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July 26, 2010 - No. 139
57th Anniversary of Attack on Moncada
Barracks
Long Live the Cuban Revolution!
National
celebrations of Moncada Day in Santa Clara, Cuba.
57th Anniversary of Attack on Moncada
Barracks
• Long Live the Cuban Revolution!
• Moncada Day Celebrated in Cuba
• Fidel Pays Tribute to July 26 Martyrs
Nicaragua
• 31st Anniversary of Sandinista Revolution
Honduras
• No OAS Membership without Democracy First
- National Front of Popular Resistance
Venezuela
• Relations with Colombia Broken -
Eva Golinger, Postcards from the Revolution
• Top Latin American Terrorist Captured
- Jean-Guy Allard and Eva Golinger, Postcards from the
Revolution
57th Anniversary of Attack on Moncada
Barracks
Long Live the Cuban Revolution!
On the occasion of the 57th anniversary of the historic
attack on the Moncada Barracks, the Communist Party of Canada
(Marxist-Leninist) sends revolutionary greetings to the Cuban people
and their leadership. Although the attack did not succeed, this
audacious
action was decisive in galvanizing the struggle of
the Cuban people to affirm their sovereignty, ultimately leading to the
victory of the Cuban Revolution in 1959.
In 1953, Cuba was governed by the U.S. puppet dictator
Fulgencio Batista. On July 26, 1953 a group of youth, led by the
legendary leader of the Cuban Revolution Comrade Fidel Castro, sought
to decisively change the situation and attacked the Moncada and Carlos
Manuel de
Cespedes Barracks of Batista's
army of in Santiago de Cuba and Bayamo respectively. The Moncada
Barracks were the military centre of the Batista regime in the south
and its second largest and most powerful garrison.
Around 120 youths were part of the attacks,
approximately 70 of whom were killed, with many being tortured and
executed after the attack. The survivors, including Fidel Castro, were
subsequently put on trial and given lengthy prison sentences. Most,
including Fidel Castro, were released after an
amnesty in May 1955. This amnesty was the result of the mass
mobilization of Cubans in support of the imprisoned rebels. At his
trial Fidel Castro delivered his famous speech "History Will Absolve
Me"
which laid out the national and social goals of the revolutionary
movement that eventually triumphed on January
1st, 1959.
 On the occasion of Moncada
Day, CPC(M-L) calls on the
working class and people to step up the support for revolutionary Cuba,
especially at a time when all over the world the U.S. imperialists in
their desperation are
becoming more reckless in their attempts to violently
oppose all those who seek or are
on an independent path. This means working to ensure the ongoing
criminal blockade of Cuba is brought to an end, as well as opposing any
provocations and disinformation against Cuba and demanding the
immediate release of the five Cuban heroes unjustly held in U.S. jails
for protecting Cuba from terrorist attacks
launched from U.S. soil.
On the anniversary of the Moncada attack, CPC(M-L)
salutes the Cuban people and their indomitable spirit of sacrifice in
defence of their principles and ideas.
Free the Cuban Five!
Step Up Support for Revolutionary Cuba!
Long Live the Cuban Revolution!
Moncada Day Celebrated in Cuba
 
Santa Clara, Cuba: Cubans
celebrating
Moncada Day are greeted by President Raúl Castro who presided
over the
country's main commemoration of the anniversary. (Cubadebate)
Moncada Day celebrations have been held across Cuba to
commemorate this important anniversary in the life of the
Cuban Revolution.
The honour of hosting
the main celebrations
for Moncada Day went to the central
province of Villa Clara. Each year, this honour is granted based on the
people's successes in fulfilling their economic and social undertakings
set for the year, a motivation for friendly competition amongst all
Cuban
individuals, companies, sectors, municipalities and provinces to
improve the work of the
Revolution. The decision was recognition
for the province's successful efforts amidst a complex situation
characterized by a battle against economic limitations triggered by the
global crisis and the U.S. economic, financial, commercial blockade
against the island.
