editorials

Febrero 19, 2008
STATEMENT OF ALPHA 66

In view of the announcement that Fidel Castro is resigning his duties as chief of state and other positions that he arbitrarily used in his capacity as dictator for almost 50 years, ALPHA 66 takes this opportunity to appeal to the people of Cuba and those in exile, not to let themselves be misled by those who want to see us on our knees begging for freedom based on conditions.

The transfer of power to his brother Raúl Castro who is as blood thirsty and despotic as Fidel Castro himself, is nothing more than the continuation of a system that has oppressed our people by systematically denying them the most fundamental of liberties and has kept the people of Cuba in the most unimaginable and humiliating misery.

ALPHA 66 reaffirms its commitment to continue the struggle to eradicate once and for all the communist institutions in our homeland as the only way to reach a true freedom and a return to a system of government that is genuinely democratic.

Ernesto Díaz Rodríguez

Secretary General of Apha 66 and

Vice-President of Unidad Cubana

Osiel González

Vice Secretary General of Alpha 66

February 2008

THE ROAD TO THE 7^ht NATIONAL CONGRESS OF ALPHA 66

In June 2007 Alpha 66 celebrated a grand meeting in Torrance, California where members and friends of the organization came together to demonstrate huge enthusiasm in anticipation that the dark system of hate and evil currently governing Cuba was coming to an end. We determined to get together on a national scale to find ways to support the effort and sacrifice being made by those in Cuba who were challenging the opprobrious Communist system of the Castro brothers.

Without wasting any time we determine that the best way to begin this process was to convene a national congress where we could analyze the current situation in Cuba and the problems associated with its eventual freedom, especially from an international perspective. By September 2007 we took the first step and contracted with the Double Tree Hotel in Torrance, CA to celebrate the 7^th National Congress of Alpha 66 on February 22, 23, and 24 of 2008. The date of February 24 is of special meaning to Cubans as it was on February 24, 1895 that Cubans began their final struggle for independence from the colonial rule of Spain.

Since then we have been working very hard. Invitations were extended to delegations of Alpha 66 throughout the country. The response was very enthusiastic and overwhelming. In addition to our national directorate, members from Miami, New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Washington D.C, Houston and San Antonio, Texas, Tampa and the Dominican Republic have already confirmed their participation. Members from throughout California will be present along with our National Secretary, Ernesto Díaz Rodríguez, and Vice-President, Osiel González Rodríguez.

In addition to members from California and the many other delegations, we have invited a number of highly qualified and well-known individuals each of whom will present in their areas of expertise and discuss the issues necessary that will bring about the final blow to end once and for all the plague of villains that has for 50 years ruled over an indefensible people, leaving behind a history of crimes that can only be compared with the atrocities of Hitler’s Germany and Stalin in the Soviet Union.

It is time that our people live in liberty. It is impossible to continue on the sidelines as the world watches in apathy. Justice will demand that those who do not help in this struggle for freedom and who don’t speak up against the horrible crimes of Castro’s Communism be seen as accomplices to that bitter and painful tragedy.

For over 47 years Alpha 66 has been actively denouncing those who have forcefully imposed themselves on the people of Cuba. In this 7^th National Congress we will determine the next steps to follow.

Organizing Committee of the 7^th National Congress of Alpha 66.

Miguel L. Talleda

Coordinator in California

September 1l, 2007

SENATOR CHRISTOPHER DODD:

AN ALLY OF UNJUST CAUSES

By: Ernesto Díaz Rodríguez

Secretary General of Alpha 66

Vice-president of Unidad Cubana

In an article titled “Dodd Defends Broad Opening Toward Cuba,” columnist for El Nuevo Herald, Rui Ferreira highlights the following: “In complete contrast to the rest of the Democratic presidential candidates, Senator Christopher Dodd outlined yesterday in Miami a wide ranging platform on Cuba that calls for the total resumption of diplomatic relations, the lifting of the economic embargo, an end to travel restrictions, strict compliance of immigration agreements, and abolition of the Cuban Adjustment Act.” None of this comes as a surprise to political exiles conscious of their responsibility to history, those of us that will not add our voices to the ones calling for a dialogue with the Castro government. This is also no surprise for those who struggle inside Cuba from a position of principles and dignity, not for a cosmetic change, but rather for a complete and total defeat of the Castro tyranny.

From my point of view, Senator Christopher Dodd has come to Miami with the wrong message. If his motive is to win votes in his quest to replace George W. Bush in the White House, he will have no recourse but to return to his home in Connecticut or to his resplendent office in Washington carrying on his shoulders the incandescent cross of failure.

But this is not the first time that this person, known for his extreme liberal views, errs in taking a position that involves the adversaries of this great nation of freedoms and rights, of progress and hope. As it was well stated by Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart when referring to Senator Dodd:

"He has always defended the enemies of the United States, like the Sandinistas in Nicaragua, the Communists of El Salvador and the tyranny of the Castro Brothers."

No, this is not the first time he stumbles with the same rock. The same as Congressmen José E. Serrano, Charles Rangel, Jeff Flake, William D. Delahunt and a few other adherents to the loathsome and out-moded Left, they have failed in the House of Representative every time they have tried to get votes for an unjust cause that will support the forces of evil. They have also had to endure total defeat in the U.S. Senate. It seems that despite a seat in Congress, his speeches often lack a sense of reality and show that he has very little vision with relation to national affairs and certainly no vision with respect of foreign affairs. You can say that he is blinder than a scarecrow.

For those of us who have followed closely the pitiful path set forth by the Castro brothers and by Ortega and his cohorts, this platform by this Senator toward Cuba is no surprise. We should not be worried either, as only 5% of Democrats say they will vote for Senator Dodd as their candidate to the presidency. This shows he could not even beat el Bobo de la Yuca, a silly character in Cuban culture ridiculed in music and in writings, if he were to run against him.

Finally, it seems that this Democratic presidential hopeful has forgotten that the American electorate will always go with a candidate that is intelligent and whose vocation is to defend democratic institutions. Voters will not support a candidate that adheres to irrational and perverse doctrines that are an impediment to progress and to fundamental freedoms.

We have to acknowledge, however, that the honorable senator from Connecticut has the right to present whatever platform he wants with relation to Cuba, no matter how absurd it may sound. These are the great advantages of democracy and the ones we don’t have in Cuba under the Communist government of the two Castros. But I don’t think that his passionate defense of the diabolical dinosaurs that today lack any conscience and human decency, and who took over our unhappy island by force more than 50 years ago, will have any support among the voters of this great nation. Even less support will come from the Cuban-American voters when the “humanist” Senator Dodd has come to try to convince that what is bad for Cuba is actually good and that tyranny is the perfect symbol of justice and liberty.

