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hope
most of you, the men and women of the Cuban
military, know by now that CAMCO’s membership
consists of Cuban-American military personnel who
have honorably served in the Cuban Revolutionary
Armed Forces, the Assault Brigade 2506, the United
States Armed Forces, and the Cuban Constitutional
Armed Forces. This message, from CAMCO, is a
greeting of friendship to all the Cuban people and
especially to you.
You have often heard that CAMCO
has great hopes for a new, independent Cuba under
which a reunited Cuban family can enjoy freedom and
democracy without hate or resentment. Although we
wholeheartedly hope that such a change takes place
sooner, rather than later, it is not our intention
to tell you how and when a transition towards a
democratic government should take place. Those of
you who are in contact with us and who are risking
your lives daily under the Castro dictatorship must
make the decision. We hope that you are not confused
by the threats of foreign invasions being daily
proclaimed by the Communist government. After the
Bay of Pigs, the stories of impending invasions
have existed only for use as propaganda against the
United States. Therefore, you should not wait for
outside forces to do a job that must be initiated
solely by Cubans inside the island. Cuba's future is
not in foreign hands—it is in YOUR hands.
CAMCO's primary objective is to build a
bridge of friendship between Cuban-American military
personnel residing in the United States and the men
and women who currently serve in Cuba military
institutions. It is also our deep desire that the
future Cuba be ruled by a democratic government
freely elected by all Cubans from inside and outside
the island.
I
am compelled to send this message because it is
my desire to encourage you, the Cuban military
men and women, to take the necessary steps toward
a peaceful transition to a democratically appointed
government.
The
hour to act has arrived, the Cuban people can
not continue to suffer so much pain and unhappiness
only to satisfy the whims of a dictator
who is holding desperately to power and
does not heed the calls of a free world for immediate
democratic changes in our Homeland.
The
moment to unite all dissidents against the communist
system in the fight for the democratization of
Cuba has arrived. Such a union could only help
to avoid the unnecessary shedding of Cuban blood
on Cuban soil.
It
is important that you understand that the members
of
CAMCO do
not wish to return to Cuba to gain glory or wealth.
We only want to return to a Cuba in a spirit of
UNDERSTANDING,
FORGIVENESS,
and
RECONCILIATION.
I also want you to know that the Cuban-American
military men and women are ready to help you,
in any way to create a prosperous, free, and democratic
Cuba.
For
more than four decades, the Cuban people have
remained under an iron fist, suffering poverty,
and the constant violation of their constitutional
and human rights. Therefore, at this moment, when
Cuba needs of all her good sons and daughters,
we should unite, shoulder to shoulder, and work
arduously to reestablish moral, religious and
family values in Cuba.
I
am convinced that the objectives we have outlined
can be achieved through the unification of efforts
and resources from inside and outside of Cuba.
You,
the Cuban military men and women, know perfectly
well what economic, political and social crises
plague our Island. You also know that if a peaceful
and orderly transition is not found to the current
situation, Cuba will only fall deeper into chaos
and destruction.
All
Cubans must in good faith unite in order to save
our Homeland from further destruction. I cannot
stress enough that WE are not your enemies. In
reality we have never been your enemies, although
in the past, we might have struggled on opposite
trenches of the ideological battlefield.
I am convinced, that
the experiences of the
CAMCO
members
that will be shared with you through future communiqués
will be extremely useful when the inevitable political
changes start happening in Cuba.
I
can only hope that my words will help you understand
that all of you, individually and collectively, have a brilliant future and
better opportunities for personal and professional
development under a democratic government.
All
of you are as perfectly aware, as we are, that
the Cuban dictator has been able to stay in power
for the last 42 years because he has convinced
the Cuban people of the unconditional loyalty
of the Cuban military men and women, of the total
subordination of the members of the Communist
Party and, unfortunately, the apathy and inaction
of the Cuban people in general.
I
am convinced that the immense majority of our
compatriots in Cuba dream every day of being free,
but with the exception of a few courageous political
dissidents, the political prisoners, and the resistance
members, our people are not doing as much as they
should to convert their dreams in reality.
I believe
that the Cuban people have not rebelled against
hunger, infamy, and oppression because of, what
I call,
"THE
THREE FEARS
AND THE THREE HOPES".
