Cuban general of the African expeditionary campaigns
As commander of the Cuban expeditionary force in Ethiopia from 1977, he directed the Jijiga counter-offensive that, with Soviet military advisers, broke the Somali army. Sources date the recapture of Jijiga to 4 or 5 March 1978.
Arnaldo Ochoa Sánchez (1930–1989) was a divisional general of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) and a Hero of the Republic of Cuba. Born in Cacocum, he joined Column 2 under Camilo Cienfuegos in 1958 and fought in the Sierra Maestra, helped defeat the Bay of Pigs invasion, and sat on the Communist Party of Cuba's Central Committee for more than twenty years. He fought against the FNLA in Luanda in 1975 and in 1977 took command of the Cuban expeditionary force in Ethiopia during the Ogaden War. Awarded the Hero title in 1984, he was convicted of drug trafficking and treason in 1989 and executed by firing squad on 13 July. Sources give his second given name as Tomás or Teodomiro and his age at death as 58–59 or 57.
Career Timeline
- 1958Joined Column 2 under Camilo Cienfuegos and fought in the Sierra Maestra.
- 1961Fought against Brigade 2506 at the Bay of Pigs.
- 1975Fought against the FNLA in Luanda, Angola.
- 1977–1978Commanded the Cuban expeditionary force in Ethiopia during the Ogaden War.
- 1984Awarded the title Hero of the Republic of Cuba by Fidel Castro.
- 1987–1988Headed the Cuban military mission in Angola and took part in the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale.
- 1989Tried on drug-trafficking and treason charges and executed by firing squad on 13 July.