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Today, I have decided to publish again a message sent
to the members of the Venezuelan military on March 11, 2003.
I feel compelled to do this after being informed
by Venezuelan friends about the growing number and increasing
influence of the so called "Cuban advisors," military
and civilians (more than 15,000), who have been infiltrated
in the Venezuela government and the Armed Forces by Cuban
dictator Fidel Castro.
The
purpose of my message is to prevent the Venezuelan military
from having to go through the same harsh realities that
my countrymen and I have had to experience since the triumph
of the communist revolution in Cuba in January 1959, and
to save them from having to write a message similar to mine
in the near future to other Latin American brothers and
sisters.
My
name is Erneido Andrés Oliva, I am a retired general
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
(a feat not previously done by anyone) and appointed as
an instructor of tactics and weapons. Later, after the øtriumph"
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, was captured and held as a prisoner of war. What led
to the 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 misfortunes 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 installed himself as a president 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 reached
the rank of major general of 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 honorable 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, øTO THE WALL"
(to be executed) and øHOMELAND OR DEATH."
Less fortunate than I was also an entire country
that has remained enslaved for 44 long years, without any
"friend" or international organization willing
to provide much needed assistance to liberated itself and
scream øENOUGH IS ENOUGH!" to a communist tyrant
who has remained in power for almost half a century.
My
experiences oblige me to urge the members of the Venezuelan
Armed forces to take immediate actions within their countrys
institutional and democratic framework, and to not allow
Venezuela to be swallowed by the same abyss as Cuba by another
self-appointed øsavior and defender of the poor."
Not 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. Forty-four years ago the
false Cuban Messiah exclaimed: "Arms for what?"
only to transform the whole island into an arsenal. 
Respect for the øConstitution" 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.
For
more than 40 years, the Armed forces of Venezuela have distinguished
themselves in their respect to their countrys 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 have declared themselves
in disobedience and are manifesting their unyielding decision
in the Square France of Altamira in Caracas, where they
have 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.
Members of the Venezuelan militaryWake
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), declares that a military
pronouncement is all that is needed to take away the power
of the president. Ortega emphasizes that he is 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 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).
E-Mail
Address:
CAMCOCUBA@AOL.COM
Website:
http://www.camcocuba.org
CAMCO
Phone: (703)
569-4119
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