Lazaro Betancourt Morin, who defected in April while accompanying Castro on a trip to the Dominican Republic, said he was a career soldier who no longer shared the beliefs of the Communist government.
``I was trained as a professional to rescue women and children and defenseless people,'' Betancourt Morin said at a news conference. ``I no longer share the beliefs of that government. The experience I lived led me to that decision and the contradiction I was living had to end.''
He said he would help the Miami-based Cuban American National Foundation, which held the news conference, in its efforts to get the United States to indict Castro for the shooting down of two unarmed civilian planes in February 1996.
Four men died when Cuban fighter jets attacked the planes flown by Miami-based Brothers to the Rescue over international waters between Florida and Cuba. The group helps rescue Cubans who flee the island on rafts.
Betancourt Morin, 37, said the shootdown order had to come from a top government official but he did not know who gave it. He said he has already has spoken with officials at the CIA, the Pentagon and FBI.
During the news conference, Betancourt Morin offered a glimpse into the inner workings of Castro's government. He said a team of top-notch doctors and nurses and up to 200 security officers would accompany the Cuban leader on his trips abroad.
Betancourt Morin, a 20-year Cuban military veteran, said he rose to captain of Cuba's anti-terrorist forces and never harmed any civilians who tried to flee the country despite orders from his superiors.
``He couldn't die,'' said Betancourt Morin. ``If he died I don't know what would happen.''
Betancourt-Morin sought asylum at the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo on April 16 while serving as one of Castro's bodyguards at the meeting of the Association of Caribbean States.
Luis Mariano, spokesman for the Cuban Interests Section, was out of the office Tuesday and not immediately available for comment.
© Copyright 1999 The Associated Press