By Jorge L. García Vazquez
Havana-Berlin Connection
"Cuba’s top military hero, Gen. Arnaldo Ochoa, had been executed by firing squad for drug smuggling. And a longtime member of Fidel’s innermost circle, Interior Minister José Abrantes, was in jail awaiting trial for failing to stop the trafficking"
General José Abrantes' visit to Berlin in 1987 was influenced by the crisis in the USSR, following Gorbachev's reformist policies, the war in Angola and the situation in Panama. These three political and economic factors had a significant impact on Cuba.
At the end of 1989, the Cuban regime lost not only its allies in Eastern Europe but also a important commercial and operationally very strategic partner: Panama. In 1989, General Abrantes was dismissed and subsequently sentenced to prison, where he died.
https://www.nytimes.com/1991/01/23/obituaries/jose-abrantes-is-dead-jailed-cuban-official.html
During the well-known trial of Case No. 1/89, General Arnaldo Ochoa, Colonel Antonio de La Guardia and two other officers were shot.
https://youtu.be/ZIFuJDypC7A?feature=shared
(General José Abrantes)
The following are excerpts from the interview between the Minister of State Security of the former GDR, General Erich Mielke, and General José Abrantes.
Mielke: Warm greetings from Erich Honecker. I told him there are a lot of questions, the answers to which we need to hear from the Minister. Thank you for the support you've provided to our comrades stationed in Cuba...
Abrantes: First of all, I'm very happy to be visiting your country. I'm very happy every time I can visit you. That's why you see me here so often. Special greetings from Comrade Raúl Castro. He always remembers you with great affection. Although he told me that sometimes there were minor disputes, these were fraternal and constructive disputes. On November 3rd, I left Cuba. On November 4th, I had a transit stay in Berlin and we had a Berlin lunch. After two hours, we flew to Moscow for the 70th anniversary of the October Revolution. Fidel Castro continued his journey to Havana. I informed him of my intention to visit several countries, including the GDR. In Moscow, I had talks with Comrade Chebrikov and Comrade Kriuchkov. We exchanged views on the international situation. We talked about Perestroika and Glasnost, about the development of society in the Soviet Union. Later, I visited Poland and spoke with Comrade Kiszcak and other comrades. I then visited Hungary and met with Comrade Kamara and other comrades."
(Undoubtedly, Abrantes is conducting a thorough analysis of the situation in two countries that were already turning their backs on the communist experiment in Eastern Europe. How did this information influence the Cuban General? Did he realize in 1987 that Real Socialism was in its final stages?.
It's difficult to answer these questions without access to other sources. In his memoirs "Tal como fue", a former Cuban intelligence officer Juan Antonio Rodríguez Menier mentions this quote from Abrantes: "I'm going to send you to the Intelligence Center in Budapest. When you're out there, if you can explain our position to any Yankee who understands and wants to talk to me secretly, I have no problem." Remember the danger I run" ("As It Was," Bloomington, IN USA). Rodríguez Menier was stationed as a MININT officer in the former GDR and deserted in 1987.
Abrantes: During my stay in Hungary, I made a short trip to Austria (Vienna). The Minister of the Interior showed interest in meeting me. He promised to visit Cuba next year. I had a very interesting conversation with him. He's very popular. I've obtained some information. He was a leading figure in the "Algerian Liberation Movement." He asked me how we can help them. I think this question has a double meaning. From an operational point of view, so we can send our comrades there to gain experience. On the other hand, your Ministry provides aid to Third World countries. I told you that we want to develop tourism. He also offered me help in this regard.
Abrantes: "Panama is a country with which we maintain relations. The situation is difficult for Noriega. He is under pressure from the U.S., and although we have good relations with him, he is very contradictory. Thanks to the facilities he offers us, we can support liberation movements in the region. I have personally conducted most of the conversations with Noriega. He was always willing to help us. Panama is an important location for our operations. I am accused of being a friend of Noriega's and of being involved in drug trafficking to support liberation movements. It is known that we are connected, but they conflate this with drug trafficking. We have absolutely nothing to do with that. In Cuba, all drug traffickers are imprisoned, and anyone using Cuba as a transit point for drugs by sea or air is arrested and imprisoned. If drugs are found, they are confiscated.
Excerpt from the interview between José Abrantes and Erich Mielke. November 26, 1987. Source: Stasi Archive: Archiv der Zentralstelle MfS Abt. X Nr. 767
José Abrantes Fernández died in 1991 while serving a 20-year sentence for negligence and misappropriation of public funds. In 1989, General Arnaldo Ochoa and three other officers from the Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior were accused of drug trafficking. They were sentenced to death and executed by firing squad.
Erich Mielke (December 28, 1906–May 21, 2000),was the head of East Germany's political police, the Stasi, for over 30 years. He was a man without scruples who was always willing to order the elimination of his enemies and defectors.
Manuel Antonio Noriega was a Panamanian dictator. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison
https://stasi-minint.blogspot.com/2013/08/colaboracion-stasi-minint-1987-el.html?m=1
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