Faced with US Threats, Cuba
Flexes Military Muscle
Having successfully passed its
first day of military maneouvres,
Cuba will carry on Tuesday its
Strategic Bastion 2004 War
Games, conceived as a deterrent
to eventual military attacks on
the island from the United
States.
On Monday, Army Commander Raul
Castro, also Minister of the
Revolutionary Armed Forces
(FAR), gave the go ahead to the
exercise, which advocates the
military doctrine of the War of
the Entire Population, meaning
that every Cuban will have the
means, a place and a way to
fight the enemy.
The first of the exercise's
three stages took place under a
sham attack by US forces, as the
prelude to large scale invasion.
The Cuban FAR chief explained
that tens of thousands soldiers
and million citizens will
participate in the exercises for
seven days, warning Cuba will
become a huge hornet nest if any
enemy dares to attack it.
After decreeing general
mobilization and warning regular
armies and reservists, units of
the FAR and Interior Ministry
checked that every order issued
by the higher echelons was
fulfilled, thus showing the high
capacity of the local population
to fight a war.
In line with preparations, the
exercise includes guaranteeing
the protection of lives and
adequate supplies such as water,
food, medicines and other goods.
Raúl Castro, who holds the
position of Cuba´s first vice
president, recalled Cuban
president Fidel Castro´s words
that defense mast become a top
priority, as history has
eloquently demonstrated that
those who forget this principle
did not survive their mistake.
Nicaraguan Authorities Seize 200
Kilograms of Cocaine
About 200 kilograms of cocaine
were confiscated at the Peñas
Blancas border post, in the
boundary with Costa Rica, the
Nicaraguan police´s press office
informed Tuesday.
The drug was being transported
to Nicaraguan territory in the
lateral lining and roof of a
bus. The driver and another two
persons traveling in the bus
were arrested.
Preliminary investigations
reveal that the US, the world´s
highest drug consumer, would be
the final destination of the
cocaine load.
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Lukewarm Domestic Welcome to
Pinochet’s Indictment
Little domestic political
repercussion has had the arrest
and indictment of ex Chilean
dictator Augusto Pinochet
compared to previous verdicts
and international impact.
Web pages from prominent
international media are packed
with news on the historic event,
as well as the TV networks CNN,
CBS, NBC and papers the New York
Times and Washington Post in the
US, plus mainstream media in
Europe, namely in Madrid, London
and Rome, have made broad
coverage.
The most obvious silence has
come from the Army and right
wing parties, whose reactions
were calm, unlike 2001 with the
arrest of the retired general in
London or with the trial for the
Death Caravan case. This time
there is absolute muteness.
Neither the government coalition
Concertacion nor La Moneda have
issued high-pitched statements.
Even official spokesman,
Francisco Vidal, said "the
government’s duty is to abide by
and enforce the law."
Just left wing and liberal
political circles assembled in
groups of relatives of victims
of the dictatorship (1973-90)
and human right attorneys have
voiced their joy with
spontaneous rejoicing in streets
and plazas in Santiago.
Within the ex dictator’s closest
circles, just his attorney Pablo
Rodriguez Grez said on his way
to the Court of Appeal that
Judge Juan Guzman´s verdict "is
violatory of basic human rights"
for his client’s health could
not withstand a trial.
Unlike his predecessor Gen.
Ricardo Izurieta who voiced in
2001 his personal concern and
that of the Army’s for the
condition of Gen. Pinochet, Gen.
Juan Emilio Cheyre said he would
comment legal verdicts.
The court ruling caught off
guard Pinochet that is already
involved in another case for
millionaire secret bank accounts
overseas for which some friendly
circles froze relations, added
to the impending withdrawal of
his parliamentary privileges.
The latter is owed to the 1979
murder in Buenos Aires,
Argentina, of ex Army Chief
Carlos Prats, and numerous
criminal charges for gross human
right violations unveiled by the
Commission on Political Prison
and Tortures and the government
Valech Commission.
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