Bastion 2009

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National Defense Council meets

29 May 2010 at 1649 in Armed Forces, Generals, Government, Military, Military & Defense, Nomenklatura, Paramilitary, Raul Castro, Special Forces by Armando F. Mastrapa 3d

Via Cadena Agramonte:

Army General Raul Castro presided over a meeting of the National Defense Council to analyze the results of the Bastion 2009 Strategic Exercise and other actions carried out last year to improve the country’s defense readiness.

Participants, during the meeting, discussed topics related to the improvement of the national defensive capacity including social economic activities and civil defense.

During the presentation of the official report of the Bastion 2009 exercise, Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Army Corps General Alvaro Lopez Miera, said that military commanding and leading organs at tactic and strategic levels continued to improve their cohesion.

Raul Castro gave the closing remarks of the meeting and handed diplomas to participants in the Bastion 2009 exercise.

Present were government, state and Cuban Communist Party leaders as well as representatives from grass-roots organizations and high-ranking officials from the Cuban Armed Forces and the Interior Ministry.

(The original piece in Spanish was published in Juventud Rebelde.)

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Cuban media coverage of the military

19 March 2010 at 1100 in Armed Forces, Military, Military & Defense, Nomenklatura, Raul Castro by Armando F. Mastrapa 3d

The Federation of American Scientists has obtained a copy of an Open Source Center six-page report from late February 2010 on Cuban media coverage of the military, which has been positive. OSC assesses:

President Raul Castro was atypically visible and engaged during a Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) exercise in late 2009, but more commonly he presents himself as a civilian rather than military leader. Current senior military officers maintain a largely ceremonial presence in state media, where the military receives limited but overwhelmingly favorable coverage.

Also, OSC observed:

  • Senior defense and military officials maintained a limited and largely ceremonial presence in state media.
  • The most visible military leader is FAR Vice Minister and Corps General Leopoldo Cintra Frias.
  • Cuban military officials also received prominent coverage during the “Bastion” exercise, but otherwise they generally are only seen attending anniversary celebrations or military ceremonies and graduations.
  • More generally, state media portray the military as a model of collective and individual performance, but regularly find fault with civilian agencies and workers.
  • Coverage of the military is generally limited and silent on the subject of FAR involvement in the Cuban economy.

To read the rest of the report in its entirety, click here.


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Special legislation for exceptional situations

15 February 2010 at 1717 in Armed Forces, Government, Military, Police, Population, Security, Security forces by Armando F. Mastrapa 3d

“The Prosecutor and Municipal Tribunal, as well as the offices of the Department of Justice, continue to perform in peacetime. Except in a case where an exceptional situation is declared, tribunals and sector prosecutors will be activated, and special legislation will be applied under the principle of unique military jurisdiction.”

Lt. Coronel Adolfo Sánchez (Chief, Cotorro Municipality Judicial Group)

The above referenced quote comes from an informative article published last month by CubaNet entitled “Legislación especial,” which was written by independent journalist Odelín Alfonso Torna.

Torna alerts to the ramifications of information technology and high tech devices that Cubans now have access to (e.g. USB flash drives, mobile phones, iPods) whereby the Cuban government is loosing control of information. Even government employees are violating security regulations exposing confidential information that is being leaked and disseminated to the populace.

He warns of an unexpected special legislation for exceptional situations (e.g. foreign invasion and popular revolt) as Cubans are presently facing repression at its “highest magnitude.”

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Conclusion of Bastion 2009

29 November 2009 at 1537 in Armed Forces, Generals, Government, Jose Ramon Machado Ventura, Military & Defense, Militias, Nomenklatura, Paramilitary, Raul Castro, Security by Armando F. Mastrapa 3d

Image: Juventud Rebelde

Army General Raúl Castro congratulated participants of Bastion 2009 Strategic Military Exercises, confirming they had accomplished previous goals.

A video conference with principal organs of direction, commands of the Western, Central and Eastern Armies and presidents of provincial defense councils, served as the finale of activities developed during the strategic exercises.

The presidents of the provincial defense councils of Cienfuegos, Santiago de Cuba and Pinar del Río announced, among other aspects, the preparations to bring forth today National Defense Day.

