Chronicle on Cuba - March 2006

Security

March 8: A top-level Chinese military delegation, led by Lieutenant General Peng Xiaofeng, political commissary of the People´s Liberation Army, has been visiting Cuba since March 4, Granma newspaper reported. Peng and his accompanying group were welcomed by the vice minister of the Cuban Chiefs of Staff, Alvaro Lopez Miera. The Chinese military delegation’s agenda includes visiting military schools and units and meeting with chiefs, officials and teaching staffs (Prensa Latina, Reuters, 8/3/06)

March 20: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez warned that if US troops were to invade any Latin American country, "revolutionaries" from across the region would join forces to battle the Americans. Chavez's remark in a speech confirmed what many in Venezuela have long presumed: that his government would go to the aid of a close ally like Cuba in the hypothetical scenario of the US sending troops. Although US officials often dismiss his claims as outlandish, Chavez insists his country must be on guard to face any potential US military attack. Washington also has said repeatedly it has no plans to attack Cuba. The Venezuelan leader said the US "should know that if it wants or someday decides (…) to invade any of our countries - be it Venezuela, Cuba, Bolivia, El Salvador, Nicaragua, today, tomorrow or the next day - we would be there gathering together the revolutionaries to do battle with weapons in hand against US imperialism." (AP, 21/3/06)