Vol. 13, No. 7 August 2005

www.cubanews.com

In the News NGOs mobilize to send humanitarian aid

Dennis the Menace to Cuba in the wake of Hurricane Dennis Hurricane causes $1.4 billion in damages; BY HELEN J. SIMON AND VITO ECHEVARRÍA age and water treatment plants. The medicine wrecks crops, infrastructure ...... Page 2 on-governmental organizations (NGOs) was to be distributed by the Cuban Red Cross. are scrambling to send assistance to Dennis, the worst hurricane to hit Cuba since NCuba in the wake of Hurricane Dennis — Flora in 1963, killed 16 people when it struck Embargo foes glum and Fidel Castro’s refusal of the meager assis- Jul. 7-8 and caused an estimated $1.4 billion in damage to housing, infrastructure and agricul- Breaking summer tradition, Congress re- tance offered by the Bush administration. jects bills to ease embargo ...... Page 3 ture. According to the Cuban government, over As devastation from the worst hurricane to 120,000 houses were affected; 15,000 of those strike Cuba in 42 years became apparent, NGOs were destroyed (see detailed map, page 6-7). French kiss-off throughout the United States issued pleas for On Jul. 10, Washington offered to send Cuba Dissidents blast Paris for inviting Cuban items ranging from medicine and money to mat- $50,000 worth of emergency supplies and an tresses and nails. They coordinated with each officials to Bastille Day party ...... Page 5 assessment team to determine what items were other and with international organizations to needed most. Castro flatly refused the offer. bring relief to millions of affected Cubans. “If they offered $1 billion, we would say no,” Mapping the mayhem “Urgent appeal for Cuba: Help MADRE deliv- Castro retorted in a TV appearance in which he Two-page map details the destruction left er emergency aid to women and families devas- also rejected help from the European Union. tated by Hurricane Dennis,” read one e-mail by Hurricane Dennis ...... Page 6-7 Nevertheless, State Department spokesman posted a few days after Dennis struck. Tom Casey said the U.S. government supported MADRE, a New York-based international wo- the role of NGOs in Cuba. Newsmakers men’s human rights group, specifically sought “We will continue to work through appropri- Alfredo Mesa of the CANF tells CubaNews money to ship anti-parasite medicines to stem ate non-governmental organizations to deliver what must be done to help the Cuban peo- infections resulting from the destruction of sew- See Dennis, page 6 ple in the wake of Dennis ...... Page 8

Losing patience Venezuelan oil keeps island afloat, but Analysts say destructive storm has fueled rising discontent in Cuba ...... Page 9 analysts wonder — how much longer? BY DIANA MARRERO “How long can this go on before it explodes?” Personnel changes he Cuban economy is rebounding from asks Luís Vicente León, an analyst with the Michael Parmly to replace James Cason at the crippling loss of Soviet subsidies over Caracas-based polling and economic research T a decade ago thanks to the generosity of firm Datanalisis. USINT Havana; Caleb McCarry is named its new socialist ally, Venezuela. Venezuela’s vast spending, both at home and Cuba ‘transition coordinator’ ...... Page 10 President Hugo Chávez recently boosted abroad, is outpacing the country’s Gross Dom- Venezuela’s oil shipments to the island from estic Product — a precarious situation that Business briefs 53,000 to 90,000 barrels a day, under highly could spell economic disaster should the price Cuba’s future in transshipment; Chinese favorable terms. He’s also embarked on a num- of oil fall. Even with prices at around $60 a bar- ber of joint business ventures and cooperation rel these days, Venezuela is running a deficit of firm to build TVs in Cuba ...... Page 12 agreements with his friend, Fidel Castro. about 4.5% of GDP. One of the most promising is a plan to help At the same time, Chávez has also driven Shrine to Elián Cuba explore for oil deposits off its shores and away potential investors and limited the growth Miami house where Elián González lived refine petroleum found there. State-run Petró- of private industry through policies that under- leos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA) has opened a keeps the memories alive ...... Page 15 mine economic development, analysts say. new office in Havana to help run the project. “Businessmen are businessmen,” quips Rob- Venezuela’s Banco Industrial has also set up a ert Bottome, publisher of the newsletter CubaNews (ISSN 1073-7715) is published monthly Havana branch, making it one of the few foreign VenEconomy Weekly. “They would love to do by Luxner News Inc. © 2005. All rights reserved. banks in Cuba. Subscriptions: $429/year. For subscription or edito- But some analysts warn that the days of business if the conditions are right. But every- rial inquiries, call us at (301) 365-1745, send a fax to where you turn there are obstacles.” (301) 365-1829 or e-mail us at [email protected]. Venezuelan charity might be numbered, espe- cially if oil prices drop. See Venezuela, page 11

2 CubaNews ❖ August 2005 HURRICANE DENNIS Storm causes $1.4 billion in damages, wrecks agriculture BY OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT harvest. Some of them may be dismantled if it two in the central province of Villa Clara. This costs too much to repair. means that thermoelectric plants Rente (San- urricane Dennis was the worst storm to To grasp the extent of destruction, the offi- tiago de Cuba), Nuevitas (Camagüey), Felton hit Cuba in over four decades. It cial media reported that sugar mills in (Holguín) and Carlos Manuel de Cespedes Hstretched its devastating path over six Granma suffered “serious damages,” includ- (Cienfuegos) could only supply electricity to provinces: Santiago de Cuba, Granma, Sancti ing the Bartolomé Masó mill, located relative- the eastern and central provinces, while Anto- Spíritus, Cienfuegos, Matanzas and Havana ly far from the eye of the storm. nio Guiteras (Matanzas), Santa Cruz del Nor- (see detailed map, pages 6-7). Damage to the plantations must be also ex- te (eastern Havana) and Mariel (western The Category 4 storm killed 16 