Cuban Military 2008- a news chronology

(From stories compiled by FOCAL, the Canadian Foundation for the Americas)

January 27: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called on Cuba, Bolivia and Nicaragua to form a military alliance under the Bolivarian Agreement (ALBA) to guard against attacks from the US. Chavez said that US military support for Colombia to help fight guerrillas and drug traffickers is a threat to Latin American unity, according to an e-mailed statement from the Information Ministry. “Interfering with Bolivia, Nicaragua or Cuba is also interfering with Venezuela,'' Chavez said during his weekly "Alo Presidente'' television program, citing his allies in the region and ALBA member states. "This is about reestablishing the concept of unity.'' Chavez on January 26 said Colombia, the US's staunchest Latin American ally, is trying to provoke a war with Venezuela and planning "aggression'' against him. (Bloomberg, ABN, BBC, 27/1/08)

January 28: In Camaguey, the Cuban East Army began a year-long period of military training exercises called Defense Preparedness 2008. The ceremony was presided over by Commander of the Revolution Guillermo García Frías. Army Corps General Álvaro López Miera, Vice-Minister and Chief of the General Staff of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR), as well as other high-ranking FAR and Ministry of the Interior officers were also in attendance. (Granma, 29/1/08)

February 29: Cuban President Raul Castro led a meeting of the Western Army Military Council, in which he highlighted the work carried out by the military in 2007. In the meeting, it was reiterated that the mobilization of Army reservists and militiamen, known as "Operacion Caguairan", will continue for the time being, with the aim of developing their military abilities. The importance of enlisting women in the defense of the country, especially through the female voluntary military service, was also stressed. During the meeting, Raul Castro read a message from the leader of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro, who congratulated General Julio Casas Regueiro for his promotion to Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR). "I think the enemy has not managed to entangle us thanks to Raul Castro's wise and serene speech," Fidel Castro noted in that text. On behalf of the Military Council, Western Army chief Lieutenant General Leopoldo Cintra, praised Raul Castro´s work as FAR minister for almost five decades. (Prensa Latina, 2/3/08)

March 25: Eighty scholars from 10 Latin American, European and Asian countries will converge on Havana from April 21-23 for the 1st International Security and Defense Conference. Convened by the Center for the Study of Defense Information of Cuba (CEID), the participants will analyze topics related to security and defense on the global, regional and national levels. The main subjects of debate are tied to security and defense in the Americas; the existing challenges and threats; the building of a new reliable system on the continent; human security; civil-military relations and the role of the armed forces in society, the influence of the United States in the hemispheric system and the possibilities for integration in this field. Manuel Carbonell Vidal, vice president of the CEID told a press conference that the topics of the event will be related to war and peace; armed conflicts; the arms race; the illegal trafficking of conventional weapons and military bases, Granma newspaper reported. (ACN, 25/3/08)

May 23: Cuban President Raul Castro led the military ceremony of change of command to the Central Army Chief, and expressed his security that those troops won't disappoint the people. At a letter read in the activity, Raul Castro said, "with the unity characterized by members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR), along with the Cuban Communist Party (PCC) and the Revolution chief Fidel Castro, we will be unbeatable." Summarizing the military parade in the Cuban province of Matanzas, broadcast by the TV main news program, Division General Raul Rodriguez was appointed as chief of command, substituting Lieutenant General Joaquin Quintas. The outgoing officer was also appointed Deputy FAR Minister, whereas the Council of State bestowed him the Maximo Gomez First Degree Order. After inspecting the troops, Raul Castro met with presidents of the provincial Defense Councils that make up the Central Army and at the same time are the First PCC Secretaries in those provinces. (Prensa Latina, 24/5/08)