The national festivities were held at Ernesto Che
Guevara Square in the city of Santa Clara on July 26, presided over by
Cuban President Raúl Castro. Since June,
hundreds of Cubans worked every day to beautify the site.
Residents are repaired and painted walls,
checked electrical and telephone systems and worked on gardens around
the historical site, which holds the remains of Che and his comrades
who fell in Bolivia.
Celebrations began in Villa Clara on Saturday night when
the best of the province's musical talent performed in a
political and cultural gala at La Caridad Theatre. Before the show an
exhibition was held entitled "50 Reasons
to Celebrate the 26th," organized
by the Cuban Association of Social Communicators, displaying
contemporary works of graphic design on Cuba's main achievements
during 50 years of Revolution.
In Camagüey province, sectors and companies with
outstanding performance were given awards by the President of the
Assembly
of
the People's Power in Camagüey Luis Ynchausti, during the
provincial ceremony marking Moncada Day on Saturday. Those which
received awards included the Provincial Administration of the
Fishery Industry, the Provincial Delegation of the Iron, Steel and
Heavy Machines Industry (SIME), and the Delegation of Hydraulic
Resources.
Other sectors which received diplomas for their
excellent outcomes were the the Ministry of Science, Technology and
Environment (CITMA), which has maintained a decade-long outstanding
result,
and the local management of the National Institute of Sports, Physical
Education, and Recreation (INDER).
The Banco Popular de Ahorro (BPA), Cuba's state-run savings bank, was
also recognized. Greetings
on behalf of the people of Camagüey were also sent to the five
Cubans unjustly held in U.S. jails as part of the events.
Moncada Day celebration in Guimara, Camagüey,
July 24, 2010. (Radio Cadena
Agramonte)
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In Guáimaro, Camagüey, the demands of the
Moncada program were realized in improvements in housing, job security
and also in the education and public health sectors amongst others,
earning it the honour as the venue for the provincial celebration of
Moncada Day. These achievements
include the renovation of facilities partially or totally destroyed by
Hurricane Ike in 2008, many of which ensure the development of the
livestock sector, the main economic source and emblematic industry of
this municipality.
In statements to the press, local First Secretary of the
Party Héctor
Rodríguez Beltrán said that what has been done is a
starting point to undertake other ventures to favour the economic
growth of this territory.
In Las Tunas province, a celebration was held on July 21
in the
municipality of Jesus Menendez chaired by Teresa Amarelle Boue, First
Secretary of the Party there. Workers and their families
reaffirmed their patriotism and loyalty to the Revolution with vibrant
slogans. They paid tribute to the heroes
and martyrs of July 26, 1953. The municipality of Jesus Menendez is
showing positive results in commercial and food production, the
maintenance and the recovery tasks of homes affected by the passage of
Hurricane Ike in 2008. In this municipality more than 7, 537 homes have
been completely repaired which
represents the 51 percent of the more than 14,600 houses damaged.
Likewise, production in commercial operations in the
territory for
the first half of the year were at 123 percent compliance with the
targets set, with 103.6 percent in sales of goods, with
progress in exports and milk production.
Moncada Day
celebrations in Jesus Menendez, Las Tunas on July 21, 2010. Banner
reads "Dawn of
Victory. " (Periodico26) |
During the ceremony the most successful organizations
and 45 economic and production institutions in the province were given
stimuli and received their diplomas from Liliam Gonzalez Rodriguez,
president of the Provincial Assembly of People's Power. Local First
Secretary Boue awared the
flag honouring the municipality of Jesus Menendez for its exceptional
performance, as well as certificates to the municipalities of Colombia
and Las Tunas, for their accomplishments.
Boue congratulated the people for the progress shown,
and urged strengthening of the work in food production, which now has
more
than 80,000 hectares utilized on a usufruct basis, strengthening the
saving measures and also the better utilization of human, material and
financial resources available in
the province.