people in tensive. Although the sugarcane does not die Havana) were the ones responsible of bring- Cuba, caused an estimated $1.4 billion in loss- with the winds or flooding (some plantations ing power to Matanzas, La Habana, the city of es and forced the evacuation of 1.5 million can be uprooted in extreme cases), the cane’s Havana and Pinar del Río provinces. people, the highest figure ever. Of these, stalks fall to the ground, making the harvest Except for the Mariel plant, however, there 245,000 were sent to shelters and the rest to more expensive and difficult. was no other power source available for west- the homes of family and friends. ern Cuba after the hurricane left Cuban terri- According to the official report, 13 deaths DENNIS POUNDS SUGAR MILLS, POWER PLANTS tory. Both Guiteras and the Santa Cruz plants were reported in Granma, two in Santiago de Luckily for the government, the beginning were shut down to prevent further damage Cuba and one in Sancti Spíritus, mostly due to of the zafra still lies five months ahead, and due to hurricane winds and rain. landslides and flooded rivers. the stalks are not yet fully grown. Consider- The heating up of generators to restart The death toll would have likely been much ing the extreme rainfall, it’s likely that the them takes 8-10 hours. Mariel had to send higher had amphibious military vehicles not sugar transport infrastructure has also suf- energy to both shut-down plants as well as to saved dozens of dwellers in outlying areas of fered serious damage. the gas and water distribution system. In all, Havana — many of whom had been evacuat- By comparison, Hurricane Michelle — a the first power cut lasted about 30 hours, ed and then returned home, only to face a Category 4 storm — flattened 35% of all sug- some areas did not have electricity for 48 sudden surge of water from overflowed dams. arcane when it hit central Cuba in 2001. At hours and the least fortunate, in areas like Some 120,000 homes were severely dam- least 10% of those plantations were destroyed. eastern Havana, had to wait for 72 hours. aged. Of these, 15,000 totally collapsed, Including the damage caused by floods, For most of the following week, there were 25,000 suffered partial collapse, 24,000 lost Michelle affected 50% of Cuba’s sugarcane power cuts in Havana lasting eight, 10 and their roofs and another 60,000 lost part of plantations. Experts estimate that the storm even 12 hours — making people wonder why their covering. destroyed 10% of the 2001-02 sugar harvest. A if Dennis had weakened should the restora- Dennis came only 10 months after the mess much milder, Category 2 storm — Hurricane tion of electricity take so long. left by Hurricane Charley; many houses de- Lili — that struck the same area as Dennis Official media reported that Dennis toppled stroyed by Charley’s raging winds still had and Michelle in 1996 destroyed at least 10% of 37 high-voltage towers and 1,025 utility poles, not been replaced by the time Dennis arrived. that year’s harvest. leaving 21 municipalities without electricity. Besides sugar, other crops were also rav- According to official reports, hundreds of WIDESPREAD DAMAGE TO INFRASTRUCTURE aged by Dennis in Santiago de Cuba, Granma, small generators have been imported to guar- Departing from its recent style of releasing southern Camagüey, Cienfuegos, Villa Clara, antee that future power interruptions do not a detailed account of damages, as it did with Sancti Spíritus, Matanzas and La Habana stop essential services like water supply, gas Hurricanes Lili (1996 and 2002), Georges, provinces. Chicken farms were practically distribution and other economic activities. ❑ Michelle, Isidore, Charley and Ivan, authori- blown away, killing over 73,000 birds. ties this time are much more tight-lipped. Dennis cut Cuba’s national power grid in Armando H. Portela contributed to this story. Nevertheless, considering the intensity of the winds, the trajectory, the rainfall and the precarious condition of Cuba’s housing and infrastructure, it is safe enough to assume Despite Dennis, Fidel predicts 9% growth in 2005 that the destruction is severe and widespread. enying rumors Cuba is in the midst of Software production and assembly of TV Dennis ravaged the island in Granma, an economic crisis, President Fidel sets doubled over the year-ago period, while Sancti Spíritus and Cienfuegos provinces with DCastro claimed in his annual Jul. 26 domestic crude oil production rose by 9.2%. sustained winds in excess of 131 mph and speech that the economy grew 7.3% during Power generation dropped by 4% due to reported gusts of 155 mph. It left a 90-mile- the first half of 2005 — and that the island delays in plant repairs, a deficit of installed wide swath when it crossed over central Cuba will end this year with 9% GDP growth. capacity and storm damages, though Castro on Jul. 7. Only the extreme tips of the island This rosy prediction comes despite huge promised that present capacity — about were spared of its tropical-storm winds. losses due to drought ($1.2 billion), Hurri- 2,000 megawatts — would be doubled by Rainfall in the Escambray Mountains in cane Dennis ($1.4 billion) and sustained mid-2006 thanks to the expansion of current Cienfuegos averaged 27 inches in 48 hours, power blackouts that have shut down facto- plants and the construction of new ones. peaking at 39” at the Cuatro Vientos station ries and strained people’s tempers. “We will overcome,” Castro said in his 4- — a catastrophic volume by any standard. Thirteen of 22 economic sectors showed hour speech. “Have a little bit of faith.” The killer storm only lost some intensity as growth, Castro insisted, proving that Cuba As for Cuba’s chronic housing shortage, it approached the city of Havana, where the “is on the right path.” the 79-year-old leader promised that in 2006, damages were reportedly less severe. According to official statistics, nickel pro- some 100,000 houses would be built, more Hurricane-force winds raged over 41 of duction reached 38,200 metric tons in the than double this year’s estimate. Cuba’s 85 active sugar mills; at least 13 of first six months, generating $545 million