|
 y name is Erneido Andrés Oliva, I
am a retired general officer of Cuban origin. I am very
proud of having been one of the few military men in the
world that began his military career by holding the rank
of second lieutenant four times, in four different military
structures. Two years after graduating from the Military
Academy in Cuba, I became one of its professors. A couple
of years later, I was selected as the Honor Graduate in
two consecutive courses of the U.S. School of the Americas
located in Panama (a feat not previously done by anyone)
and appointed as an instructor of tactics and weapons. Later,
after the “triumph” of the Cuban revolution,
I deserted from the Cuban Revolutionary Army, operated in
the underground and commanded an armed invasion. Unfortunately,
I failed in my intention to liberate Cuba, I was captured
and held as a prisoner of war in an island prison. What
led to those misfortunes in my early army career was not
the result of being unprofessional or infidelity to the
oath of loyalty that I once swore to my homeland. Those
adversities were created by the arrival in my native country
of a false prophet--a communist rebel disguised as a liberator
who betrayed his own people and imposed himself as a dictator
for life.
The United States of America provided me with the
opportunity to begin my military career for a fourth time.
After serving in the active army, the reserves and the National
Guard, I was promoted to the rank of major general in the
District of Columbia National Guard (Washington, D.C.).
The change of luck that I had was not shared by many of
my countrymen or former members of the Cuban Constitutional
Armed forces. Hundreds
of my comrades-in-arms, who were respectful of the Constitution,
as the Venezuelan military is, were coldly and unjustly
executed without having been given the opportunity to appear
before competent tribunals. Thousands of them spent
long years in prison, defenseless and accused of crimes
they did not commit. Others tried to cross the Strait of
Florida in improvised boats -- many died in the dangerous
voyage. Hundreds achieved their objectives and reached lands
of freedom--but the immense majority that remained in the
enslave island, ended or are ending their lives forgotten
and despised by those who only sought vengeance and who
cried slogans similar to what members of the Bolivarian
movement repeat today, “TO THE WALL” (to be
executed) and “HOMELAND OR DEATH.”
Less fortunate than I was also an entire country
that has remained enslaved for almost a half of a century,
without any "friend" or international organization
willing to provide much needed assistance so it could liberate
itself or at least scream “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!”
to a communist tyrant who has remained in power for 46 long
years.
My
experiences oblige me to urge the members of the Venezuelan
Armed forces to take immediate actions within their country’s
institutional and democratic framework, and to not allow
Venezuela to be swallowed by the same abyss as Cuba by another
self-appointed “savior and defender of the poor.”
ot long ago, the former-lieutenant colonel and coup
leader who now stands as President, Hugo Chávez Frías, said to his people
that he yearned for them to navigate in a "sea of happiness"
like the one Cuba was navigating on. What stupidity! I exclaimed
when I read his words. A feverish head could only imagine
that the Cuban people are happy. Many years ago, in 1959,
a false Cuban Messiah exclaimed: "Arms for what?"
only to transform the whole island into an arsenal. Respect
for the “Constitution" was replaced by a communist
Constitution. "Free
elections" never led to a popular vote.
Now one only needs to turn toward that small Caribbean
island and see the results of the tyrant's work: poverty,
desolation, alcoholism, drugs,  unemployment,
prostitution, fanaticism, daily violation of human and institutional
rights, executions, imprisonment for differing from the
party line, discrimination, and a frantic desire by citizens
to escape the island at any price, even if it means to risk
his or her own life. Is that the "sea of happiness"
as proclaimed by President Chavez that you, the Venezuelan
military want for Bolívar's Homeland? Is that the
future that you yearn for your children and families? I
am convinced that it is not. I am also convinced that there
is still time to prevent this from happening.
or more than 40 years, the Armed forces
of Venezuela have distinguished themselves in their respect
to their country’s Constitution. But that Constitution
is now being violated and stained on a daily basis by the
President of the Republic. This is why several officers
and soldiers declared themselves in disobedience and showed
their unyielding decision in the Square France of Altamira
in Caracas, where they joined other Venezuelans that demand
the resignation of the President of the Republic.
The
Venezuelan military is the only entity that can put an end
to the implementation of a "socialist" regime
and prevent Venezuela from suffering the same fate as Cuba.
Now, there are those who have to rise to the occasion and
vigorously reject the meddling of international terrorist
forces that are disguised as "military advisers,"
doctors, teachers and trainers who are trying to manipulate
the Venezuelan armed forces.
ember of the Venezuelan military—Wake
up! Listen to the call of the President of the Confederation
of Workers of Venezuela Carlos Ortega, who from the underground
(in order to avoid physical harm), declared not long ago
that a military pronouncement is all that is needed to take
away the power of the president. Ortega emphasized that
he was not speaking of a military rebellion, but of restitution
of the democratic order. Listen the clamor of your people
that seek your help. Avoid dividing Venezuelan families.
The institutions that the military Venezuelans swore solemnly
to defend are being stained and used as instruments to scare
the people and to subjugate the nation. Sooner or later,
each one of you will be forced to join the honorable officers
and enlisted persons that were at Altamira, retire, or quietly
leave active service.
When that happens, there will be a long line of ambitious
individuals who, attracted by power, songs of sirens and
corruption, will occupy your vacant positions.
Military Venezuelans, this is the time to act in
a decisive, peaceful, coordinated manner. The Venezuelan
military institutions are still respected by the people
and, within the framework of the constitution, the members
of the army, the national guard, the navy and the air force,
must request that their president do the same thing that
his wife and children begged of him--to lean out of the
window so that he sees and hears the desperation of his
people. The Venezuelan military can open the eyes of their
president and make him see the masses in the streets that
loudly request his resignation. The Venezuelan military
must make him understand that with the four million signatures
recently collected, the people have reaffirmed their demand.
And, if he can not do this without spillage of blood or
humiliation for himself, he at least should allow an electoral
process to take place that would bring a new president and
the peace, happiness and democracy that the Venezuelan people
are courageously demanding.
Erneido Andrés Oliva is a retired major general of the District
of Columbia National Guard (Washington, D.C.) where he performed
for six years as the Adjutant General and Deputy Commanding
General. During the Bay of Pigs invasion, Oliva performed
as the second in command of the Assault Brigade 2506. Currently,
the retired general is the Chairman of the Cuban-American
Military Council (CAMCO).
|