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Military mission now includes internal warfare (Updated)

26 November 2009 at 1352 in Armed Forces, Economy, Food crisis, Government, Military & Defense, Militias, Opposition, Paramilitary, Population, Security, Security forces, Violence by Armando F. Mastrapa 3d

Division General Leonardo Andollo Valdés (Deputy Chief, General Staff) announced for the first time on Cuban state television that the Cuban military prepares for internal warfare against the people.

The War of All the People (Guerra de todo el pueblo) has been the fundamental underpinning of the Cuban armed forces’ military doctrine where the social masses are responsible for the national defense of the country against potential U.S. agression.

However, with Bastion 2009, that fundamental is evolving for the first time to include for the preparation of the armed forces’ internal war against the people.

La Jornada reports Division General Leonardo Andollo Valdés’ (Deputy Chief, General Staff) comments on the Mesa Redonda (Round Table) state television program surrounding the FAR and MININT’s military exercises beginning today.

Div. Gen. Andollo stated that the military maneuvers “begin in a situation of peacetime” and are in preparation for “the increase of enemy subversive activity aimed at causing social disorder and ungovernability in Cuba.”

Was this a slip of the tongue for Andollo or was he sanctioned by the military hierarchy to make it abundantly clear for internal/external consumption the government’s plan to crush, without hesitation, social instability affecting internal security?

The economic implosion (e.g. energy crisis, falling exports, limited capital inflow, eliminating food rationing booklet) the Cuban government faces caused by a stagnate command economy with meager traces of capitalism is propelling an inevitable social upheaval that the military and security forces will confront.

Bastion 2009 exercises are further evidence of such a fundamental change to the military’s mission to now quash social instability which has been publicly announced by a high-ranking general of the Cuban military’s high command.

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Bastion 2009 begins today

26 November 2009 at 1159 in Armed Forces, Commentary, Generals, Military & Defense, Population, Violence by Armando F. Mastrapa 3d

Cuban military's doctrine is evolving to quell social upheaval on the island caused by economic crisis. Image: European Press Photo Agency

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Cuba began today at dawn their three-day military exercises in efforts to dissuade an aggression from the United States and prepare for a rapid response in the event of an explosive social conflict on the island.

Granma, the Cuban Communist Party daily, announced in its front page that this is most important military exercise in the last five years even with the austerity caused by an economic crisis but conducted with efficiency.

Further coverage from AFP; EFE; Prensa Latina; BBC Mundo; La Jornada

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Military exercises discussed on state television [Updated]

20 November 2009 at 1824 in Armed Forces, Generals, Military & Defense, Militias, Paramilitary by Armando F. Mastrapa 3d

Today’s 35-minute Mesa Redonda (Round Table) program on Cuban state television focused on Bastion 2009 military exercises which will be held November 26-28.

In the first twenty minutes of the program, state television journalist Reinaldo Taladrid, reviewed U.S. military doctrine, military-industrial complex, and foreign policy.

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A brief history is shown of Bastion military exercises that began in 1980 and held in successive years: 1983, 1986, 2004.

Division General Leonardo Andollo Valdes (Deputy Chief, General Staff) outlines the activities taking place in the three-day exercise.

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Division General José Milián (Vice-Minister, MININT) briefs on the Interior Ministry's participation in Bastion 2009 which includes the national police, coastal guards and street surveillance.

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Economic and social activities to be completed for Bastion 2009 military exercises.

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The bulk of the exercises will take place in Eastern Cuba, principally, in Santiago de Cuba.

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Exercises will also take place in Havana including the province whereby militias will also take part.

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Bastion 2009 military exercises

16 November 2009 at 0914 in Armed Forces, Military & Defense, Militias, Paramilitary by Armando F. Mastrapa 3d

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The Cuban Defense Ministry has announced through state media that Bastion 2009 military exercises will take place throughout the country for three days at the end of the month: November 26 – November 28.  National Defense Day will be held on November 29.

The program will include maneuvers and different types of tactical exercises with the participation of units from the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionaria (Revolutionary Armed Forces), Interior Ministry and other components of the territorial defensive system, which include troops movement and military equipment with air flights, and explosions where required.

The last large-scale military exercise was held in 2006.

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