CONEXIÓN NARCO TERRORISTA DE CUBA Y VENEZUELA..

Chacín is a retired naval officer, member of the Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) and governor of Guárico, Venezuela. German magazine Der Spiegel reported that he travelled periodically to FARC camps and was assigned by the late Hugo Chavez to manage the complex illegal transactions between the FARC, Venezuela and Cuba for the supply of weapons, and money laundering. General Cliver Alcalá Cordones: is a high ranking member of the Cartel de los Soles . According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, General Alcalá Cordones “has used his position to establish an arms-for-drugs route with the FARC.” (11) Commander of the Eastern Army. In 2011, the United States Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets (OFAC) listed him as supporting terrorist organizations and “narcotics and arms trafficking activities.” (12) His brother is Gen. Carlos Alcalá Cordones. General Carlos Alcalá Cordones: current Mayor of Vargas, Venezuela. Former Chief of the Army (appointed by Chavez in 2012-2013). In 2011, the United States government issued a statement barring Americans from engaging in business with Gen. Cordones because of his links to the FARC. (13) General Nestor Reverol Torres: accused in 2010 by drug kingpin Walid Makled Garcia as one of his collaborators smuggling drugs from Colombia to Venezuela. (14) Conclusion During the past decade Cuba and Venezuela have forged a close political and military alliance. On the Cuban side, the Castro regime provides Venezuela military and security support. Several thousand Cuban military personal and advisors are now in the country. Several thousand Cuban doctors are also in Venezuela as part of Castro’s expanding international medical programs. In addition, the Cuban military helped establish a relationship between the Venezuelan military and the Colombian narco-guerrilla, making Venezuela a major drug transshipment point toward the U.S. and Europe. According to economist Carmelo Mesa-Lago, Venezuela is providing an estimated $13 billion (15) in yearly aid to Cuba, including 80,000-100,000 barrels of petroleum daily. The Maduro regime has also invested in rebuilding the old Russian refinery of Cienfuegos. Cuba has a major stake in Venezuela and in protecting these subsidies. The recent increase in Cuban troops sent to Venezuela highlights the Castros’ commitment to the survival of the Chavista regime and their concern with the growing violence in the country. The most troubling aspects of this relationship are the growing drug trafficking and the continuous opposition to U.S. policies. The inclusion of Iran in rounding out this triumvirate, has added a dimension of strategic importance. The proximity of Cuba and Venezuela to the U.S. makes the two countries ideal platforms for anti-American activities, specifically in the event of a U.S. conflict with Iran. These two allies may be called upon to support Iranian policies and objectives. Note : other high ranking Cuban officers involved in the Venezuela-Cuba military operation are General Alejandro Ronda Marrero, “General de los Pinchos Duros,” and Vice-Admiral Julio Cesar Gandarilla, Chief of the Military Counter-Intelligence. Notes (1) Information on Venezuela-Cuba military cooperation with the Colombian guerrillas was provided by a MININT defector. In early March 2014, the author interviewed in Miami this former MININT officer. The officer traveled several times to safe areas in Venezuela with General Andollo to meet with high ranking “comandantes” of Colombia’s narco-guerrilla protected by the Cartel de los Soles. Also, two other high ranking Venezuelan officers interviewed for this report confirmed the Cuban involvement. (2) The term “Cartel de los Soles” was reportedly first used in 1993 when two National Guard generals, anti-drug chief Ramon Guillen Davila and his successor Orlando Hernandez Villegas, were investigated for drug trafficking and other related crimes. As brigade commanders, each wore a single sun as insignia on their shoulders, giving rise to the name Cartel of the Sun (later on, when allegations emerged that division commanders- given double suns in their ranking- were involved in the drug trade, the term became the “Cartel de los Soles ”). (3) United States District Court Southern District of Florida. NO 82-643 Cr-JE. There is no pending case since the defendant, Aldo Santamaria, was not apprehended in Cuba to stand trial in Florida and later passed away. (4) At the time, Sandinista Daniel Ortega was the Head of Government. (5) At the time, General Manuel Noriega was the Head of Government. (6) Fernandez, Ralph. “Historical Assessment of Terrorist Activity and Narcotic Trafficking by the Republic of Cuba.” Fernandez & Diaz, P.A. 2003. (7) Treasury Targets Venezuelan Government Officials Supporting the FARC. U.S. Department of the Treasury. September 12, 2008 (8) Treasury Targets Venezuelan Narcotics Trafficker. U.S. Department of the Treasury. August 21, 2013. (9)Treasury Targets Venezuelan Government Officials Supporting the FARC, 2008. (10) Ibid. (11) Treasury Designated Four Venezuelan Officials for Providing Arms and Security to the FARC. U.S. Department of the Treasury. September 08, 2011. (12) Ibid. (13) Ibid. (14) Poleo, Patricia. “Lista de Oficiales Implicados por Walid Makled. El Nuevo Pais. November 13, 2010. (15) Montaner, Carlos Alberto. “Cuba: The Selling of a Nation.” The Miami Herald. February 3, 2014. * Pedro Roig is senior research associate and lecturer at the Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies, University of Miami. Dr. Roig has taught Cuban history courses at various institutions and was former director of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB) – Radio & TV Marti. He holds a Masters of Arts degree from University of Miami and a Juris Doctor Degree from St. Thomas University. He has written several books including “The Death of a Dream: A History of Cuba” and “Marti: The Cuban Struggle for Freedom.” He is a veteran of the Brigade 2506.