ALPHA 66

“PROCLAMATION FROM LOS ANGELES”

For the Freedom of Cuba

July 8, 2007

Conscious of the moral commitment imposed by the respect to those that during the difficult times faced by our country did not waiver in sacrificing everything, including their lives, in a heroic effort to achieve with dignity the freedom of Cuba, Alpha 66 together with a group of brave Cubans has come together on this day to proclaim the following:

1.- We reiterate the sacred commitment to continue the struggle for the freedom of our country, the country of all Cubans, without holding back on any sacrifice or accepting of any defeat, regardless of the adversities and obstacles that may interpose in our way.

2.- We commit to double our efforts and contribute according to our possibilities to the realization of an effective and coherent strategy that will help us shorten the way toward national liberation. As part of its traditional politics of brotherhood in effect since its founding 46 years ago, Alpha 66 will put at the disposal of all organizations in exile that comply with the requirements already established, the military camp, “Rumbo Sur.” This will allow these organizations to prepare themselves physically and capable for combat.

3.- Alpha 66 and all those signing this document will have as a priority a demand on the Communist government of Cuba to immediately free unconditionally all Cuban political prisoners.

4.- We recognize and support all the opposition sectors inside Cuba that claim from a position of dignity the fundamental rights allowed to all human beings, including the right to rebel against despotism and oppression as it is written in the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

5.- We denounce those who try to reach a shameful arrangement with the tyranny by calling for a sterile dialogue with the main culprits of that horrendous politics of crimes, abuses, and corruption which has lasted almost 50 years. All unscrupulous proposals that will lead to a less than honorable solution with impunity for the enemy will be considered treason toward the motherland and we should severely condemn it.

6.- We offer our solidarity with the noble struggle of the people of Venezuela as they justly call for an end to coercions, defamations, and all types of mischief being perpetrated by the dictator and ex-colonel, Hugo Chavez Frías in his ongoing quest to perpetuate himself as the sole ruler of Venezuela. We salute and admire with respect the brave fighters of the opposition and the students of this heroic nation that have confronted with a bravery that honors their people and have opposed the arbitrary measures taken by Chavez against the prestigious RC-TV Radio Caracas to eliminate freedom of the press in the land of the liberator, Simón Bolívar.

7.- Because of the importance it has for those of us who have experienced losing one’s freedom, we offer our solidarity also to the American troops fighting in Iraq, risking their lives in an admirable effort to help a country that had for many years been oppressed to solidify their democratic institutions and become masters of their own destiny.

8.- We understand as uncivilized the idea of personal vengeance for what ever reason that it may be motivated. But we reject vehemently the absurd politics of “forgive and forget” as we find it dehumanizing and unjust to the suffering of its victims. As an inevitable instructive example, those that have blood on their hands will have to respond to a court of law. Those accused will be treated with respect and will be offered all the guarantees and total impartiality regardless of the severity of their crimes and they will be subjected to a real justice.

9.- Finally, we fight for the total eradication of the corrupt structures of power of the two Castro’s and their communist regime.

The basic fundamentals to guarantee the happiness, progress, and peace of the Cuban family in a Cuba of the future have to be sustained on the principles proclaimed by the Apostle of Independence, José Martí. These principles were the absolute respect of the dignity of man.

We understand also that the proper form of government has to be a true democracy, with social justice, free enterprise, private property, pluralistic political process and all the liberties inherent in a modern, dynamic, and representative democracy.

Given in Los Angeles, California, on July 8, 2007.

Ernesto Díaz Rodríguez Miguel L. Talleda
Secretary General of Alpha 66 Coordinator for State of California

This document was signed by hundreds of people present at the event, celebrated on July 8, 2007 at the Hotel Marriott, in Torrance, California.

July 4^th, 2007

MEDITATIONS OVER THE 4TH OF JULY

By Ernesto Diaz Rodriguez
General Secretary of Alpha 66
Vice President of Unidad Cubana

Today is the 4^th of July, for me the most important date in the history of the United States of America, the country of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. The country of Ronald Reagan and of Franklin D. Roosevelt. The country the heroes of New York’s Fire and Police Departments, who generously gave their lives when intending the superhuman rescue of the trapped victims in the rubble of debris and fire, or that vile crime against the “Twin Towers”. The country by all means of my children and of my children’s children. The beautiful country of all North Americans.

As a grateful Cuban and despite all spiritual ties to that wonderful reef where I had the privilege of being born, I crave to say that in my most sublime sentiments I have come to hold her as part of my country too. And for that reason every day my thoughts are for the desire of peace and happiness for this country, generous and noble by nature, and committed in the effort to reconquer the liberty for those nations that suffer from tyrannical governments. Regrettably, on some occasions, the feeling of that solidarity has been distorted as a consequence of erroneous and had intentions from the very means of communications of North Americans.

Today is the 4^th of July, the historical date of the birth of this great nation’s independence and sovereignty. Many years have passed since the 4^th of July in 1776, when the trees of liberty flourished along with progress and justice, and the immense gateway of democracy was built for all North Americans. Since then the challenges and the sacrifices in the struggle to guarantee the preservation of those fundamentals values deserved by all humans beings have not ceased. The United States suffered the agony of a devastating civil war, but one which offered of its fruits the abolition of slavery and the strengthening of its roots, to make itself invincible once the wounds were healed and the hearts were fused in national brotherhood. Both World Wars, Korea and the controversial conflict of Viet Nam, which did not yield the necessary results, were all confrontations that paid a high price in sacrifice and in lost of lives of valuable soldiers. But herein lies the grandeur, the solid gestures of solidarity, the satisfaction of having fulfilled the inevitable commitment with history, when a nation is the most important leader and power in the world.

Today is the 4^th of July, a holiday, and it should also be for me a day of happiness. But I have preferred to meditate in silence and dedicate my best thoughts to those heroes who risk their lives in the ambushes in Iraq, in a supreme effort to bring happiness to that unhappy country, today harassed by a bloody pack of hounds. I simply prefer to feel as being part of them in my conscience and in my spiritual solidarity. I wish for them to return home with the flags hoisted in the pride of a definite triumph that, thanks to the heroism of the troops and the firm convictions and perseverance of George W. Bush, will not be delayed much longer.