The Cuban Five also sent their Moncada Day
greetings to the Cuban people. In a brief message, Ramón
Labañino said he was proud to be part of an unbreakable nation,
known for its combativeness. Fernando Gonzalez described the day as one
of remembrance, tribute, commitment and also of joy. He congratulated
the people of Villa Clara province, 270 km from the capital, whose
efforts in every sphere won them the honour of hosting the national
July 26 ceremony. Antonio Guerrero, in his message, said the patriotic
holiday was very stirring for him, and he sent greetings of
revolutionary reaffirmation.
Fidel Pays Tribute to July 26 Martyrs
On the morning
of Saturday, July 24, leader of the Cuban Revolution Fidel Castro paid
tribute to the martyrs of July 26 at the mausoleum built in their
honour in the town of Artemisa, some 60 kilometres from Havana.
Accompanied by the commanders of the Revolution
Ramiro Valdés Menéndez and Guillermo Garcia Frias,
Artemisan veterans of the assault on Moncada Barracks Gelasius Ramon
Pez and Ferro Fernández and other guests, Fidel evoked many
memories of the preparations and the heroic
action of July 26, 1953 and noted in particular the enormous
contribution of the combatants from Artemisa.
He recalled the fiery
spirit of the youth from Artemisa, noting that "If anything, I was
excited to see how revolutionary the students were here. They were
among the most militant we had in Cuba."
He greeted the people at the site, who responded
with applause and cheers. Fidel also spoke with the local First
Secretary of
the Party
and the president of the local government, inquiring
about the harvest of guava, mangoes and other local fruits and about
the sugar-cane harvest.
Before leaving, he read a message to all Cuban
revolutionary combatants
recalling the 1953 event, praising the five Cuban anti-terrorists
unjustly imprisoned in the United States and warning again of the
dangers that threaten humanity.
Message to
the Revolutionary Fighters of Artemisa and All of Cuba
- July 24, 2010 -
Dear Comrades,
Next Monday, July 26, it will be 57 years of relentless
struggle for the independence of our homeland.
A few of us are fortunate to be living still. In my
case, I thank
the Artemisan fighters who came and rescued me when I was near the
entrance [to the barracks], trying to stop a machine gun from firing on
fighters I had ordered to retreat.
Our revolutionary thinking comes from José
Martí's idea:
"Homeland is humanity!" and this has never stopped evolving.
The simple fact of having persisted in the struggle for
so long
is proof of what a small country can achieve in spite of the enormous
power of
the Empire.
In a year like this one, in which every day we draw
closer to dramatic events, I feel compelled to remember our brave
comrades
imprisoned in high security prisons in the United States.
[The Cuban Five] provoke a grotesque hatred in those who
lead that Empire, who are incapable of understanding how high they are
raising the stakes.
[The Cuban Five], as well as our diplomatic
representatives in that country and in many others of similar peril,
remain on duty at their posts, calmly facing great risks of which they
are well aware.
The news published every day has confirmed our
conclusions
regarding the seriousness of the dangers posed to humanity.
However, nothing can deprive us of the right to enjoy
this day
of glory and happiness that July 26 means for our people.
Neither can anyone deprive us of the right to dream that
it
is still possible for our species to survive the difficult challenges
that await us in the very near future.
I congratulate you joyfully with the dignity we have
inherited from our ancestors throughout nearly two centuries of
struggle!
Fidel Castro Ruz
July 24, 2010
Nicaragua
31st Anniversary of Sandinista Revolution
Managua, Nicaragua,
July 19, 2010
On July 19, Nicaragua celebrated the 31st anniversary of
the 1979 Sandinista Revolution and the achievements of the Daniel
Ortega government since the Sandinistas' return to power three and half
years ago. On this auspicious occasion, TML sends its warmest
congratulations to the people of Nicaragua
and their revolutionary Party whose perseverance and sacrifice has
overcome all the obstacles put in the way of their striving for
national liberation.
Since the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN)
won the national elections on January 10, 2007 after 17 years of
neoliberal regimes, unquestionable achievements have been made in
practically all sectors. However, it is in the area of social programs
where the Sandinista government's performance has
stood out, due to the implementation of its profound humanitarian
principles, with sustained development of numerous programs to assist
the most vulnerable sections of society.