in In addition to the 7,300 houses built before them suffered the direct impact of the devas- export income. Tourism revenues, mean- Dennis, another 10,000 would be built for tating core winds of Dennis. Based on the while, jumped 11.5%, with hotels averaging those who lost their homes in the storm, and experience of previous storms, it is safe to 66.9% capacity and the island expecting a an additional 30,000 dwellings will be made assume that some of these mills are severely record 2.3 million foreign visitors this year. available before the end of 2005. hurt and at best will remain idle in the next August 2005 ❖ CubaNews 3 HURRICANE DENNIS Dennis only the latest in a long legacy of killer hurricanes BY ARMANDO H. PORTELA On average, Cuba scores a direct hit by a Habana, Matanzas and Isla de la Juventud ecause of its location in the northwest- hurricane every other year or two. Thankful- (Isle of Youth) — representing around 25% of ern Caribbean and its long length, Cuba ly, intense and very intense hurricanes Cuba’s territory — account for nearly half of Bis regularly hit by hurricanes, some- (Categories 2, 3, 4 and 5 on the Saffir-Simp- all landfalls over the past 200 years. times with devastating consequences. son scale) are less frequent, with a landfall Like every Caribbean location, Cuba has Nearly 10% of all storms crossing the Carib- every three or four years on average. memories of hurricane-related tragedies. Having to deal with them so often, hurri- canes are somehow imbedded in the idiosyn- crasy of Cubans. Among the worst in the last 80 years is the October 1926 storm that hit Havana, leaving 600 deaths and incredible destruction to the city infrastructure and to the costal town of Batabanó on the southern shore. Old habaneros remember that hurri- cane as one of their worst nightmares. In November 1932, a 21-foot storm surge wiped out the coastal city of Santa Cruz del Sur, in Camagüey province, causing 1,500 to 3,000 deaths. In October 1944. a mammoth storm blew over Havana for seven hours with winds in excess of 124 mph (200 km/h), set- ting the wind-speed record of 163 mph (262 km/h) for the city and causing 300 deaths. The most lethal storm in recent times is Hurricane Flora, which in October 1963 stalled for four interminable days over east- ern Cuba, killing 1,150 people, causing enor- mous economic losses and even permanently changing the landscape in some places. That wasn’t just because of the many land- slides or river patterns that Flora caused directly, but also because of the feverish con- struction of an intricate system of channels, culverts and dams built in Flora’s aftermath to prevent future catastrophes. bean strike the island or come close enough Very intense hurricanes (Categories 4 and Some hurricanes are so fierce that in just a to cause severe impact, as did Hurricane Ivan 5) — those capable of destroying the econo- few hours they can dump 60-70% of the annu- in 2004, a Category 4 monster storm whose my as well as housing over a wide region — al rainfall in a given place, as Hurricane eye barely missed the western tip of Cuba. have battered the island every 11 years in the Frederick did in September 1979 with over Ivan leveled the vast forest reserves and past two centuries on average, but were near- 31” of rain in southern Havana. wildlife sanctuaries of Guanahacabibes Penin- ly nonexistent over the past 50 years. Perhaps the wettest was of all was Flora, sula in Pinar del Río province, and forced the The path over the island of three such killer which dumped 67” of rain in 96 hours. ❑ evacuation of 1.9 million people across the storms since 2001 is island (see CubaNews, September 2004). quite a coincidence. Although labeled a Category 3 storm, des- tructive Charley recor- MIT: Storms getting stronger ded wind gusts of over Hurricanes have grown stronger and 130 mph (209 km/h). more destructive over the past 30 years, Locals nicknamed it according to the Washington Post, quoting “Charley el leñador” the online version of Nature. (Charley the woodcut- The duration of storms and their maxi- ter) as it blew down mum wind speeds have increased about hundreds of old trees 50% since the mid-1970s, writes Kerry A. in Havana. Emmanuel, an atmospheric scientist at the Cuba’s western Massachusetts Institute of Technology. provinces get hit the “The total energy produced by hurri- most, since Caribbean canes has nearly doubled over the last 30 and Atlantic storms years, because the intensity has incresed tend to veer towards by about 50%, and they’re lasting longer," the north as they Emmanuel told the Post. This increase in approach North Amer- storm intensity mirrors the recent rise in ica, while June and ocean surface temperatures, he added, October hurricanes suggesting that global warming may tend to form just south indeed produce fiercer hurricanes. of the island. Pinar del Río, La

4 CubaNews ❖ August 2005

POLITICS Breaking with tradition, Congress rejects Cuba legislation BY ANA RADELAT amendments at all during the House debate A Cuba measure also faltered in July in the hat’s become an annual mid-summer over the Treasury spending bill. Senate. An attempt to shift money earmarked battle over Cuba is different this year “Congressman Flake’s goal is to advance for TV Martí to the Peace Corps failed on a 33- Won Capitol Hill. freedom [in Cuba], and offering the amend- 66 vote. The showdowns on U.S. restrictions on ments wasn’t the best way to advance that pol- Over the past 16 years, the U.S. govern- travel and trade usually occur during the sum- icy,” Flake press secretary Matthew Specht ment has spent nearly $200 million beaming mer fight over the House appropriations bill told CubaNews. “We’re making progress in TV Martí to Cuba. But the Castro regime has that funds the Treasury Department, which is other areas and we’ll continue to chip away at largely succeeded in blocking its reception. the agency authorized to enforce Washing- the current policy where we can.” Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) called TV ton’s embargo against Cuba. Flake’s office did not elaborate. Martí “a tragic, complete waste of money,” For the last few years, a group of Demo- though Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) argued that cratic and Republican House members — GOP LEADERSHIP TIPS THE BALANCE Castro is “trying to keep his people’s minds most of them members of the so-called Cuba As expected, Cuban-American lawmakers enslaved, as well as their bodies, and this is Working Group — have succeeded in winning in Congress hailed the lack of Cuba riders on not the time to end these broadcasts.” approvals for amendments that would hurt the Treasury bill this year. Treasury’s ability to enforce parts of the em- “Our victories today, Castro’s defeats, send MEASURE CHALLENGING OFAC WINS VOICE VOTE bargo. Those actions have especially focused a clear signal that normalization of relations Not all Cuba legislation faltered. A measure on the embargo’s prohibitions against spend- with the United States will not be possible aimed at helping U.S. farmers sell food to ing money in order to visit Cuba. until all political prisoners are liberated; all Cuba is now part of both the House and But although these provisions were political parties, labor unions and the press Senate versions of the Treasury bill. approved by a majority of House members, are legalized, and free elections are sched- On Jul. 19, a Senate appropriations subcom- President Bush vowed to veto the Treasury uled in Cuba,” declared Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Bal- mittee approved an amendment sponsored by bill if it contained the provisions. So every art (R-FL), a staunch embargo supporter. Dorgan that would prohibit OFAC from en- year they were removed from the final bill. The failure of members of the Cuba Work- forcing Bush administration regulations that This year, however, Cuba amendments ing Group to win support for any of the Cuba require the Cuban government to pay for U.S. failed to achieve even the support needed to amendments — and Flake’s decision to with- food shipments, in cash, before they reach pass the House. draw his amendments — may have more to the island’s docks. That amendment was do with the GOP’s increased strength in the approved by a voice vote (see box below). A similar provision, sponsored by Rep. Jo FLAKE WITHDRAWS 6 AMENDMENTS House this year following last fall’s elections. One, sponsored by Rep. Jim Davis (D-FL) While a number of Republicans like Flake Ann Emerson (R-MO) was approved last would have barred the use of federal funds to support easing sanctions on Cuba to promote month in the House. enforce regulations on Cuban-American trav- more U.S. trade and travel, the bulk of But because of the administration’s stand- el to Cuba. The Bush administration has Republican House members, their leadership ing veto threat, it is almost certain that this sharply curtailed such travel, even provoking and the White House remain strenuously provision will be stripped during House-Sen- ate negotiations on the bill’s final version. criticism from some exiles who generally sup- opposed to lifting any part of the embargo. ❑ port the embargo. But the amendment was narrowly defeated Jun. 30 by a 211-208 vote. Another amendment, introduced by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) sought to eliminate re- Trade groups differ on impact of new OFAC rule strictions on academic travel to Cuba. It was .S. food exporters may face fewer while exporters awaited payment. defeated 233-187. headaches in selling their goods to OFAC issued its clarification in order to U free five nominees to senior Treasury jobs And a third bill, introduced every year by Cuba under a Treasury Department Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) but never ap- clarification issued Jul. 29, said one trade blocked by Sen. Max Baucus. The Montana proved by his colleagues, lost by even a wider group, but another told Reuters news serv- Democrat said he hoped the clarification margin than in past years. ice it probably won’t make any difference. would provide “another option to restart ag But the real indication that things are dif- The clarification issued by Treasury’s Of- sales to Cuba.” ferent this year is the decision by Rep. Jeff fice of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said John Kavulich of the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Flake (R-AZ) to pull six amendments that vessels could leave U.S. ports as soon as a Economic Council, which monitors trade would roll back restrictions on travel to Cuba. foreign bank confirmed receipt of payment. between the nations, told Reuters the option One amendment would prevent Treasury’s That could be slightly faster than rules in highlighted by Treasury was “nothing new.” Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Cuba was unlikely to increase its cash effect since February, and would spare sell- purchases, Kavulich said, because it can get from enforcing the travel ban. The others are ers the expense of using letters of credit. less sweeping. They would: food from other nations for free or on cred- “It should speed the process up and, it. And, he said, Cuba’s goal openly “remains ■ Prevent further restrictions to what now is therefore, facilitate additional trade,” said an exemption to religious travel to Cuba. to influence U.S. policy” by weakening the Kirby Jones, founder of the U.S.