New York Times
April 18, 1961. p. 15.
Communiqués by Exiles
Following are communiqués
issued yesterday by the Cuban Revolutionary Council in New York:
Bulletin 1
The following statement was
issued here by Juse Miro Cardona, president of the Cuban Revolutionary
Council:
Before dawn, Cuban patriots
in the cities and the hills began the battle to liberate our homeland from
the despotic rule of Fidel Castro and get the Cubans rid of international
communism's cruel oppression.
This struggle is in the
glorious tradition of Jose Marti. The Cuban people rising against their
tyrannical oppressors have one supreme goal: the final restoration of Cuban
liberty.
Today's historic action
is the result of long months of planning and effort by Cubans who once
before risked their lives against tyranny. These fighting patriots now
take up the uncompleted task of rescuing their revolution so cynically
betrayed. They represent all walks of life and all social groups.
During many months, contact
with elements in the Cuban military system has been maintained by various
revolutionary groups, and now these silent warriors are carrying out tasks
assigned to them by the Revolutionary Command.
In the unquenchable thirst
for liberty, the Cuban people seize arms to obliterate a vicious alien
oppressor, fired by the vision of inevitable victory and convinced that
the freedom-loving peoples of this hemisphere will make common cause with
them and support them in this critical hour both morally and materially.
No cause has ever been more
just.
Bulletin 2
The Cuban Revolutionary Council
announces a successful landing of military supplies and equipment in the
Cochinos Bay area.
Overcoming some armed resistance
by Castro supporters, substantial amounts of food and ammunition reached
elements of internal resistance forces engaged in active combat.
For many months, various
revolutionary groups now integrated in the C.R.C. have been distributing
a variety of revolutionary supplies and equipment to selected sites in
Cuba. The remote, thinly populated Zapata marsh area of Matanzas Province
has served as a zone in which munitions and equipment were cached for eventual
use by resistance fighters in the Escambray and elsewhere.
Because C.R.C. members are
now totally occupied with the dramatic events unfolding in Cuba, their
views will be made known to the press solely through the C.R.C. spokesman,
Dr. Antonio Silio.
Bulletin 3
The Cuban Revolutionary Council
wishes to announce that the principal battle of the Cuban revolt against
Castro will be fought in the next few hours. Action today was largely of
a supply and support effort to forces which have been mobilized and trained
inside Cuba over the last several months.
The tremendous army of invisible
soldier-patriots has now received its instructions to strike the vital
blow for the liberation of their beloved country.
Our partisans in every town
and village in Cuba will receive, in a manner known only to them, the message
which will spark a tremendous wave of internal conflict against the tyrants.
The spokesman for the Cuban
Revolutionary Council stated: "I predict that before dawn the island of
Cuba will rise up en masse in a coordinated wave of sabotage and rebellion
which will sweep communism from our country."
It is obvious that details
of these events which are about to happen cannot be made public here. However,
it can be revealed that the patriots have been instructed to cut communications,
destroy power facilities, disrupt transportation and mobilize against Castro.
Furthermore, it is expected
that before dawn Cuban patriots will move against the ever-dwindling portion
of the militia which has not already come over to our side.
Our information from Cuba
indicates that much of the militia in the countryside has already defected
from Castro.
As was indicated in the
press of April 16, our clandestine radio has been giving instructions to
the insurgents throughout the island.
In a coded message on this
radio yesterday, a statement was made that "the fish will soon stand."
As is well known, the fish
is the Christian symbol of the resistance. When the fish is placed in a
vertical position, it is a sign that internal revolt is in full swing.
The fish will stand tonight.