In the health sector, this second phase of the
Revolution has made notable progress in improving the well-being of the
people through the implementation of free health care early in 2007,
the construction of dozens of hospitals and health centres and the
training of medical staff.
In line with the principle that all Nicaraguans have the
right to decent housing, the Sandinista government has built thousands
of new homes for poor families, and has helped restore others in poor
condition.
Programs such as Usura Cero ("Zero Usury"), Hambre Cero
("Zero Hunger"), and Calles para el Pueblo ("Streets for the People")
have changed the living conditions of a large part of the Nicaraguan
population, boosting production, particularly of food.
On July 19 in the capital
city of Managua, Sandinista leader and President Daniel Ortega
addressed a mass celebration where he spoke of some of the Sandinistas'
achievements during this second phase of their government. About half a
million residents of the capital and other departments in the country
gathered
for the event at large plaza on the shores of Lake Managua to celebrate
the Sandinista victory in 1979, which put an end to four decades of the
Somoza dictatorship and opened the path to a pro-social
nation-building project addressed to the broad masses of the Nicarguan
people.
 In his speech, President
Ortega detailed the thousands
of land titles authorized in the period since 2007 and the restoration
of ancestral land to communal ownership for the original population in
Nicaragua's Caribbean region. He also recalled efforts undertaken to
increase the generation of electric power which,
with the support of Cuba and Venezuela, has made it possible to
eliminate power outages, and described Nicaragua's
joining of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America
(ALBA) as a strategic victory.
Ortega called on to the people to show their approval
for these achievements in the 2011 elections to decide if the FSLN
should be given another five year mandate.
Sandinista sources consulted by Prensa Latina emphasized
the remarkable increase in popular support for the government of
national unity and reconciliation headed by Daniel Ortega, and are
optimistic about winning next year's elections against a divided
opposition which lacks serious and credible political
projects.
 
Honduras
No OAS Membership without Democracy First
- National Front of Popular Resistance,
July 19, 2010 -
The Organization of American States (OAS) will meet for
its General Assembly on Friday, July 30, as mandated by the
Resolution agreed upon during its last Assembly in Lima, Peru, to
address the Honduran crisis and decide whether conditions in the
country allow for it to be readmitted to the Organization
from which it was expelled July 4, 2009 as a result of the
June 28 coup that same year.
Through the Lima Resolution the member states instruct
the Secretary General, Jose Miguel Insulza, to create a Special
High-Level Commission in charge of visiting Honduras to assess if
human
rights, rule of law, and democratic-constitutional order have been
fully reestablished by the Lobo Administration.
The Commission will then inform the General Assembly about their
findings and the General Assembly will make a decision whether to deny,
postpone or allow readmission of the expelled member state. If the
findings reveal that the conditions have improved, then the Assembly
will probably decide to readmit Honduras,
if they are not met, the readmission will be postponed until they are.
Conditions have clearly not improved in Honduras, where
repression, persecution and systematic human rights abuses against
Resistance leaders, popular movement leaders, journalists, judges,
human rights activists, independent media, or anyone critical of the
coup, have been documented by several independent
and international human rights organizations and the OAS Inter American
Human Rights Commission has made it clear through its many reports.
During Lobo's administration, more than 10 journalists have been
assassinated, as have many more members of the Resistance.
But the OAS Secretary General has turned a blind eye to
this reality and has been pushing, with the help of the U.S. and
regional allies, for a rushed readmission of Honduras. Furthermore the
Lima Resolution has been ignored and the Special High Level Commission
has not visited Honduras, where its findings
would obviously discourage any prompt readmission.
Furthermore, during the July 20, 2010 System
of Central American Integration
(SICA) Presidential Summit in San Salvador, the Presidents of Central
America,
with the exception of President Ortega of Nicaragua, readmitted
Honduras to the sub-regional organization (against its own rules, which
specify the decision must be unanimous) and cynically
praised Mr. Lobo's success in restoring democracy, the rule of law and
safeguarding human rights, even if repression, violence and human
rights abuses are still being documented.