-Cuba Trade embargo. ■ Prevent enforcement on Bush’s cap of Association. “The unknown is how the remittances to Cuba. Bob Stallman, president of the American buyer [Cuba] will react.” Farm Bureau Federation, said OFAC’s rul- ■ Prevent enforcement of a weight limit on Sales of U.S. food exports to Cuba have baggage for travelers to Cuba. ing “is a good interim move that should pro- fallen 25% since new rules took effect, re- vide some relief to U.S. producers, but the ■ Roll back new restrictions requiring ama- quiring Cuba to pay for U.S. foods before underlying issue of cash payments from teur sports teams to receive specific permis- they were shipped. Farm groups and their sion before they traveled to compete in Cuba: Cuba remains.” Stallman added that his allies in Congress are campaigning for a group “will continue to work with Congress ■ Exempt Cuban-Americans who served in the military from travel restrictions to Cuba. return to rules under which ships could sail to legislatively overturn the Feb. 22 rule.” But Flake decided not to introduce the August 2005 ❖ CubaNews 5 POLITICAL BRIEFS DISSIDENT BLASTS FRANCE FOR POLICY SWITCH Marta Beatríz Roque, a leading Cuban dissi- In their own words … dent, has accused France of putting trade ahead “We would never accept. If they offered $1 billion, we would say no.” of the suffering of the Cuban people. — Fidel Castro, angrily rejecting the Bush administration’s offer of $50,000 in The comments by Roque, a 60-year-old econo- humanitarian aid to Cuba following damage inflicted by Hurricane Dennis. mist arrested during a protest outside the French Embassy in Havana on Bastille Day, came after Paris unilaterally ended a European Union diplo- “The targeting of innocent lives is insidious and shows the utter disrespect matic embargo against Fidel Castro and normal- that perpetrators of terror have for humanity. Those who committed this cal- ized relations with his government. lous act must know that our determination to neutralize terrorism is unshaken and that we will not yield in the face of such perfidy.” Speaking from her Havana home, Roque told London’s Daily Telegraph that the aborted rally — Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), commenting Jul. 7 on the London subway bomb- was organized after France broke the EU embar- ings that killed 56 people and injured over 700. go and invited Cuba’s foreign minister, Felipe Pérez Roque (no relation) to a Bastille Day cele- “Where was the congresswoman’s outrage (see above quote) when she came bration at the French Embassy, from which dissi- to the defense of Luís Posada Carriles, a man who bragged about mastermind- dents and democracy activists were excluded. ing a series of hotel bombings in Havana that killed an Italian tourist? A man ‘For a little money, they have made the Cuban suspected of blowing up a Cuban airliner?” people suffer,” said the dissident, who in May — Former Miami Herald columnist Jim DeFede, in a Jul. 10 op-ed piece criticiz- organized the Assembly for the Promotion of ing Ros-Lehtinen and entitled “Terror is terror, whether it’s in London or Cuba.” Civil Society, a gathering of dissidents in Havana. “The French are two-faced,” she said. “The day “Nothing will come — indeed, in almost 47 years nothing has come — from before, their ambassador [Marie-France Pagnier] being polite to a dictator ... If we thought that keeping quiet would bring about invited a group of us to her house through the political reforms, we would be quiet. If we thought that lifting the U.S. embar- back door. The next day they are welcoming the go would result in a democratic Cuba, we would have 747s full of Americans minister and applauding a speech in which he on the tarmac tomorrow.” promised to carry on with repression.” — James Cason, chief of the U.S. Interests Section in Havana. Cason is leaving The Bastille Day invitation went against an Cuba after three years to become the new U.S. ambassador to Paraguay. agreement by 24 of the 25 EU governments, who decided in February that neither dissidents nor “It’s the most convoluted, ridiculous scheme that totally backfires on the Cuban government leaders should be invited to people who support the administration most — farmers in rural America.” national day celebrations at European embassies. — Rep. JoAnn Emerson (R-MO), sponsor of a House bill that seeks to stop the Treasury Department from enforcing a rule requiring Cuba to pay in advance SENATE PANEL APPROVES PLANE FOR TV SIGNAL for food shipments from U.S. exporters before they are shipped from U.S. ports. The U.S. Senate has moved a step closer toward the purchase of a plane that would help “I’ve been in government for over 20 years, and this seemed like a good break through jamming of Radio and TV Martí time to make a change.” broadcasts to Cuba. The Miami Herald reported Jul. 2 that an — Roger Noriega, in announcing his resignation as assistant secretary of state for appropriations bill approved by a Senate panel Latin American affairs. Noriega had been on the job since early 2003, when he contains $37.6 million in funding for the broad- replaced hardline Cuban exile Otto Reich, whom the Senate refused to confirm. casts to Cuba, including $10 million for the air- craft’s purchase. If approved by Congress, the “Of the myriad sanctions imposed by the U.S. on Cuba for almost 50 years, money would cover the cost of broadcasts few are as cruel, vindictive and un-American as those that sharply limit Cuban- through September 2007, and fulfill President Americans from visiting their relatives on the island.” Bush’s pledge to take more aggressive meas- — Jul. 16 editorial in the Chicago Tribune. ures against Cuba. A new plane would replace the C-130 military “I was born and bred with this revolution. But today, what’s to celebrate? It’s aircraft which has been used since last August a facade, a sham. The words are beautiful, but the reality is something else. to transmit the broadcasts. Like everyone I know, I’m very disillusioned.” — Mario, a 50-year-old Havana taxi driver quoted by the Boston Globe, when PERFORMERS WIN ASYLUM AFTER YEAR-LONG FIGHT asked about Castro’s Jul. 26 speech and his upbeat assessment of the economy. Ending an arduous year-long journey, 50 Cuban performers were granted political asylum in late “We should reduce tensions, not aggravate it, making it clear to the Cuban July after what is thought to be the largest group government that we do not have hostile intentions toward them. I did not say defection of Cubans in U.S. history. lift the embargo without conditions.” The musicians, singers and dancers of the — Bush administration critic Wayne Smith, former chief of the U.S. Interests “Havana Night Club” revue hope to eventually Section in Havana. Smith spoke Jul. 17 during an event at the Biltmore Hotel become U.S. citizens. organized by the Greater Miami Free Speech Coalition. “This has been pretty amazing for all of us,” José David Alvarez, the show’s 24-year-old host, “It was a dead-end. We could not invite both the government and dissidents told the New York Times. “The United States has at the same time. So we are going to invite some Cuban authorities.” always been a myth for young Cuban men like me and a lot of my colleagues in the company. It — Renaud Collard, press attaché at the French Embassy in Havana, on the has always meant freedom for us.” embassy’s decision to invite Cuban government authorities to this year’s Troupe members have been performing in Las Bastille Day celebration. That move went against official European Vegas since announcing their decision to seek Union policy not to invite either dissidents or officials to such events. political asylum last November. 