (1989), Magister Scientiarum en Historia de Venezuela Republicana (2000), UCV, Doctor en Historia (2005) de esta misma casa de estudios. Profesor de la Universidad Pedagógica Experimental Libertad-Instituto Pedagógico de Caracas (UPEL-IPC). Ha impartido la docencia en la Universidad Metropolitana y en la Universidad Central de Venezuela Resumen Abstract Francisco Tosta García, como historiador, se ufanó As a historian, Francisco Tosta García boasted about de consultar fuentes escritas y orales del tiempo consulting written and oral sources of the historical histórico que estudió. Se planteó,
    [Show full text]