Confronted by this imminent and false imposition, that
would greatly damage our struggle by whitewashing the coup and
strengthening the coup-mongers' regime and impunity, The National
Front of Popular Resistance demands:
1) That the Lima Resolution's mandate be fully met by
Secretary General Insulza, by organizing an exploratory visit of the
Special High Level Commission to Honduras that should then report its
findings to the General Assembly before any further decision on
Honduras is made.
2) That the OAS takes the National Front of Popular
Resistance and its position into account before readmitting Honduras.
3) That the OAS acknowledges the ongoing human rights
abuses and systematic repression and persecution that our people are
subjected to in Honduras, as reports of Inter American Human Rights
Commission, UN and several other
human rights organizations have documented.
4) That the OAS helps to dismantle the coup-mongers'
total control of Honduran institutions and acknowledges that Honduras
is still controlled by the same people who organized and held the coup.
5) That the OAS acknowledge that the Supreme Court, the
Attorney General, the Ombudsman and the majority of the judicial and
executive branches of government are still controlled by the
coup-mongers and should be fully reformed.
6) That the OAS ensures that ex-President Zelaya, who
has been appointed as Coordinator of the FNRP and is still in exile may
return safely and with full rights.
7) That the OAS ensures that persecution against the
Resistance members, judges critical of the coup and the former members
of ex-President Zelaya's cabinet stops immediately.
8) That the OAS acknowledges that Mr. Lobo has himself
declared that a coup took place on June 28, 2009 and thus the
only way to reestablish constitutional democracy in Honduras is through
a National Constitutional Assembly.
9) That the OAS supports the return of democracy and
safeguards human rights in Honduras, fighting the current state of
impunity and absence of justice and holding the coup-mongers
accountable for their crimes against our people.
The National Popular Resistance Front thus affirms:
A) That we do not recognize Mr. Lobo as our President.
The campaign and election process through which he was elected are not
valid or legitimate since they were organized by the de facto regime
and under their repression and censorship, thus they were not free
or fair, there were no legitimate international
observers (OAS, UN, EU) and a majority of the population abstained.
B) That we demand the creation of a National
Constitutional Assembly to return our country to
constitutional-democratic order.
C) That we do not recognize Mr. Lobo's unilateral
appointment of a Truth Commission and we only recognize the True
Commission organized by the Human Rights Platform.
D) That there is no reconciliation or unity government
and that the military is in full control of strategic posts as are the
coup-mongers.
E) That Mr. Lobo's representative to the OAS
negotiations is the same person who represented the de facto dictator
Roberto Michelleti, Mr. Arturo Corrales.
F) We denounce and condemn the manipulation of
information that has been putting pressure for a prompt readmission of
Honduras without conditions being met.
G) That we are being persecuted and repressed by the
Lobo regime.
Venezuela
Relations with Colombia Broken
- Eva Golinger, Postcards from the
Revolution, July 22, 2010 -
President Chavez ordered maximum alert on Venezuela's
border with Colombia after the Uribe administration made grave
accusations against Venezuela claiming the Chavez government harbors
terrorists and terrorist training camps
The outgoing government of Alvaro Uribe in Colombia gave
a shameful presentation before member states of the Organization of
American States (OAS) on July 22, reminiscent of Colin Powell's
"weapons of mass destruction" Power Point evidence presented in 2003
before the United Nations Security Council
to justify the war in Iraq.
Colombia alleged that Venezuela is harboring
"terrorists" from the Armed Revolutionary Forces of Colombia (FARC) and
the National Liberation Army (ELN) and hosting several "terrorist
training camps" near the border region that divides the two nations.
During an extraordinary session convened at OAS
headquarters in Washington on July 22, upon request of the Uribe
government, Colombia's ambassador to the OAS, Luis Alfonso Hoyos,
presented television and video images allegedly taken from computers
confiscated during the illegal invasion of Ecuatorian
territory on March 1, 2008, which resulted in the death of FARC leader
Raul Reyes and a dozen other Colombian, Ecuadoran and Mexican
citizens. Hoyos also presented several computer-generated maps and
photographs of alleged members of the FARC, which he said were taken
inside Venezuela.