Congratulations on this Holiday of Independence to all North Americans. May God bless this great nation on this day and always, and help her preserve her values and her democratic institutions.

March 2007

THE SUGAR-BOWL OF THE WORLD

By: Miguel L. Talleda

For those of us who had to leave our homeland to go into exile, not a day goes by that our Cuba is not in our thoughts. The suffering of families separated, the memories of what life was like in that generous island, and the having to witness day by day the colossal collapse of the Communist regime imposed by Castro and his accomplices—all these things are a part of our life here in exile.

For me it has been especially interesting to watch the hecatomb of the sugar industry because I spent a great part of my life working in this field and know this industry from all its angles. I worked for 23 years in the office of Central Washington in the province of Las Villas. I was involved in all the activities of this industry, including managing it during one of its sugar harvest and processing seasons.

I did not know this industry only as a worker. I was a representative of ANDOA, the National Association of Sugar Industry Office Employees and I was also a member of FNTA, the National Federation of Sugar Workers. In this capacity I assisted congresses in Havana, Santa Clara, and in Holguin where I was part of a confrontation between the leader of the Authentic Movement, Emilio Suri Castillo in his forceful opposition to the Communist Jesus Menendez and the control Menendez had over the labor movement in the sugar industry.

And now we see that this industry, the sugar industry, has been totally destroyed by the imbecile Fidel Castro! How is it possible that from the 156 sugar mills in existence when Castro stole the revolution, today in 2007, only 40 can process sugar! And even these are working below capacity because when it is not the excess of water, it’s the drought, the lack of fertilizers or the breakdown of old machineries. And sometimes the fault is attributed to “El Niño.”

And how does the cretin of Fidel Castro justify this disaster? On March 17, 2005 he said the following: “Today, sugar is the ruin of the island’s economy because it requires too many resources.” And he followed it with this equally stupid comment. “We know that this country will never again live off sugar. (Sugar) belongs to the era of slavery and of a country of illiterate people which represented the 30 per cent that did the work of animals.”

This is classic of the tyrant that, in the absence of truth, never admits that he and his ill-fated regime are the ones to blame.

The reality is that thousands of office workers, chemists, engineers, experts in agriculture, electricity, etc. worked in the sugar industry. Many were called upon to share their expertise in foreign lands where sugar was grown. I had the privilege of knowing many of these experts, like the Engineer, Miguel Chinchilla Varona, whom I assisted and who traveled all over the world to share his knowledge and experience.

Yes, the work was hard when it came to growing and cutting the sugar cane. But the introduction of new machinery to cut the cane was making the job easier. And before the Communist disaster, workers had negotiated a lower weight for sugar sacks bringing it down from 325 to 200 pounds.

It was the Cuban sugar industry, the jewel, that produced the largest quantity of sugar per ton of sugar cane. Our climate and our careful work made our sugar cane one of the best in the world. For this reason we were called “The Sugar-Bowl of the World.”

And now what! When President Bush and Brazil’s President, Lula da Silva, get together they proclaim the need for sugar cane to go into making (ethanol) as a “Biocombustible” that besides being a very rich resource, can help wean us from our dependence on oil which today is in the hands of many of our enemies.

In this proposal they include as possible participants, Colombia, Uruguay, Mexico, and Central America. But Cuba is not mentioned.

While freedom in Cuba continues to be crushed, we will not be able to revive the sugar industry even though since World War II, Cuba was already using ethanol to add to gasoline.

But in a climate of freedom, we can once again become the “Sugar-Bowl of the World.”

March 2007

WHAT HISTORY TEACHES US
By Miguel L. Talleda

There isn’t anything that helps us understand the present better than to focus our minds on history, because the present is no more than the repetition of events that occurred in the past. The need to understand how past events were addressed, confronted, and their eventual outcomes have brought us to where we are today.

If we look at our current world events, where black clouds darken the future of our next generations, threatened by Muslim extremists united with communists and others who breed hate and together have sworn to bring this country to its knees, we are able to see how men of unparallel courage have brought forth the solutions necessary to confront the crises of their times.

Hitler was advancing in his conquest of Europe. Countries were falling with virtually no resistance. Great Britain saw itself truly threatened when they elected Winston Churchill to power, and when asked what the solution was, he responded: “I have nothing to offer but blood, work, sweat, and tears.” “Facing us is months of struggle and suffering. You ask me: What is our policy? The only thing I can tell you is to wage war, by sea, by land, by air with all the power and might God may grant us.” (1)

I don’t believe we are faced with a situation as grave a threat as that of England during WWII, where every night they received a slew of bombs dropped by planes coming from Germany, but we are faced with an enemy equally dangerous, cruel, and savage who dreams of annihilating the free world and goes through desperate efforts to obtain the weapons of destruction necessary to carry out its objectives.

President Reagan, during his time, had the necessity to demonstrate his courage and acted with the decision that was required. Libyan dictator, Muammar Gadhafi, with total impunity, was placing the lives of Americans in danger, and all it took was for Reagan to order the bombardment of his palace for him to stop playing with fire. On another occasion, Reagan realized that the combination of Castro and the Soviets was resulting in the construction of a road on the island of Grenada, in the Caribbean, which could place in danger the national security of the United States. He sent in American troops and within one week the threat to this country was liquidated.

We are witnessing news that startles us. Details are beginning to emerge about what has already been discussed, that the Iranian government is supplying the Shiite insurgents in Irak, who are trying to destabilize the established government, with all kinds of weapons and sophisticated explosives that have resulted in an enormous number of casualties and injuries to American soldiers.

Might this be something of a plot to be accepted? Or might President Bush need to act with the determination he demonstrated in the taking of Afghanistan where Bin Laden and the Taliban’s terrorists were in power, or in the elimination of the tyrannical government of Saddam Hussein, so that in its place a government elected by the people could be established?

Although this may seem far away and remote from our own tragedy in Cuba, it is not. Those who are murdering our people in Cuba are firmly allied with Iran’s terrorists. We feel a sense of brotherhood with those who are trying to preserve the free world, of which we are a part, and we hope, that with God’s help, President Bush will also confront this difficult situation and make the correct decision.

(1) This quote from Winston Churchill was taken from an article by Andrei Illarionov, former Chief Economic Advisor to the President of the Russian Federation as per <list@guaracabuya.org>

August 2006

THE BASTILLE IN THE MIRROR
By Miguel L. Talleda

The month of July is full of historical events that have left deep marks in the development of human civilization. Events that have served as points of reference in the study of the freedoms that some nations enjoy and other lacks. Two of these events stand out as brilliant flashes of light.

