TANKS IN THE STREETS

In preparation for the December 2nd parade commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Cuban Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias - FAR) and Fidel Castro’s 80th birthday (August 12), T-62 tanks were seen in the streets surrounding Revolution Plaza (formerly, Civic Plaza).

There has also been reports that tanks have been seen throughout Cuban cities.

Is the presence of these tanks, although for a parade, a visible warning that the army is prepared for any civil unrest or an internal rebellion, once Fidel Castro dies?

To thwart such a scenario, Fidel Castro has his High Command Reserve (Reserva del Alto Mando - RAM), an elite counterattack force composed of an armored division and all its firepower support units that form a defensive ring around the capital of Havana.

In the event of an internal rebellion attempting to displace the Cuban regime or an invasion by the United States, the battle for the regime’s survivability–acknowledged by the Cuban government and in Washington–will take place in the City of Havana.

There has been very little written about this reserve force, however, it plays an extremely vital role in the defense and protection of the Fidelista regime.

See Armando F. Mastrapa 3d. High Command Reserve (Reserva del Alto Mando - RAM): Cuba’s Elite Counterattack Force. La Nueva Cuba. October 6, 2004.

Source: EFE, Cuban Armed Forces Review, La Nueva Cuba

Share This