A respected Venezuela general who retired this month said the presence of Cuban soldiers in the army's highest decision-making levels was a security threat, backing opposition criticism of President Hugo Chavez.
Cuban doctors, teachers and sports instructors have flooded into Venezuela since Chavez took office 11 years ago, bringing healthcare to poor neighborhoods but angering critics who say the nation is becoming a copy of the communist island.
In an interview with Reuters late on Tuesday, General Antonio Rivero said Chavez was remodeling the army along Cuban lines. He said Cuban military advisers had a free run of the country since 2007 and had access to privileged information.
"Cuban soldiers have been inducing the current transformation of the armed forces," said Rivero, who is considering running for office in September legislative elections.
Rivero's criticism of the Chavez government, where he served as head of the emergency services until 2008, marks the second high-profile departure of a former ally of the leftist president in the last few months.
"We are putting in the hands of an ally information that no country should know," said the burly Rivero, who retired after nearly 25 years in the armed forces because of his concerns.
By: Brant
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