The first and most significant has been the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776. This is the date the English colonies declared themselves free from the vassalage of the crown and created the United States of America. This date marks the origin of a nation that has served as a beacon and example for the rest of the world for the respect for freedom that is enjoyed by all its citizens.

The other event occured a few years later in 1789 when the impoverished and abused people of France realized they could not stand their misery any longer and in a revolutionary act against the troops of the autocrat, Louis XVI, took over the fortress-prison of The Bastille, a symbol of the tyranny that oppressed them. It is interesting to study these events which are similar in many respects to the situation suffered by us Cubans.

An absolute king and a court that lived with all the luxuries the system provided and which showed only disdain for the people that it trampled and abused (same as Cuba). That is how the people lived for years with a whip at their back and the cruelty of prison as punishment for any protest. Hunger and disease were the inseparable companions of the French people. There was no solution in sight (as in our homeland).

A people so brutally mistreated began to have a defeatist attitude without any hope for change. The feeling that they had to live without freedom began to feel natural without any way to get out of it. The majority of the people could only think about how to clothe and feed their children. In these daily necessities the people began to lose respect for others and in many cases virtue itself suffered greatly. (A picture of what has happened in Cuba).

But there were always minds that would not accept the tyranny of the King and his Court and plotted in the shadows to convince the people of the power it had if it made the decision to break the chains that bound it to a cruel and bloody system. The powerful forces backing the King of France were said to be "fearsome" (the same fear inspired by the Communist regime in Cuba).

And so came July 14, 1789 and the people put on long pants and without arms, only with rocks and sticks, hurled itself as one to destroy that symbol of the tyranny in the center of Paris, the prison of The Bastille. Incredibly, they were helped by members of the royal troops. They took over and set fire to the prison. They freed the prisoners and the government fell because when the oppressors saw a united people fighting for freedom they trembled like the cowards they were for having hid behind the use of force, becoming infamous tyrants of their own people.

Yes, these events happened more than two hundred years ago but they have been repeated throughout history time and time again. More recently in Romania and in the former East Germany where young people, supposedly Communists, rose against their oppressors.

This is the destiny of our people, an uprising at the national level that will sweep away all the Communist filth that has turned our beautiful island into a hell. (The Bastille reflects in the mirror).

July 2006

UNDER THE STARS OF FREEDOM

By Ernesto Díaz Rodríguez

Secretary General of ALPHA 66

Vice President of UNIDAD CUBANA

Frequently we ask ourselves what is going to happen in Cuba when Cubans get the opportunity to live under a genuinely democratic government system, with social justice and absolute respect for human dignity. However, not very often do we ask ourselves if in fact we are working hard enough to enable these transformations to take place in our country and see her return to the fold of free nations where governments work for the common good and for the peace and stability of the family which are the basic ingredients for happiness.

During the past 47 years our nation has been suffering a progressive deterioration, not only at the economic level but also at all aspects that affect Cuban society. Cuba, my poor Cuba (the old Switzerland of the Caribbean) has become the Cinderella of Latin America. There is not even sugar to sweeten a little bit of coffee, in an island that used to be a sugar empire. It’s not possible to buy salt, and even bread has become a luxury item. There are no fruits or vegetables. There is no iodine dye, nor medication for diarrhea, nor a simple aspirin, even though government officials proclaim the benefits of the "revolutionary medicine". And this situation is caused by an adventurer, a vulgar clown, a crazy, satanic and evil man that should have been dragged by the tail of a horse or thrown to the bonfire a long time ago because he doesn’t deserve anything better for being a wicked and cowardly dictator.

But time has passed. Almost half a century of oppression only 90 miles away from the most powerful, prosperous and democratic nation of the world. It’s a true nightmare, a circle of unexpected astonishment. Trapped in our own errors, we Cubans have repeatedly gone around in circles without finding the right course, without reaching the star that illuminates us, or the lightning that sets a fire in our soul and forces us to say: ¡no more tyranny! But our obligation is to continue our path and to be faithful to those who have offered everything in a supreme effort to reclaim the lost freedom.

I acknowledge the combat efficiency and the fertile stoicism of a sector of this historical exile that does not surrender and bow my head with respect before those tireless fighters in a spontaneous gesture of admiration. Of this intransigent exile that was nourished by courage and inspiration, of proven dignity, in sublime figures such as Andrés Nazario and Dr. Diego Medina, and of legendary fighters like Vicente Méndez and that symbol of transparent, radiant ebony of generosity and nobility, our unforgettable Eusebio Peñalver.

For them and a happy Cuba, it is necessary to unite our efforts in the daily fight against the tyranny. There is no other alternative than to strike the enemy, to strike it in the face with a steel fist and to use the arms of intelligence and reason to fight against his obsolete and wobbly dictatorship.

When a tyrant seizes power and practices oppression without any scruples; when the sense of life is systematically destroyed creating a feeling of impotence in the conscience of the victims, there is no other alternative than to rise from the miseries of the spirit and to fight. A meek submission is not honest, not even when it is the only means to preserve our own existence, because to live on our knees is worse than to be dead. It is to be diluted in the depth of a symbolic well without leaving a track. It is to crawl through the dust or to simply float on the dirty waters of a marsh without any direct course. Yes, thoughtless conformity is a disease of the soul. To fight to break the chains of any tyranny is very rewarding and as beautiful as planting a tree.

For Cuba time has arrived. We must be rebels with the force of giants against injustice. And we must have faith and confidence in the future. We cannot doubt our strengths as a hard working and civilized people, able to reconstruct our country once we achieve freedom and manage to establish a society based on democratic principles and values. We know by experience that when a Cuban is given the opportunity to exert his creativity, to work in order to live honestly and to construct a better future with his own hands and not depend on a few breadcrumbs offered by a government that oppresses and degrades him imposing as a condition the renunciation of his rights, the Cuban prospers and stands out. We have the best example in the exile community. Only a few of those that have had the opportunity to escape the captive Island have stayed stagnant caught in the stormy lianas which means a state of defenselessness and of impotence that the Castro tyranny has engraved in their conscience with arrogance and wickedness.