The
THREE
FEARS:
1)
FEAR
of the security bodies (both official and unofficial)
of the State, members of the Revolutionary Defense
Committees, informers to the government organized
mobs that frighten and persecute those who dare
dissent from the laws promulgated by the Communist
dictatorship;
2)
FEAR
of
the chaos that will ensue in Cuba if the dictator
dies a natural or violent death;
3)
FEAR of
the exiled community, who has always been depicted
by the communist propaganda as vengeful, ready
for retaliation, disposed to lynch any that have
assisted the dictator, and anxious to snatch away
from the people the so called øsocial achievements"
of the revolution.
The
THREE
HOPES:
1)
HOPE
of
leaving the Island one way or another, on a raft,
on an airplane, or any other means of transportation
that they may find;
2)
HOPE
that
the U.S. Congress will lift the economic sanctions
under pressure from American liberals and sympathizers
in the exiled community causing Cubas social,
economic and political situation to improve;
3)
HOPE
that
the tyrant may one day reflect on what he has
wrought and begin the process of political and
economic change on the Island.
I
believe that the
THREE
FEARS
and
THE
THREE HOPES
have paralyzed our people and prolonged our fight
to obtain the liberation of Cuba.
Despite
the passivity and fear of the people, the Cuban
military and
CAMCO,
working together, could help to eliminate from
the minds of our people these false
FEARS
and
HOPES.
CAMCO
believes
that you, the men and women of the FAR, are the
only ones who at this moment are able to liberate
the Cuban people from that enormous jail which
is Cuba. You are indispensable in the effort to
accelerate the freedom process. You are the only
ones possessing, in Cuban territory, the organization
and military capability necessary to demand that
the Castro brothers abandon power, and protect
our fellow citizens from further oppression.
As
a result of your position of responsibility and
power, the membership of
CAMCO
hopes you will keep in mind that a democratic
transition need not result in your individual
harm or that of the military institution. In a
democratic Cuba you will be respected, you will
have better opportunities and you and all your
families will have a better future.
The
Government of the United States has publicly offered
its support to all of you in a report titled
"SUPPORT
FOR A DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION IN CUBA."
CAMCO
will
supplement this official support.
To that end, it is our goal to become the
suitable vehicle to approach you and communicate
to you that, just like the United States Government,
our members are ready to help you as soon as the
transition toward a democratic system begins in
Cuba without the Castro brothers.
In
the other former communist countries, in Latin
America and Eastern Europe, officers and soldiers
of the Armed Forces, many of them your mentors
and personal friends, are presently defending
the people and their national interests, as you
must do when your moment of opportunity arrives.
Finally,
remember our call is not a call to WAR.
Let me repeat this, ours is not a call
to WAR.
CAMCO
is
not preparing armies, navies or air forces to
attack you. We are preparing ourselves only with
the thought of helping you build a better Homeland.
We sincerely wish to assist you in organizing
and reconstructing a professional and nonpolitical
military organization that will not pledge loyalty
to a determined political or military figure but
to a democratic government elected by the people
through a free electoral process.
This
message of friendship is also meant for all inactive
military men and women. Among them there are a
great number of veterans that, because of their
courage and professionalism, were decorated during
international wars. Nevertheless, these soldiers
find themselves unemployed, bankrupt, unable to
feed their families, and frustrated in their attempts
to find a better future in Cuba.
Although
we have told by your communist rulers that you
have given them your unconditional support, we
are convinced that the vast majority of you, professional
military men and women, are in disagreement with
Castros dictatorship, and, like the rest of the
Cuban population, you have been robbed of 42 years
of happiness.
In
conclusion, I want you to know that CAMCO
will not stop its collective work until it achieves
its primary mission --the reunification of the
Cuban people under a democratic system that ensures
their rights of all to freely enjoy PEACE
and
PROSPERITY.
NOTE:
Despite of what Granma and other communist
newspapers have reported, we do not want you to
doubt that CAMCO is truly sincere when it states
that we want to return to a Cuba where
UNDERSTANDING, FORGIVENESS, JUSTICE and
RECONCILIATION prevail.
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