Arnaldo Ochoa Sánchez (1930 – July 12 1989) was a prominent Cuban general who was executed after being found guilty of treason by a Cuban court. Ochoa was born in old Oriente area, to a family of farmers. Ever since its creation, he was part of Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement, and by March 1957 he had joined Castro's guerrilla army in the Sierra Maestra, fighting against dictator Fulgencio Batista. Ochoa played a major role in the fall of Santa Clara, becoming a close friend of Raúl Castro.