No Real Proof
Yet none of the images were authenticated or verified as
reliable by any source other than the Colombian government. Colombia
also used satellite map images, some from Google Earth, to show alleged
"coordinates" where FARC members are in Venezuela.
Furthermore, the photographs presented by Hoyos had no
source identification, dates or times, and merely showed alleged
members of the FARC and ELN in different jungle and coastal areas.
Venezuela and Colombia share a porous, jungle and
mountainous border and both countries have Caribbean coasts. The
countries have similar vegetations, climates and scenery.
Venezuela's ambassador to the OAS, Roy Chaderton said
the photographs looked to him as though they had been taken in
Colombia. "That looks like the beach in Santa Marta to me," responded
Chaderton, after Hoyos claimed a photo of a FARC member drinking a beer
on the beach was taken at Chichirivichi,
a Venezuelan beach town.
"There is no evidence, not a single piece of proof, of
where those photographs were taken," said Chaderton, adding that the
"evidence" presented by Colombia was "confusing, imprecise and
non-convincing."
The Venezuelan army verified and thoroughly inspected
the locations and coordinates provided by the Uribe administration on
Thursday and found none of the alleged "terrorist sites," "camps" or
"guerrilla presence" claimed by Colombia.
Upon arriving at the first coordinate indicated in
Colombia's report, identified as an alleged terrorist camp of alias
Ruben Zamora, the Venezuelan army found a farm growing plantains, yucca
and corn. The second coordinate, which was the alleged camp of FARC
commander Ivan Marquez, was merely an extensive
field with no structures or presence of anyone or anything.
International Intervention
During his two-hour long flamboyant presentation, Hoyos
called for "international intervention" in Venezuela to verify the
campsites and gave Venezuela a "30-day ultimatum."
"Colombia requests a commission of international
members, including all those of the OAS, go to Venezuela and verify
each of the terrorist camp sites and coordinates to see the truth,"
said Hoyos, adding, "we give the Venezuelan government 30 days,"
although he didn't specify what could happen afterward.
Hoyos also accused the Venezuelan government of
facilitating drug trafficking, money laundering, illegal arms trading,
attacks against Colombian armed forces and even went so far as to
allege the Chavez government "squashes its opposition," "represses
freedom of expression," "insults other governments" and
"violates principles of democracy."
At the same time, Hoyos said his government would be
unwilling to listen to or respond to any accusations, insults or
offenses made by the Venezuelan government.
Colombia's position is an echo of Washington's, which
has accused Venezuela of harboring and providing refuge to members of
the FARC during the past seven years. But, the U.S. government has also
failed to present any evidence to back such claims, and often makes
contradictory statements, which appear
to confirm the lack of solid proof.
In March 2010, U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) chief
General Douglas Fraser said that he had seen no evidence of any links
between Venezuela and the FARC. "We have not seen any connections
specifically that I can verify where there has been a direct
government-to-terrorist connection," declared
Fraser during a hearing before the US Senate Armed Forces Committee.
However, the following day, General Fraser contradicted
himself before the press, stating, "There is indeed clear and
documented historical and ongoing evidence of the linkages between the
Government of Venezuela and the FARC."
Possibly, Fraser was referring to previous governments
in Venezuela, such as those of Carlos Andres Perez (1989-1993) or
Rafael Caldera (1994-1998), which actually housed an office of the FARC
in the presidential palace. President Chavez shut down that office when
he entered the presidency in early 1999.
Or maybe General Fraser was referring to the specific
requests made by two Colombian presidents, Andres Pastrana and Alvaro
Uribe, for Chavez to mediate the release of hostages held by the FARC.
With full disclosure and complete authority from
President Alvaro Uribe, and based on his own personal request, in
September 2007, President Chavez accepted the role as mediator in order
to secure the release of several hostages held by the FARC inside
Colombian territory. For that reason only, Chavez met
with FARC commander Ivan Marquez and assured the release of Clara Rojas
and Consuelo Gonzalez in January 2008.
