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The former Cuban military pilot Orestes Lorenzo Pérez stated that on two occasions Cuban intelligence attempted to persuade him that two close friends were working for the regime's security services, also implying that his life could be in danger due to that supposed relationship.
He explained that he rejected both insinuations and decided to continue placing his trust in them.
In a post shared on , Lorenzo recounted that the attempts aimed to sow suspicion about people in his closest circle.
"Twice the Cuban Intelligence tried to convince me that two of my friends were working for them and that my life could be in danger at their hands," he wrote.
The former pilot explained that on both occasions he refused to heed those warnings and chose to trust his friends.
"I rejected them because I have faith in those two exceptional friends," he stated.
According to Lorenzo, his decision stemmed from a personal conviction about loyalty and trust among friends, even in the face of potential risks.
"I'd rather take the risk of being betrayed than betray a friend based on the insinuations of others," he noted.
In his message, he also stated that, in his opinion, one of the strategies employed by authoritarian regimes is to foster distrust among people in order to weaken them.
"The strength of tyranny lies in its ability to divide and sow distrust among men," he stated.
The former military officer added that staying loyal to his friends is part of the values he considers fundamental in the society he currently lives in.
"It is an inseparable part of the freedom and values that define this country in which I live and to which I owe my absolute loyalty," he wrote.
Lorenzo also emphasized that he is not willing to distance himself from someone close due to external pressures or fear of the consequences.
"I will never turn my back on a friend, nor will I follow the advice, no matter the source, to do so because 'it doesn't suit me' or due to the risk of being 'marked by association,'" he stated.
For the former driver, personal loyalty is an essential principle that is connected to broader values.
"Whoever is not loyal to their friends, whoever is not fair in the most fundamental aspects, cannot be loyal to the principles that uphold this nation," he added.
At the end of his publication, he expressed that he would rather face the consequences of a mistake than act against his convictions.
"To pay with my life for making a mistake and being betrayed is preferable to living without transparency," he concluded.
A figure known for their escape from Cuba
Orestes Lorenzo Pérez is internationally known for his escape from Cuba in 1991, when he managed to flee in a military plane. A year later, he was involved in a daring operation to clandestinely return to the Island and rescue his family.
After that episode, he settled in the United States, where he has remained connected to the aviation world and has maintained an active presence on social media, commenting on the political situation in Cuba.
Criticism of the Cuban regime
In January, Lorenzo once again voiced harsh criticisms against the government of Havana. He stated that "the only real and active army Cuba has today is that of the cyberclarias", a term commonly used to refer to online accounts that defend the Cuban government.
In that message, he mocked the military exercises broadcasted by state television, in which the government displayed defense maneuvers in preparation for a potential invasion by the United States.
According to what he wrote at the time, these demonstrations were part of a propaganda campaign aimed at projecting strength.
"They have unleashed a cheap bravado offensive that saturates social media with the threat of taking out anyone," he commented.
The former pilot also questioned the purpose of these military maneuvers and stated that many Cubans interpret these messages as a warning aimed more at the internal population than at an external threat.
Lorenzo described those exhibitions as a "comedy seen with humor from the outside and with horror from within."
The people can achieve their freedom
The former Cuban military officer asserts that the Island is going through a crucial moment for its political future.
Cuba today has the opportunity to achieve its freedom, he expressed in a post on Facebook, listing the reasons why, in his view, the current situation cannot be explained by economic factors or external circumstances.
Lorenzo emphasized that this moment is not "due to the end of Venezuelan oil subsidies," nor "because he can no longer charge for providing mercenaries to another country," nor "because of his miserable military incapacity," nor "because of the arrest of his ally Maduro," nor even "due to the hunger that Cubans are suffering."
For the former official, the fundamental difference lies in a profound change: "Cuba now has a real opportunity to put an end to that brutal plague that oppresses it, because for the first time in its history, the impunity that the murderers who govern it have always enjoyed has come to an end."
"Today, there will be no crime without consequences," he asserted firmly.
And he stated that the outcome depends on the citizens' reaction. "If the people understand that, they will know that their victory is only a step away by taking to the streets," he concluded.
Questions regarding the regime's military strategy
The former official has also criticized the lack of coherence between the government's official discourse on national defense and the reality of the country.
According to his explanation, if the Cuban leadership truly believed in the possibility of a foreign invasion, they would have fully implemented the strategy known as "War of All the People," which would involve arming the population.
However, he stated that this has never happened and that no one in Cuba is armed or prepared to fight.
For Lorenzo, this shows that the government fears the internal reaction of its citizens more than an external military threat.
"The true enemy that the dictatorship fears is not the United States, but the Cuban people themselves," he asserted.
Criticism of the power elite in Havana
The former pilot has also directed criticism at the country's political leadership, particularly at the ruling Miguel Díaz-Canel.
Lorenzo described him as a "disposable puppet" within the Cuban political system and recalled that the leaders who hold power on the Island can replace public figures whenever they deem it necessary.
"Those who put the clown Díaz-Canel in the presidency need to distance themselves from him. I won't be surprised to see him 'resign' for completely false reasons," he stated.
Lorenzo has pointed out on several occasions that, within the Cuban political system, leaders can be easily replaced when circumstances demand it.
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