The Cuban pilot and former military officer Orestes Lorenzo sent a direct message this Sunday to the military of the island, including members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR), the Ministry of the Interior (MININT), and the National Revolutionary Police, urging them not to repress the people if protests against the government occur.
The message was shared through a video posted on his social media, recorded from an airport in Central Florida, before taking a flight. At the beginning of his address, Lorenzo explained that he chose to speak "before takeoff" to reach those who, like him in the past, "carry arms in the name of the government."
“Cuba is going through difficult times, and it is likely that the people will end up in the streets protesting against this government, trying to escape this nightmare,” he stated.
Lorenzo reminded the military of what he considers to be the fundamental mission of the Cuban armed forces and denied that they originated from the revolutionary process of 1959. “The armed forces did not come into existence on January 1, 1959; they are not the result of this supposed revolution,” he stated, adding that their roots lie in the mambí forces that fought for “a free nation, with everyone and for the good of all.”
In his message, he emphasized that the homeland is not identified with those in political power. "The homeland is never the government, whoever it may be; the homeland is the people," he pointed out. In that sense, he warned that weapons should not be used against unarmed citizens who are protesting. "Weapons cannot be directed against that people," he asserted.
The former military officer stated that if an order were given to shoot at demonstrators, carrying it out would mean betrayal. “You can't do it; doing so would be betraying the homeland, betraying your children, your siblings, your parents,” he expressed.
Lorenzo urged the officers to reflect on their personal and familial responsibilities. "Fill yourself with dignity, think of your children, think of what you defend and protect, and never fire against the people," he said, labeling that act as "a crime" and "the true betrayal of the homeland."
He also referred to potential legal consequences for those involved in repressive acts. “Those who aim their weapons at the people of Cuba will inevitably face the weight of justice,” he stated, clarifying that his words did not constitute a threat. “It is not a threat; it is a call to your dignity and to the understanding of the historical role you are meant to play at this moment,” he noted.
In another part of the message, he argued that the end of the current government is inevitable. “The question of how long this government will last is open, but it will come to an end, and Cuba will be free,” he stated, asserting that in that scenario “all Cubans, without exception, will have the right to express their opinions freely and to decide the future of the nation, without divisions.”
In recent weeks, Lorenzo has repeatedly expressed his views on the political and military situation in Cuba. In one of his analyses, he stated that “the only real and active army Cuba has today is that of the ciberclarias”, while in another, he claimed that the training of Cuban soldiers “was to repress, not to fight”. More recently, he asserted that Cuba is going through a moment in which “it has the possibility of achieving its freedom today”.
The video concludes with a direct question addressed to the uniformed personnel: “Are you with the homeland and the people, or are you with the dictatorship?”
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