But otherwise, the Venezuelan government has
consistently and repeatedly denied any links or support given to the
FARC or any other armed, irregular group from Colombia or elsewhere.
Relations Broken
After Colombia's presentation before the OAS, President
Chavez announced a complete rupture in relations.
"It is with tears in my heart that I announce that we
will break all relations with Colombia. We have no other choice, for
our dignity and our sovereignty."
Chavez also ordered troops to secure all border areas.
"I have ordered a maximum alert on our borders. Uribe is a mafioso and
a liar, and is capable of anything," he said, recalling how Uribe
ordered the invasion of Ecuador's territory in 2008 and then lied to
President Rafael Correa about what had happened.
Venezuela accused Colombia of failing to resolve its own
internal conflicts, including a 60-year old civil war that has
negatively impacted its neighbors with violence and drug trafficking
spilling over the borders. More than 4 million Colombians, fleeing the
violence in their country, live in Venezuela today.
The Colombian "show" appears to be an effort to justify
preemptive war against Venezuela. Last year Colombia opened its
territory to seven U.S. military bases in an agreement that the U.S.
Air
Force claimed was necessary in order to conduct "full spectrum military
operations" throughout South America to "combat
the constant threat of anti-American governments in the region."
Top Latin American Terrorist Captured
- Jean-Guy Allard and Eva Golinger, July
7, 2010 -
Francisco Chavez Abarca was
captured entering Venezuela
with a falsified passport. The Salvadoran is known as the "right hand"
of Cuban terrorist Luis Posada Carriles, responsible for bombings and
terrorist acts against Cuba and its allies during the past 40 years.
Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez announced the capture
of Salvadoran terrorist Francisco Chavez Abarca after he attempted to
enter Venezuela's international airport with a false passport on July 1.
Mug shot of Francis
Chavez Abarca, following his arrest in Venezuela. (Postcards from the Revolution)
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The Salvadoran criminal nicknamed "El Panzon" ["Pot
Belly"]not only
organized a series of explosions that killed young Italian tourist
Fabio di Celmo in 1997, he also recruited, trained and dispatched
several other mercenaries to Havana, in addition to personally making
three trips to the island to conduct several attacks
against Cuban installations.
President Chavez revealed that the arrest of "El Panzon"
was made during an intelligence operation on the evening of July 1 when
the offender tried to enter Venezuela. Abarca was arrested at the
airport in Maiquetia after arriving on a commercial airliner from Costa
Rica and was immediately transferred to the
headquarters of the Bolivarian Intelligence Service (Sebin).
"What did Chavez Abarca plan to do in Venezuela? Who was
waiting for him?" asked President Chavez before announcing that the
terrorist would be deported to Cuba based on an Interpol request
seeking his arrest.
"This gentleman came here to kill me, my heart tells me
so," said President Chavez, referring to the Salvadoran's mission in
the South American nation.
"Posada Carriles must be very nervous because we've
captured one of his main cohorts," exclaimed the Venezuelan leader.
Venezuela has an outstanding extradition request for Luis Posada
Carriles, who has been protected by the U.S. government since his
illegal entry via Texas in May 2005. Posada Carriles,
a naturalized Venezuelan citizen, is a fugitive from Venezuela's
justice system, having escaped from a Venezuelan prison in 1985 after
his arrest for his role in the 1976 bombing of a Cuban airliner that
killed all 73 passengers on board.
The Salvadoran criminal Luis Posada Carriles hired in
1997 is a known criminal gang leader who for years made the headlines
in El Salvador for his illicit activities, including car theft, drug
trafficking and money laundering.
While Posada, the continent's most notorious terrorist,
is in the United States, under the protection of the Obama
administration -- with a trial that never seems to happen -- and a hero
of the Miami mafia, Chavez Abarca was imprisoned for two years in El
Salvador, not for terrorism but for his role as head of
a Central American network of car thieves.
Criminal Mafia
In the early '90s, Francisco "El Panzon" Chavez Abarca
was involved in drug trafficking and the sale of weapons and
counterfeit money in Guatemala. Through these illicit operations, which
were all overseen by Posada, he gradually became his confidant.