6 CubaNews ❖ August 2005 equipment and pharmaceuticals to Cuba, that his group’s biggest expense is shipping. Dennis — FROM PAGE 1 hopes to send an additional five containers “Mostly we are using Crowley,” Schwag relief provisions quickly and directly to the specifically to help in the wake of Dennis, said told CubaNews. “I’m not especially happy that Cuban people,” he said. “Individuals and founder Rick Schwag. All told, this year’s aid it costs $3,000 to send a container from Gulf- groups that wish to send humanitarian goods will be worth $1-2 million, he said. port [Mississippi] to Havana, which is far to the hurricane victims in Cuba may do so more than to send a container from Gulfport through NGOs with an existing license, or by SHIPPING COSTS STILL TOO HIGH to anywhere else in the Caribbean. I’m hop- applying for a license through the Treasury CMT, which collaborates with groups ing that Crowley can be convinced to allow us and Commerce departments.” across the country and in Canada, averages to send a few containers free. It would be an Besides allowing humanitarian donations, about 12 containers a year. Its hurricane relief immense help to the people of Cuba.” the U.S. government permits the sale of agri- will focus on goods needed in the mid- to long- Schwag said CMT is working with the Cu- cultural goods and medicine to Cuba under term, including basic medical supplies like ban Institute for Friendship Between Peoples, the 2000 Trade Sanctions Reform and En- bandages, gloves, catheters and scrubs, and the Jewish community of Santiago de Cuba hancement Act (TSRA). Cuba began taking household supplies and mattresses. and the Cuban handicapped organ ACLIFIM advantage of TSRA after Hurricane Michelle “It’s always close to disaster, even without a to distribute aid to rural districts across Cuba. hit the island in November 2001. hurricane,” he said, adding that two contain- Baltimore-based Catholic Relief Services, ers will be shipped this month. Those contai- which has been working in Cuba since 1993, SHOES FROM FLORIDA, DRUGS FROM VERMONT ners will probably arrive on the same boat as also issued an appeal for hurricane assistance. Despite prompt action by NGOs, much of the cows that Vermont recently sold to Cuba “From the day Hurricane Dennis touched their assistance won’t reach Cuba for weeks. (see related story, page 14 of this issue). down in Cuba, CRS/Cuba has been in con- Goods have to be collected, sorted and In part because of Dennis, CMT applied for stant communication with our partner, Caritas packed, and shipping arrangements finalized. a new license that would let it ship household Cubana, the social action office of the Catholic “It’s a long time to wait for someone in items, recreational equipment and building Church in Cuba,” said Brian Goonan, CRS need,” said Soledad McIntire, secretary of the materials, said Schwag. But he complained country manager for Cuba, in an e-mail to

THE DESTRUCTIVE FORCE OF HURRICANE DENNIS (JUL. 7-8, 2005)

St. Augustine-Baracoa Friendship Associa- tion, a nonpartisan, non-affiliated ecumenical group based in St. Augustine, Fla. The associ- ation holds both travel and commerce licens- es for Cuba and gathers donations from across the country. Under ordinary circumstances, the associa- tion ships wheelchairs, rehab equipment, massage tables and other items for physically and mentally handicapped people in Cuba. In the wake of Dennis, it’s focusing on reconstruction materials such as tools, nails and screws, as well as clothing, shoes, beds, mattresses, sheets, towels, disinfectants and soap. The group also called for money and for suitcases to pack clothes in. McIntire expects to ship a 40-foot container of hurricane relief by Aug. 17. “That’s the best we can do,” she told CubaNews, adding that the group ordinarily ships 4-5 containers a year; it had just sent one in July and its ware- houses were bare when Dennis struck. Caribbean Medical Transport, a Vermont- based group that ships donated medical August 2005 ❖ CubaNews 7 CubaNews. When asked how much in materi- Fund, with the money from that fund being “The Cuban government requires [NGOs] to al aid CRS is sending to Cuba through distributed to dissidents and civil society,” release control of the loads to the govern- Caritas, Goonan said it’s too early to tell, said CANF spokeswoman Camila Ruíz. “We ment. Even Caritas is required to give the adding only that “the response of CRS has have a remittance system where we wire government up to 80% of any load they are been very generous.” money directly to church leaders” who pos- allowed to take into Cuba.” Assistance was already underway before sess a recipient list, that include independent Several groups such as the Center for Inter- Dennis struck. The UN World Food Program journalists, librarians, and church leaders national Policy, the Washington Office on said several days worth of food rations were (see our interview with CANF’s executive direc- Latin America, Witness for Peace and the distributed in advance of the hurricane. tor, Alfredo Mesa, page 8). Latin America Working Group hope to use the Immediately after the hurricane hit, the WFP Ruíz said CANF is focusing its relief efforts disaster to urge the Bush administration to approved an emergency allocation of $500,000 on remittances since “it’s more secure” and is temporarily lift the travel ban against Cuba, at to help the most vulnerable affected residents of the central provinces for 45 days.