I know there are reasons to feel a little frustrated sometimes, especially when we are affected by the reality that some segments of the people, although hating and despising oppression, shamefully continue supporting the yoke with arms crossed sometimes due to indifference and other times to cowardice. A man cannot feel dignified when he is tamely dragging the chains imposed on him by a tyrant. I know that type of people can make us sad. But the examples that stimulate and drive us are far more numerous: The beautiful heroism of those who gave everything, of those who generously offered their lives in unequal combat or that rose high until reaching the glory before the firing wall; the diaphanous, frontal and unwavering stoicism of the political prisoners “plantados”; the historical intransigence of those that year after year have maintained, inside and outside Cuba, an attitude of dignity in their strategy to demand a radical change without vile compromises in the structure of Castro’s dictatorship. No, definitively there is no reason that can justify making concessions to the enemies of freedom. And we are not going to allow it because we want the future of Cuba to be immense, without the mud of those who have stained it, without the traps of the recycled Communists no matter how much they try to hide their bloody nails. The evil sons and daughters of Cuba, those that without scruples have impoverished and ruined our country together with the torturers and assassins will have to pay for their vileness and their crimes. And that price must be very high.

Cuba will be free. Nobody should doubt it. That Cuba that we proudly have in our heart will soon wear a wedding gown and the coconut palms will dance under stars of freedom. And there will be no more jails to imprison the ideas, or shipwrecks devoured by sharks, or barbed wire fences circling the beaches. Only when this time comes, will we have the right to rest.

July 2006

IN THE FACE OF THE TIRANT’S TANTRUMS

by Miguel L. Talleda

During these times when the usurper in his agony is seeing up close his trip to hell and accuses all those that have confronted him of being terrorists and while his cronies tremble at the thought of facing a people they have ruined and trampled with impunity, a State Department Commission reports to President Bush on how to face Cuba’s future in view of the changes that are inevitably near.

We think appropriate to remember the letter our Secretary General, Ernesto Diaz Rodriguez, wrote to President George W. Bush just a few months ago and the reply he received from the President.

“Honorable President George W. Bush:

Dear Mr. President:

Just over a year ago, in response to your invitation, I had the honor of meeting with you in the Oval Office in the White House, as I had done with your father when he was President of the United States and who honored me with an invitation May 20, 1991 to commemorate Cuba’s independence. My release, after more than 22 years as a political prisoner (“plantado”-steadfast) in the jails of the tyrant Fidel Castro, was due in large part to the support your father gave to the cause of my liberty, a gesture I will always remember with sincere gratitude.

The reason that I am moved to write you today is to reiterate, on behalf of myself, my family, and the patriotic Cuban organization I currently lead, our most fervent support in your role as President of this great nation, cradle of liberty and progress. Our solidarity and our thoughts are with the American troops stationed in Iraq and any place where duty to protect liberty and democracy requires the presence of such brave soldiers.

It is also my intention to request, Mr. President, that a more dynamic and effective policy be put in place in support of the freedom of Cuba. We Cubans of good faith who are involved in this struggle are aware of the work of the Commission your administration established to find solutions to the Cuban tragedy. But we think that 47 years of a ferocious tyranny is enough in the social and economic disintegration of a country and in the suffering of its victims. We think the time urgently calls for more radical solutions not only in the promises but also in concrete actions.

With sincere humility from someone who is willing to give everything, including my life if necessary, in exchange for no personal benefit other than the satisfaction of the freedom of my country and the fulfillment of my duty, it is with profound respect and gratitude that I wish to remind you of the words of José Martí that say, “For Cuba it is time”.

May God bless you, Mr. President and this great nation you lead with courage and honor.

Respectfully, Ernesto Diaz Rodriguez, Secretary General ALPHA 66, Vice-President UNIDAD CUBANA”

What follows is the reply by President Bush:

“May 16, 2006

Mr. Ernesto Diaz Rodriguez

150 George Washington Highway

Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877

Dear Ernesto:

Thank you for your letter and kind words. I appreciate your taking the time to write.

During these historic times, the best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of liberty in all the world. I appreciate your commitment to helping freedom and democracy reach your homeland, and America continues to look forward to the day when Cuba is free.

Thank you again for writing. May God bless you

Sincerely, George W. Bush

WE SHOULD HAVE FAITH THAT PRESIDENT BUSH WHO HAS ALREADY SECURED HIS PLACE IN HISTORY AS A LIBERATOR OF OPPRESSED PEOPLE WILL MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION IN VIEW OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS HE HAS BEEN GIVEN.

WE MAINTAIN OUR RIGHT TO FIGHT TOGETHER WITH THE CUBAN PEOPLE FOR THEIR COMPLETE AND TOTAL FREEDOM.

May 2006

WHO ARE THE TERRORISTS?

By Miguel L. Talleda

To the ridiculous campaign alleging that ALPHA 66 is a terrorist organization, a topic that has always been a favorite of the propaganda tools of the tyranny like Granma, Juventud Rebelde, and the newspaper, Los Trabajadores, now we can add the tyrant himself who has denounced ALPHA in radio and television as well as in public appearances. Such was the case on May 1^st at the Civic Plaza in which he dedicated part of his long speech to denigrating our organization.

Of course there is a reason for all this. He fears us because he knows we have been preparing the people in Cuba for the explosion that will occur at a given time when their evil system comes crashing down. He also knows of the prestige ALPHA 66 enjoys internationally, a prestige that has been won because our organization is made up of thousands of exiled Cubans that have dedicated their lives to work exclusively for the return to a truly free Cuba.

We regret to have to say to the tyrant and to his cohorts that while they call us terrorists, the free world shows us the respect we have earned as fighters for freedom.

Just a few days ago on May 20, a glorious date in Cuba’s history, the Senate and Assembly of the State of New Jersey honored our Secretary General, Ernesto Díaz Rodríguez with a certificate of recognition for being a respected poet, for his championing of human rights, and for his sacrifices in the prisons of Cuba’s tyranny.

Yet another recognition of the prisoners, Plantados, or “those who would not yield,” comes on June 6 in Washington DC when a documentary on the story of Cuban political prisoners will be screened. This will take place in the Capitol and will be sponsored by the Cuban Congressional Representatives, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Lincoln and Mario Díaz Balart. Invited to this event will be various prisoners Plantados as well as members of ALPHA 66, including Ernesto Díaz Rodríguez and our representative in Washington DC, Basilio Guzmán.

To all of those whose rented pens write for the tyranny, we say to reserve the label of terrorist for their friends in Iran with whom they have on going planning sessions to carry out their plan to “bring the Americans to their knees” as was promised by Castro on his visit to Teheran in 2001.