"El Panzon" was linked in the early '90s with Posada
Carriles through his father, the arms dealer Antonio Chavez Diaz, who
was involved during the 1980s buying weapons captured by the
Salvadoran army in counterinsurgency operations while Posada, his
client, "ran" drug operations and transported arms for
the U.S.-backed and funded Nicaraguan Contras.
Terrorism
The 1997 plot to sow terror in Cuba was generated in the
offices of the U.S.-funded Cuban American National Foundation (CANF),
founded in September 1981 under the guidance of the Reagan-Bush
administration, and run by CIA agent Jorge Mas Canosa.
Chavez Abarca was publicly linked to Posada Carriles by
the Salvadoran mercenary Ernesto Cruz Leon, when the latter was
arrested in
Havana after the attacks that resulted in the death of Italian tourist
Fabio di Celmo, and the damage against several major tourist
installations in Cuba. Cruz Leon confessed to working
under the guidance of Posada Carriles. Cruz Leon also admitted he had
been trained by Chavez Abarca to place explosives in Cuba.
The Salvadoran terrorist made three trips to Cuba in
April and May 1997, all very brief, during which he placed the first
explosive that initiated the terror campaign of 1997. A bomb made of
600 grams of C-4, placed by Chavez Abarca in the bathroom at the Hotel
Melia Cohiba, exploded on April 12, 1997,
causing material damage to the tourist installation and frightening the
hundreds of visitors and guests at the Spanish-owned hotel.
Additionally, on May 24, 1997, while Chavez Abarca was
in Mexico, a bomb exploded at the entrance to the offices of the
corporation Cubanacan, a Cuban tourist agency.
Chavez Abarca also collaborated with Posada Carriles to
recruit other terrorists in Central America, including the Guatemalan
Maria Elena Gonzalez, Nader Kamal Musalam Barakat, also known as Miguel
Abraham Herrera Morales, and Jazid Ivan Fernandez Mendoza, all arrested
in Havana in March 1998, when
they tried to bring explosives into Cuba.
Kamal Nadel revealed at his trial how Chavez Abarca
provided him with explosive material, detonators and showed him how to
make bombs. Chavez Abarca also recruited Otto René Rodriguez
Llerena,
who traveled to Havana on August 3, 1997 with 1519 kilograms of plastic
explosive C-4, and placed a bomb
in the lobby of the Hotel Melia Cohiba. He was captured upon arrival in
Havana on June 10, 1998, from Guatemala.
Venezuela
On July 7, Francisco Chavez Abarca was deported to
Cuba, after days of interrogation conducted by Venezuela's intelligence
agency, Sebin. The Salvadoran revealed details of how he was scheduled
to meet with two Venezuelans, who would provide him with instructions
regarding where to place
bombs in the Venezuelan capital. The objective was to provoke an
atmosphere of panic and fear during the upcoming campaign for
legislative elections set to take place in September.
Before his deportation, Chavez Abarca also confessed
that he was paid "a lot of money" by his Venezuelan counterparts, and
was going to help them plan "attacks against political parties" to
create conflicts and divisions and disrupt the electoral process. He
spoke of "burning tires in the streets," "setting off explosives"
at different installations throughout the country and creating a "wave
of terror" in the country that would impede and discredit the upcoming
elections as well as portray the Venezuelan government as "incapable of
defending its territory."
The Central American terrorist admitted he was acting on
orders from his boss, Luis Posada Carriles, currently residing freely
in Miami despite the criminal processes and extradition request against
him in Venezuela. He said he communicated with Posada Carriles via
"Daniel," a third party who relayed the message
to go to Venezuela, where he would meet with "two Venezuelans at a
restaurant near the airport, in Catia la Mar."
Last week, the U.S. Department of Justice sent its first
response to the Venezuelan government in the Posada case, requesting
further evidence of his "terrorist activity." Declassified FBI
documents list the Cuban-born Posada as a "terrorist," but also reveal
his former work with the CIA, which many speculate
is the reason for his protected status in the U.S.
Read The Marxist-Leninist
Daily
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca
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