An ex-lieutenant colonel of Cuba's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) has shared his courageous story of standing up to the military leadership in a meeting and calling for the resignation of Fidel and Raúl Castro. This bold move resulted in nearly two decades behind bars. Máximo Omar Ruiz Matoses, an engineer specializing in radar and telecommunications, recounted his experience during an interview with Tania Costa on CiberCuba.
The incident took place in 1990, during a gathering meant to evaluate the resolutions from the IV Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba, convened by Raúl Castro amid the Special Period. As the military leaders discussed Fidel Castro's proposed "food plan," Ruiz Matoses seized the moment to speak.
"Cuba's issues won't be solved with food plans. They will be solved with the commander's resignation," he declared to his fellow soldiers, as he explained in the interview.
The political director inquired if this included Raúl as well. Ruiz Matoses responded decisively, "Both of them. And the little brother too. Let them go home, untouched, to establish a technocratic government to lead the country. People who truly know how to govern. So far, it's been a failure."
The Aftermath of the Bold Statement
The meeting quickly adjourned. Remarkably, none of his peers reported him. "The meeting ended like a sudden party dismissal. But no one stood up to accuse me," Ruiz Matoses recounted.
Reactions ranged from concern to silent agreement, with comments like, "Matoses, you're crazy," or "You've gone too far." Others simply gave him reassuring pats on the shoulder, but no one labeled him a traitor, he recalled.
According to Ruiz Matoses, this silent agreement highlighted the widespread dissatisfaction among military leaders at the time, though few dared to voice it. Many of those discontented figures have since risen within the ranks.
A Connection to a Notorious Political Purge
Ruiz Matoses also draws parallels with his personal friend, Major General Arnaldo Ochoa Sánchez, who was executed on July 13, 1989, following the infamous "Cause 1" political trial. Many analysts and witnesses, including Ruiz Matoses, view this as a regime-orchestrated purge to eliminate troublesome figures within the FAR and Minint.
Ruiz Matoses recalls being convinced until the very end that Ochoa would not be executed. He was at a barbershop when asked if he thought Ochoa would be shot. "I couldn't fathom that they would execute the general, the greatest warrior of the Armed Forces," he said. He harshly criticized the trial's prosecutor, stating, "He sent him to death, and Escalona followed orders like a lapdog."
Life After Imprisonment
For his bold stand, Ruiz Matoses was initially sentenced to 29 years, reduced to a 20-year maximum prison term. The charges included desertion, illegal departure from the country, and espionage, all of which he denied. He served nearly 20 years in isolation, including time at Guanajay prison, where José Abrantes, former Minister of the Interior, was also held following the "Cause 2" trial of 1989.
After completing his sentence, Ruiz Matoses sought exile in Spain and joined the Cuban Movement of Conscientious Military Objectors, a group of ex-officers urging active military members not to repress the Cuban population. In January 2024, he signed a collective letter addressed to his former comrades still in service.
His testimony emerges shortly after journalist Tania Costa's interview with Ileana de la Guardia, daughter of Colonel Tony de la Guardia, who was executed alongside Ochoa on July 13, 1989.
Insights into Cuba's Military and Political Climate
What led to Máximo Omar Ruiz Matoses' imprisonment?
Ruiz Matoses was imprisoned for publicly demanding the resignation of Fidel and Raúl Castro during a military meeting, which was considered a bold act of defiance against the regime.
How did Ruiz Matoses' peers react to his statements?
His peers did not report him; instead, their reactions ranged from concern to silent support, reflecting widespread dissatisfaction within the military ranks.
What was the outcome of the "Cause 1" political trial?
The "Cause 1" trial led to the execution of Major General Arnaldo Ochoa Sánchez and others, seen as a political purge to remove dissenting figures from the military and government.