On February 26, Cuban Television interviewed JUAN PABLO ROQUE, a pilot from the anti-Cuban US group Brothers to the Rescue. The following transcript of the interview was translated by MERRI ANSARA. Question: In the last few hours the Cuban Foreign Ministry has reported on the violation of the island's air space by two pirate planes, which were struck by the Cuban Air Force. Today I have the opportunity of interviewing pilot Juan Pablo Roque, a member of Brothers to the Rescue, the organisation to which the pilots who were shot down on February 24 belong. Explain when the Brothers to the Rescue organisation was created and by whom. Brothers to the Rescue was founded in January 1991 in the offices of the Cuban-American National Foundation. Specifically the idea was put forward by Martin Perez with former CIA agents José Basulto, Billy Shuss, Arnaldo Iglesias and with substantial financial support from the foundation. They proposed creating an organisation that is supposedly "of a humanitarian character" to save the lives of the men who set out to try to reach the coast of Florida. Question: The counter-revolutionary organisation Brothers to the Rescue is always connected to the figure José Basulto. Who is this man? José Basulto, the president of Brothers to the Rescue, participated actively with the CIA in infiltrating Cuban territory at the beginning of the 1960s. He has been connected to a series of terrorist actions against Cuban territory and in other parts of Central America. Question: Some people in the United States are questioning the humanitarian character of Brothers to the Rescue because they say they had to prepay the organisation to rescue family members who left Cuba illegally. What's the truth of this? Yes, that is true of Brothers to the Rescue. I know specific cases where they received US$2000-4000 to locate family members who had left the country in the Straits of Florida and provide the information to the US Coast Guard. Question: On several occasions José Basulto has told the US press that the means he's using to overthrow the Cuban Revolution are absolutely peaceful. What is the truth of this? That is the message that José Basulto has wanted to send to the world about the Brothers to the Rescue. The soul of this organisation is counter-revolutionary. I can cite many of the organisation's counter-revolutionary activities. For example, in 1993, José Basulto asked me specifically for information on the highway system in the city of Cienfuegos where he could land and unload cargoes of explosives to be placed in high tension towers that would be blown up to disrupt the national energy system. Around November 1994 and April 1995, Basulto gave me instructions on small shot antipersonnel weapons that would be brought into [Cuba] to attack people, above all the commander in chief [Fidel Castro]; and that their distribution and storage would result from winning over personnel from the Revolutionary Armed Forces and Ministry of the Interior. There was also the 1995 meeting plan where Basulto said he wanted to ensure stronger ties between the counter-revolutionary organisations of Miami and personnel who could help with national terrorist plans within Cuba. Question: And you have further knowledge of other missions of a subversive, terrorist character? I can tell you that Basulto personally arranged for the purchase of a Delfin model L-29 plane of Czech manufacture to instruct pilot personnel in taking off and landing on different runways and highway stretches. The final objective of this jet plane was to try to make direct attacks on Cuban military bases and installations as well as to kick off the terrorist plan aimed at a national uprising; it was to also monitor the radio frequencies of the Revolutionary Armed Forces and Ministry of the Interior to create interference and false signals in the nation's defence system. Question: And the funds for these terrorist activities? Where did they come from? The funds for all these activities come essentially from the Cuban American National Foundation, and Cuban American businesses like Bacardi. Some others also gave substantial sums. Question: It is known that Brothers to the Rescue violated the island's airspace despite warnings from the Cuban government. Why then did Basulto insist on carrying out the action, knowing the risks that it could carry for the lives of the pilots involved? I can tell you that the fundamental purpose is to provoke incidents to aggravate relations between Cuba and the United States, which is what the right and the extreme right of the United States want. Question: The government of the United States must know of the activities of Brothers to the Rescue in Cuba? Yes, they know about it. I personally informed FBI agent Oscar Montoto of all the operations carried out by Brothers to the Rescue which violated Cuban airspace. His beeper number is 734-5578. FBI special agent Oscar Montoto is in charge of all violations of neutrality carried out by counter-revolutionary groups in Dade County. Question: When on July 13, 1995, José Basulto violated Cuban airspace and the government of the island presented proof of this to the United States, the US government announced that it would investigate the event and take measures. Do you know some of the measures that the US government has taken? The measures taken were quite minimal; practically no attention was paid whatsoever. There was a report on the possible consequences of continuing violations and the possibility of a licence suspension of one of the Brothers to the Rescue. This would have no effect because a two person plane only needs to have one pilot sanctioned. This means that the pilots are going to be able to keep flying. Question: The United States government has not recognised that Brothers to the Rescue has violated Cuban airspace. What can you tell us about this? Brothers to the Rescue has violated Cuban airspace on several occasions. Pilots José Basulto, Miguel Molares and Billy Shuss on more than one occasion have entered Cuban territory violating all established regulations. Question: And you have also participated in these actions? I have violated airspace; the last time was on January 9. I got a call the day before to participate in a flight to Havana, where thousands of leaflets were going to be released from a height of more than 2900 metres at a distance of less than 16 kilometres from the coast. That is, from quite close in. The mission would be carried out in planes November 2306 and Limasierra November 108. With me was Captain Billy Shuss. The windows were opened at practically a 45 degree angle in the plane once the 2900-metre altitude was reached and the leaflets were released into Cuba. This violation was repeated on January 13 when thousands more leaflets were released. The intention was to try to boost the spirits of the counter-revolutionary organisations. Question: Brothers to the Rescue has violated other norms of US international civil aeronautics regulations. It constantly violates civil aeronautics regulations. Brothers to the Rescue threw smoke bombs of different daytime and night-time types from the windows of the planes, including times when it struck the propeller. There are structural violations in the airplanes like the windows, the doors, low altitude flights of less than 15 metres when provisions were thrown out, false reports of location during flights to trick the air traffic controllers. Also there have been alterations of flight plans, that is, a flight was planned for the Bahamas with a specific route and the flight was altered to deceive the Boyeros flight tower. Question: Why are you in Cuba today? I am in Cuba because I want to denounce the organisation Brothers to the Rescue and show the world their true character.
Pilot exposes US interference in Cuba
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