This Wednesday, the Bastion Strategic Exercise began in Cuba, which seeks to “raise the country’s readiness for the Defense” and the military preparation of the troops and the population, according to official sources.
The Bastion was scheduled for last November, but was postponed due to the impact of hurricanes Oscar and Rafael, and the earthquakes that occurred in eastern Cuba.
As a previous event, the University Student Bastion took place on Tuesday, which involved young people of that educational level and was held just one day after the posthumous tribute to the 13 killed by the explosions in an arsenal in Holguín, among them nine soldiers of the Military Service.
The exercise, which will last until tomorrow, Friday, also has as a backdrop the return of Cuba to the list of countries sponsoring terrorism by the new Trump Administration, a prelude to an expected more aggressive policy from Washington towards the island.
At the opening of the exercise, which was attended by former president Raúl Castro, President Miguel Díaz-Canel assured that it is carried out to “continue raising the level of preparation and cohesion of the management and command bodies, the troops and the system.” territorial defensive at all levels” and “confront any variant of aggression” against the island, review Cubadebate.
️| In his speech, the Head of State pointed out that the Exercise is carried out to “continue raising the level of preparation and cohesion of the management and command bodies, the troops and the territorial defensive system at all levels.” pic.twitter.com/jR1nGDsoXK
— Presidency Cuba (@PresidenciaCuba) January 22, 2025
On this same day, during a meeting of the Provincial Defense Council of Havana, Díaz-Canel insisted on “strengthening the preparation and combative disposition, as well as the conception of war of all the people.” informfor its part, the Cuban News Agency (ACN).
According to press reports, during the Bastion “maneuvers and tactical exercises of different types will be carried out, with the participation of units of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, the Ministry of the Interior and other components of the territorial defensive system.”
Therefore, warn Cubadebate“there will be movements of troops and war material, aviation flights, and explosions may be felt throughout the country.”
After the closure of the Bastion, National Defense Day will take place this Saturday, during which various military exercises will also be carried out.
Official reports have not provided figures for the troops, media, and people outside the army involved in these exercises.