The International Federation of Red Cross TINA and Red Crescent Societies, which calls itself LA the world’s largest humanitarian organiza- tion, said Cuba’s immediate needs are for PRENSA roofing materials, mattresses, generators, chlorine tables, canned foods, transport mate- rials, jerrycans, hygiene kits and first aid kits.

CANF ESTABLISHES CUBA RELIEF FUND Not surprisingly, politics has gotten in the way of post-hurricane assistance — especially in South Florida, where Cuban exile groups have made their views well-known. The largest of those groups, the Cuban Among other things, Dennis destroyed a hotel lobby in Trinidad and toppled utility poles in Cienfuegos. American National Foundation, is targeted toward hurricane victims, not the least for Cuban-Americans. foregoing the shipping of government. CANF is apparently using its Sarah Stephens, program director for CIP’s goods to Cuba and is extended membership database and its web- “Freedom to Travel” campaign, said her instead opting to wire site to generate such funds. office has received over 1,200 requests to lift cash. the travel ban. “We’ve set OTHER EXILE GROUPS OPPOSE DIRECT AID “Unfortunately, the restrictions placed on up the A rival exile group, the Cuban Liberty Cuban-Americans by the Bush administration Cuba Council, told CubaNews it will work only with last year prevent them from taking care of Relief the U.S. Interests Section in Havana to dis- their own,” said Stephens. “We need to tribute hurricane relief. change this policy now, and we need to “We oppose sending unconditional aid change it permanently.” because experience shows that the [Cuban] Sylvia Iriondo, president of the Miami- government will not distribute the assis- based Madres y Mujeres Anti-Represión por tance to the people and instead, the Cuba (MAR), couldn’t disagree more. goods end up at hard-currency “We are against the temporary lifting of the stores that sell merchandise, or travel restrictions, which will only prolong the at the warehouses that pro- Castro regime,” said Iriondo, even if it means vide hotels only for not being able to send help to their less fortu- tourists,” said CLC’s nate relatives on the island. executive direc- One smaller Miami-based group, Cuba tor, Luís Links Ministries, is shrugging off such con- Zuñiga. cerns and already has a boatload of medi- cines, powdered milk, and canned beef sitting at the Port of New Orleans. According to the group’s director, Rev. Gustavo Abreira, that vessel is now await- ing the green light from Cuban authori- ties to be shipped to Havana. Abreira said pastors in Cuba will distrib- ute their relief shipment to the needy. ❑ 8 CubaNews ❖ August 2005 NEWSMAKERS CANF’s Alfredo Mesa: Help Cuba’s people, not the regime BY LARRY LUXNER in the community to contribute,” he said. “So That, however, doesn’t mean the CANF uban exiles who support the 42-year-old far, the response has been pretty overwhelm- supports the Bush administration’s most con- trade embargo know they can’t stop ing. Many groups are doing this, by the way. troversial policies on Cuba. C U.S. companies from legally exporting We’re not the only ones.” “The foundation is clear in its support for agricultural commodities to Cuba. Mesa said he sees little point in shipping family travel and purposeful travel. We were But in light of the destruction wrought by containers full of emergency relief supplies to clearly against the restrictions imposed last Hurricane Dennis, those companies should Cuba, only to see those goods end up in the year on extending [the time between family forget about profits for a moment and focus wrong hands. visits] to three years. We were also against on helping the Cuban people. “We’re not going to play that game with the the scaling back of remittances. No one So says the Miami-based Cuban American Cuban government, sending things and hav- should define for anyone who their family is. National Foundation, the nation’s largest and ing Castro sell it. In the past, when the Cuban It’s un-American and it’s counterproductive most influential Cuban exile group. In an open letter to companies selling “Some people want to use the hurricane as a reason to lift the to Cuba under TSRA (Trade Sanctions travel restrictions. That’s wrong. We may disagree with those Reform and Export restrictions, but this isn’t the time to reopen this Pandora’s box.” Enhancement Act of 2000), President Jor- — ALFREDO MESA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CUBAN AMERICAN NATIONAL FOUNDATION ge Más Santos says that while his organ- ization is “adamantly opposed” to such community has tried to send aid to hurricane when you’re trying to establish a democracy.” business dealings, CANF’s Alfredo Mesa victims, those items ended up in the diplotien- Nevertheless, he says “some people want to these firms are in a das [dollar stores],” he said. use the hurricane as a reason to lift the travel unique position to help hurricane victims. Born and raised in Miami, the 30-year-old restrictions. That’s wrong. We may disagree “We are urging you, in this time of great Mesa has never been to Cuba but says he with those restrictions, but this isn’t the time need, to send humanitarian food donations wants to go badly. Before joining CANF, he to reopen this Pandora’s box, because Fidel directly to those families in Cuba that are in was director of affairs for Alex Penelas, the always end up having his allies in Washington desperate straits,” says the letter. “We ask former mayor of Miami-Dade County. talk about how bad the embargo is. that these donations not be channeled Mesa took over as executive director in “The issue has to be that the Cuban people through the Cuban authorities but delivered December 2004 from Joe García, who had left have been hurt because of the storm — and to independent civil society groups, churches the CANF to join Sen. John Kerry’s presiden- now more so, because Fidel Castro is the one and dissident leaders for distribution to those tial campaign. The two men stay in touch reg- who won’t let families send aid. He’s not individuals in greatest need.” ularly, and García continues to serve on accepting any aid whatsoever. We need to