he Cuban American Military Council (CAMCO) strongly refutes charges made by the communist newspaper, Granma, calling us a terrorist organization in the recently published article, “CAMCO, otro…de la countrarrevolución cubana” (“CAMCO, another…of the Cuban counter-revolutionaries”).

    Since its creation in November 1997, CAMCO has opposed any type of terrorism regardless of the political views being expressed. We are not, as Granma states, a “dangerous organization of the counter-revolution” similar to others the communist government of Cuba calls terrorists. We are not organizing armies, navies or air forces to attack anyone. We are an independent organization that does not coordinate with, or follow the political ideas of, any other exile organization. Obviously, Granma’s bitter and misleading article is directed to the members of the Cuban and Venezuelan Armed Forces. It wants to confuse and deceive all those who have read or heard of our messages of friendship and hope.

    What is true that CAMCO’s main objective is to establish lines of communication from military to military with the members of the FAR. CAMCO’S members are preparing themselves to be ready to assist those in the Cuban military who would like to break their ties with the dictatorship as well as assist the FAR during the democratic changes that will inevitably come to Cuba. We want the FAR to understand that there is a better life after the Castro brothers’ departure and that many opportunities will open to them in a civil society.  We want the FAR to know that they will be an essential part of a free and democratic  Cuba, where their rights and the rights of the Cuban people will be respected.

    Those of you who have read the “Message from a Retired Cuban-American General to the Venezuelan Military” sent three years ago, may note how prophetic the message was when reading the headlines coming from Venezuela today. The comments made about the future of the South American country under Hugo Chávez have become a reality--Venezuela is now completely controlled by Castro and his clique. The message  urges the members of the Venezuelan Armed forces to take actions within their country’s constitutional and democratic framework and to not allow the country to be swallowed by the same abyss that Cuba had been thrown into by another self-appointed “savior and defender of the poor.” It further states that the Venezuelan military is the only institutional entity that can stop the consolidation of the Chavist regime and prevent Venezuela from navigating through the same “SEA OF HAPPINESS” as Cuba.

    Finally, let there be no doubt that, totally contrary to what is printed in Granma, CAMCO is sincere when it states that we want to return to a Cuba where UNDERSTANDING, FORGIVENESS, JUSTICE and RECONCILIATION prevail.