January 28, 2006

The Honorable George W. Bush

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.

Washington, DC 90500

Dear Mr. President:

Just over a year ago, in response to your invitation, I had the honor of meeting with you in the Oval Office in the White House, as I had done with your father when he was President of the United States and who also honored me with an invitation May 20, 1991 to commemorate Cuba’s independence. My release, after more than 22 years as a political prisoner (“plantado”-- steadfast) in the jails of the tyrant Fidel Castro, was due in large part to the support your father gave to the cause of my liberty, a gesture I will always remember with sincere gratitude.

May God bless you, Mr. President and this great nation you lead with courage and honor.

Respectfully,

Ernesto Díaz Rodríguez

Secretary General, ALPHA 66

Vice-President UNIDAD CUBANA

December 2005

JUSTICE

By Ernesto Díaz Rodríguez
Secretary General of Alpha 66

Last December 9^th at the main office of ALPHA 66, under the title, "The Courts of Law in the Cuba of the Future and the Law as Sanction”, Dr. José Sánchez Boudy offered an extraordinary conference. As it was to be expected, his lecture was wonderful. It gave us Cubans one more reason to fill ourselves with pride because it revitalized the love we have for that magical Island that holds our roots and that Dr. Sánchez Boudy describes, with refined sensitivity and patriotism, as "The Eternal Cuba".

This morning as I remembered the essential points that served as the central theme of his lecture, I asked myself once again: What formula should we use to stanch the wounds in our search for the reconciliation of the Cuban family? Should we simply forget the horrible crimes committed by the executioners of the tyranny? Could we consider as adequate the controversial policy of “let bygones be bygones?".

From the perspective of those who defend the Communist theory that "the end justify the means”, this type of solution seems to be acceptable. As it seems acceptable to many Cubans who thought it correct to applaud all the nastiness that came from the sick mind of the Commander-in-Chief, including the abolition of Christmas, the right to be free, the celebration of elections with the participation of diverse parties, freedom of the press and the right to own property, the right to have the possibility of choosing a job based on an individual’s vocation and his or her capabilities to fulfill the particular job. For some people, even humiliation was acceptable; and it was acceptable that the tyrant stepped not only on their rights but also on their own dignity.

For those who put the duty of conscience above their personal interests, the answer to that vacillating strategy –similar to the ostrich’s- must be an emphatic NO! When the moment of the liberation arrives, it will not only be necessary to bring the criminals to justice so that the corresponding sanctions be applied to them, with all the guarantees offered by law, but the sanctions must also be imparted according to the severity of the crimes committed. We must be careful with our good intentions. To spread a message that is contrary to this is not only an irresponsible and false promise, but the result could have a negative impact because it provides confidence to the assassins and stimulates them to continue committing their abuses and crimes.

Regardless of what the weight of the conscience could mean to people in their ethical and moral behavior, if when applying a “humanist” or “national reconciliation” approach, the bank robbers were rewarded with an irresponsible pardon, the increase in those robberies would multiply by the day, because it is easier to take money in piles from a bank vault, than to earn a salary as a doctor, bricklayer, bus driver or gravedigger. This is why it is necessary to inform the predators of freedom, the executioners, and those who take lives away to simply satisfy their hunger for hatred or to serve a tyrant that we won’t have considerations with them in a free Cuba.

And it must be clear, very clear, that we disapprove of the abominable method of revenge. No, there is no place for revenge in civilized societies and we reject it with the same vehemence that we reject that other extreme of injustice, symbolized by the unrestricted tolerance and the subtle insensitivity in the face of someone else’s pain and even the victims’ rights to not be infamously assassinated.

The balance between love, pardon, understanding, and human life itself should not be represented by a tightrope, but by a very well-balanced scale. That is the tangible limbo that indicates to us the side of the twilight and the side of the dawn; and also which road we must take for the inevitable transit between thorns and flowers in that long trip that we initiated many years ago towards a prosperous and happy future Cuba. To impart true justice is neither a pleasure nor a consolation. It is simply an instructive and historical necessity

November 2005

THE STRATEGY OF DIGNITY
By Ernesto Díaz Rodríguez
Secretary General of Alpha 66

This morning at the beginning of dawn, looking through my windowpane, I saw the naked, leafless trees, and perched on a withering branch was an unfortunate, shivering bird. Then, I realized that I was not in Cojímar, the peaceful fishing town where I had the privilege to be born and to grow in total freedom, enjoying the restless breeze and a beach without bars and chains. It was a time of happiness, hope and dreams, until the arrival of the annihilating Revolution that surrounded the whole island with gases of misery, and flooded the arteries of thousands of Cubans with hatred and malice. Tens of thousands of Cubans, I would say, (despite the pain of this bitter truth) who were not conscious of the concept of nation, nor of the meaning of human dignity.

Suddenly, I felt sad. I was invaded by the sadness of the shipwrecked, of the butterfly that wishes to fly but remains trapped in its cocoon. I was not looking at the landscape of my beloved Cuba, always immersed in my pupils, although far away in time and space. I did not awaken surrounded by palms, neither was this silent bird the sonorous mockingbird, or the joyful hummingbird that sucked the nectar of the flowers in the backyard of my house. No. How sad I felt! I had just rediscovered, as in so many previous occasions, the bitter flavor left in my throat by the aloe of a prolonged exile, of a borrowed land, and a strange freedom.

Then, I was glad for my struggle, for not giving up. I was glad of my almost 23 years of political imprisonment and of the privilege of sharing my confinement and agony with men who are a national symbol due to their heroic attitude, their sacrifice, and for their love of democratic institutions and the freedom of their homeland. I was glad of the many times that I risked my life in efforts to infiltrate the island, in unequal combats against the enemy, against those who, like idiots, support the atrocious tyranny, either out of fear or maliciousness, or just for the sake of enjoying a few breadcrumbs once in a while.

We, who yearn for a happy country, a country free of all the grief imposed by dictatorships and indecent and unscrupulous governments that ignore their obligation to duty in exchange for improving their own way of life, have no other option than that which has been correctly described by some people of reason as, intransigence, which means, honor. Because in the matters related to our homeland, in those regarding national interests, intransigence means dignity, it means not giving up, not accepting shameful agreements where the loafers and assassins from Castro's tyranny are granted positions in the governmental directives of a future Cuba. No, they will have to go to the thrash heap of history or to another thrash heap of their preference, but where they won't have anything to do with the destiny of the Cuban nation.

ALPHA 66 has a long history of battles, a long and beautiful history where its supreme leaders stood out for their abnegation, for their honesty, and for the humility with which they traveled through life, leaving each step of the way a fertile seed of love, understanding, and human solidarity. They had the vision to insert themselves within the indispensable currents of not making concessions with tyranny. The strategies of Andrés Nazario Sargén and Dr Diego Medina coincided and were coherent in the vertical position that our organization regards as the principles and the right that we Cubans have to fight with our own means to someday reconquer the freedom of Cuba. Colonels Vicente Méndez and José Rodríguez Pérez landed on the coasts of Cuba, each of them accompanied by a group of brave fighters. They offered their lives in an unforgettable gesture of patriotism. Other Cubans preceded them. Many

more have left their mark in the prisons of the regime or have fallen later, in unequal combats, like Méndez and Rodriguez Perez. Thousands of Cubans have given everything. They are those who, facing the firing squads, have courageously shouted: "Long live Christ the King!"

That everlasting example is to be the light that will guide us in our daily tasks. We cannot accept a solution where the foundations of Castro's tyranny are not totally destroyed. No, we cannot grant a place inside the future government to loafers or people responsible for so many abuses, whether moral or physical, against a defenseless population.

If we aspire to have a dawn with the whisper of palms, and without little, somber birds shivering on dry branches, then, when the bells of dawn awake us, we must continue striking the reef with our naked fist. To demolish the wall with our bare feet is not a task for those who are simply satisfied by waiting for things to happen. It is necessary to make things happen, without waiting for anyone else, and without requesting permission from anybody.

March 2005

A REUNION OF BROTHERS
By Miguel L. Talleda

It is not a coincidence. The fact is that there is a greater power that decides. Most of the time it is incomprehensible for humans to grasp that a road has been traced for a people, that regardless of difficulties and horrible stumbling blocks, as is the case of Cuba, there is always a shining light that remains steady during its darkest hours and that will not falter even when the path to follow appears endless.

On several occasions we discussed this with Andrés because always in the face of some set back or a great loss, the imponderable would surface to give us (and I am referring to those of us in Alpha) the necessary courage to not faint and to continue onward. This has led us to the sound conclusion that behind us is a great power that has guided and destined us to be a beacon of light in the struggle of freedom for our people.

Why is it that over the years the set backs Alpha has suffered, rather than bring us down, have instead made us more determined to go forward? Other organizations would have disappeared (as some have done) in cases like the failure of the landing in Cuba of Vicente Méndez, Rodríguez Pérez, and their men. But not us. On the contrary. An infinite number of Cubans eager to fight for the freedom of our country joined our struggle after this disastrous event. Many more inside Cuba joined Alpha and created a new force inside the island that served to break the inertia and mental complacency left following the end of uprisings in the Escambray Mountains of Cuba.

After this we were faced with the events at the Embassy of Peru in Cuba and the Mariel. And who was right in the center of the whirlwind caused by these incidents? Only Alpha, which had to stock its offices in Miami and find ways to provide assistance and asylum to all those arriving. Many of those coming for assistance were clear in their one and only desire: to return with a rifle in hand to continue the struggle they had involuntarily left behind.

And this is how we have found in every occurrence, a positive factor that has made Alpha's trajectory a true liberating epic. We always noticed that each time we lost a leader, for whatever reason, others came to take his or her place. It became like a sacred duty to be sure that the machine, in this case Alpha 66, did not lose its vigor.

But what we are currently seeing, and what we saw at our recent assembly where we elected a new National Executive Committee, is unparallel. We are in the midst of a great enthusiasm that presages a triumph. Old friends have returned along with new militants that want to join this great liberating fury, which under the leadership of our newly elected Secretary General, Ernesto Díaz Rodríguez, is preparing for the final battle against the stupid and criminal Castro-Communist system.

Within this pleiades of patriotic valor we are getting the experience of those that already proved their caliber by remaining PLANTADOS (FIRMS OR STEADFAST) for many years in the grim prisons of tyranny. Many have come to join Ernesto, their brother from prison, who together with them forged one of the most brilliant pages in our contemporary history.

When countries around the world are shaking free from those that have enslaved them and are breathing the fresh air of liberty, Alpha 66, together with the Cuban people prepares to take its place in the vanguard of this final phase of the struggle for freedom.

In this photo are from left to right: Roberto Jiménez, José Antonio Jiménez, Angel de Fana, Ernesto Díaz Rodríguez, Eusebio Peñalver and Luis González Infante. (José Antonio Jiménez is our delegate in Chicago and Eusebio Peñalver is our Secretary for Special Projects)

February 2005

THE WALL OF SILENCE
By Miguel L. Talleda

The unknown is now clear. The Iraqi people want to live in freedom. The effort of the American, British, and other coalition troops against the ferocious terrorists has triumphed. President Bush, so unjustly berated, can feel proud. Yes, the price has been high in lives lost but that is the price this nation has paid from its beginning not only to create and defend the freedom and democracy we enjoy today, but also to help other peoples in danger of losing their own freedoms.

As this enormous effort that has liberated almost 50 million people in the Middle East is secured, we hope to finally see, like the Berlin Wall, the fall of the Wall of Silence - a wall that surrounds a storm that has approached in the hopes of imposing on the peoples of Latin America the failed doctrine of Communism. This is being accomplished with the same Soviet tactics of terror that made of Cuba an enslaved country.

Is this an exaggeration? No. The danger is real, as the people of Venezuela are already experiencing. In other countries of Latin America, concrete steps are already underway and work has intensified to create the dark shroud in a society where fear becomes the key factor, a society where terror will turn people into beings without will, without hope, and into zombies at the service of a cruel and bloody caste.

And what is that great media that is made up of newspapers, radio and TV in the United States, in Europe, and in other western countries saying? Isn't this media supposed to watch over the rights that we enjoy today?

It is saying NOTHING. In the rare case when they analyze events related to what is happening in Latin America, this "great free press" only gives simplistic answers. They are totally ignorant and in many cases their analysis coincides with the extreme views of those embedded within the various media organizations. How many times have we heard that Castro is old and sick and does not pose a threat to the United States? Let's not fool ourselves, the reality is very different.

The reality is that we are faced with an American public that ignores the events that can be very dangerous to our system of liberty and democracy. Let's look at one example. Ask some of your coworkers and others around you, to tell you about the Forum of Sao Paulo. You will be surprised the number of people in the U.S. that have never heard of this forum. Yet this group of Communists and fellow travelers, created by Fidel Castro and the current president of Brazil, Lula da Silva in 1990, right after the fall of Communism in Europe, works incessantly to turn the free world into a constellation of enslaved people along the order of Cuba.

The Forum is made up not only of all the Communist and extremist groups of Latin America, but also the narco-terrorists who are not asleep on the job. On the contrary, they have already attained great successes. In addition to the presidency of Brazil, they have a president in Argentina that was part of the Montoneros guerrilla movement and a president in Uruguay that was part of the Tupamaros guerrillas. Both these groups, inspired by Castro, bloodied their respective countries during the 1960s and 1970s trying to violently overthrow their governments in order to impose Communism.

Isn't it time that the media, the governments, and the general public wake up? Or do we wait until terror and slavery, Cuban style, are imposed in all of Latin America?

This important topic is one we will be returning to in the future. Let's hope that the victory of the people of Iraq awakens all of us that value our way of life. We will not tire of sounding the alarm on what is happening in Latin America. There is too much to lose if we don't knock down this Wall of Silence.

January 2005

THE PRINCIPLES OF ALPHA 66
By Ernesto Díaz Rodríguez
Secretary General of Alpha 66

Just a few weeks ago, an article signed by the journalist, Jean Guy Allard, was published in Granma International. The extensive article ferociously attacked Alpha-66, the organization, which at the present time, I have the honor to lead as its Secretary General. In said article, the opportunity was also taken to characterize me with the traditional labels of "CIA agent", "supposed terrorist" and other generic and adverse qualifiers which the Communist regime of Cuba traditionally tries to give those who, for one reason or another, causes them to lose their sleep. And while these accusations do not correspond to reality, we still do not feel "honored" by them, on the contrary, they are fantasies that at least, in all honesty, keep us entertained. Moreover, it's free publicity. And here, it's worth mentioning: When your enemies hate you as much, it confirms that your actions are correct and you're on the right track.

SOME BACKGROUND ON THE AUTHOR OF, "MIAMI, THE TERRORIST'S PARADISE".

Throughout the years, for lack of reasons, lies and defamation have been the most recurrent weapons employed by the tyrant, Fidel Castro. And no one can doubt that this stale journalist, seemingly the author of the afore-mentioned article, speaks in the words of the heroic comma-ante of the bulletproof vest. He repeats thoughtlessly, like a trained parrot, all the slogans of the caudillo of the Sierra Maestra. Perhaps, many may ask themselves: Who is this Jean Guy Allard who writes so often in Granma International attacking the Cuban exiles, and any who within the opposition stand out for their meaningful actions toward the principles of dignity and honor? Well, it has been rumored, and I would not doubt it, that Allard has been involved in drug trafficking and for such reasons is obligated to carry out favors for the boss, Fidel Castro. God knows from what dirty pond he was fished out, because those who know him well have said that the Canadian smells of dung. Notwithstanding, the fact is, that he is in Cuba, protected for the time being by the compensatory services he renders to the dictator and the governing Cuban mafia.

THE STRATEGY OF DIGNITY

Mr. Jean Guy Allard, like it or not, and without worry as to the stupidities you write in Granma International or any other outlet to which you are assigned, Alpha 66, and without asking for permission, is going to continue with its strategy of battle, which is the strategy of dignity, the strategy of those of us who prefer the strategy of personal sacrifice, even death if necessary, before shameless and sterile submission. ALPHA-66 is an organization with a conscience of historical responsibility, forged by the doctrine of love, and without surrender, or accepting compromises with the vile enemy. It will apply all methods its leadership deems appropriate. ALL! All methods within the rights given to all nations to be free, to have hopes and dreams, to coexist with those who share a different opinion, sharing in the beautiful condition of civilized human beings, in sum, taking pleasure in the harmonious climate of peace and prosperity. For these rights we fight, not to serve as nourishment to tyrants. For those rights, Alpha 66, the organization that so much scares the Castro dictatorship, was founded 42 years ago. And these, Mr. Allard, not those you persevere to emphasize, are the humanitarian, ideological, and moral principles of Alpha 66.

December 2004

AS WE GREET THE NEW YEAR
By: Miguel L. Talleda

Another year has ended. The men and women of Alpha 66 have not yet realized the work we set for ourselves of liberating our people from the scoundrels that follow the traitor, Fidel Castro. We have not achieved this despite the hundreds of heroes we have left along the way and the many years spent by our brothers in the prisons of the tyranny. But we continue in the trenches of our duty which is the only place of honor for a people who left their homeland, not as immigrants, but as exiles from the paradise where they were born.

As December 31 approached, we Cubans saw a date that should have been a day of glory, because this is the day that witnessed, in 1958, the culmination of a revolution by a people that struggled to restore their right to liberty, a right guaranteed by the Constitution of 1940. Instead we find that the betrayal of a coward has made this date a curse that our history will not be able to erase.

And what can we expect of the year 2005 that is just beginning? The question has only one answer. If the traitor is physically a tattered bag of bones, if he is unable to provide for even the basic needs of the people, if the failure of the economy is complete, there is nothing else for us to do but to maintain our fierce line of offense until we can once again unite in combat.

The collapse that threatens Communism in our island is clear. The lack of tourism gets worse as a result of confrontations with European countries tired of the tyrant's lies. The sugar harvest is almost all destroyed to the extent that it will produce less than those in the 1920s. His little games of laundering millions of dollars of drug money has become more difficult, and the trips by Cuban Americans to the island have also decreased considerably.

And what occurs to the tyrant? In order to divert their attention, he announces to the deaf and submissive parliamentarians in his congress the discovery of petroleum in the sea facing Santa Cruz del Norte that will be operational in 2006!

On the face of this spectacle of total disaster of the system now in Cuba, our answer is final. In this past year, 2004, we suffered the loss of our leader and guide Andrés Nazario Sargén, but as one man we stood up to continue the struggle, with renewed spirit, new leaders, and unbreakable will. Already our new Secretary General, Ernesto Díaz Rodríguez and his under-secretary, Osiel González, are working tirelessly in the matters of the encampment, Rumbo Sur. They are also reorganizing the offices of Alpha 66 and preparing for our general assembly to reconvene our National Executive that will take place February 26-27, 2005.

Our actions as revolutionaries who struggle to bring freedom to Cuba without compromises, nor ties of any kind, is the core of our organization. Nothing and no one will divert us from our objective which is the same one we set at the founding of the organization in 1961.