The CANF letter concludes with a threat: CANF’s board of directors. focus on legal ways to get aid to victims.” “Your cooperation and collaboration with the Cuban regime today and your willingness to CANF: DON’T LIFT TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS NOW WHAT TO DO WITH LUÍS POSADA ignore the suffering of Cuba’s people will be “Joe and I are very different,” said Mesa. “I In the meantime, Mesa has devoted a great remembered by the future democratic lead- think we have the same passion for Cuba, deal of effort to forging ties with non-Cubans ers of Cuba, as by the Cuban-American com- though I like to see myself as a more behind- in Florida, including other minorities like munity. To a certain extent, this is a chance to the-scenes kind of guy.” He added that “Joe is African-Americans, Haitians and Jews. redeem yourselves before the eyes of those one of my best friends. He has a great strate- He’s also spent a fair amount of time field- who today only see you as collaborators with gic mind, and I consider him one of the ing questions from the press about Luís Pos- a regime that delivered only misery and suf- ada Carriles, a 77-year-old Cuban exile and ex- fering to its people.” smartest people in this community.” While waiting for Mesa, one can’t help but CANF activist widely blamed for mastermind- notice how the CANF’s reception area is dec- ing the 1976 bombing of a Cubana Airlines SEND CASH, NOT CARE PACKAGES orated — a satellite image of Cuba, a portrait plane over Barbados that killed 73 people. In addition to asking U.S. companies to that screams out “Jorge Más Canosa Vive ... “Posada should be given due process,” said help, the CANF has formed its own Cuba Re- seguiremos adelante!” and a portrait by Jorge Mesa. “He entered this country illegally and lief Fund, says the organization’s executive Alberto Carol of Cuban patriot José Martí, we believe he has to follow the rule of law, director, Alfredo Mesa. with a tear rolling down his cheek. regardless of our beliefs. If in fact he was in- “We think that right now, the most effective volved in bombing that plane, then of course way to help hurricane victims in Cuba is with There’s also a wall sculpture that’s either a Cuban or an American flag, depending on he’s a terrorist, but I’m no one to judge.” cash,” Mesa told CubaNews. “We have a Trea- Asked if the CANF is losing influence in sury Department license that allows us to which angle you look at it. Yet there’s little doubt where CANF stands Washington as rival exile groups — both send aid directly to Cuba. We’re not only those which support a dialogue with the Cas- doing it through dissidents, but also through when it comes to the current regime in Cuba. the churches. I was very clear in all my state- “Our founder, Jorge Más Canosa, was clear tro regime and those advocating even a hard- ments that we don’t care if the recipients [of that patriotism was above partisanship,” said er line — compete for the ear of President this aid] are dissidents or not.” Mesa. But he added that “we have friends on Bush and Congress, Mesa said: “I don’t spend Asked how much CANF has raised so far, both sides of the aisle, Republicans and time thinking about clout. The only clout that Mesa wouldn’t say. Democrats. The foundation’s directors will interests me is that the work we do is tangi- “This is mostly a director-driven campaign, throw their support behind whoever they ble, and that you can actually measure our even though we’ve opened it up for anybody think will be tougher on Castro.” impact where it matters most — in Cuba.” ❑ August 2005 ❖ CubaNews 9

POLITICAL ANALYSIS INTERNATIONAL BRIEFS CUBA, BAHAMAS TO ESTABLISH EMBASSIES Cuba has upgraded its consulate in Nassau Storm fuels discontent among Cubans to a full-fledged embassy and has appointed BY DOMINGO AMUCHASTEGUI columnist who writes for Miami’s Spanish-lan- its former consul-general, Felix Wilson espite their political leaning, analysts in guage El Nuevo Herald, Dennis was a “nation- González, to the post of charge d’affaires. Miami and Havana agree that Hurri- al disaster” that should force Cuban exiles to Frederick A. Mitchell, minister of foreign Dcane Dennis couldn’t have come at a “put aside our deep and deeply justified polit- affairs and public service, announced that the worse time for Cuba. ical differences with Castro’s dictatorship, to Bahamas will open an embassy in Havana At the time of its impact, the island was also attend to the material needs of the people.” within the next few months. Carlton Wright, facing an avalanche of other crises, namely: For two weeks, the exile community debat- undersecretary at the Ministry of Foreign ed the impact of Hurricane Dennis very much ■ The straining of Cuba’s electrical power Affairs, has been named to head the embassy. system across the nation and its ripple effect along similar lines, while in practice very little “The plans are quite advanced, with the was done to provide assistance, except for on the entire economy; Ministry of Works having approved the personal contributions. design of the building in the Cuban capital,” ■ State actions against self-employed activi- On the right end of the political spectrum, ties, street vendors, free-market prices and Mitchell told the House of Assembly in Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and the Díaz-Balart remarks quoted by the Nassau Guardian. related activities; brothers Lincoln and Mario — all Florida ■ An end to the operations of small foreign Mitchell said 20,000 Bahamians a year visit Republicans of Cuban origin — issued a joint Cuba, and that “there is considerable demand investment firms; statement in which they dismissed the need ■ The total paralysis of Sistema de Perfec- for consular and diplomatic services. The to change the current policy that would allow embassy is expected to meet that demand.” cionamiento Empresarial, the most important any easing of the embargo. tool for economic reform and recovery; Details: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PO Box ■ A strong recentralization of the Cuban N-3746, Nassau. Tel: (242) 322-7624. economy and its system of state enterprises; IS A ‘SOCIAL EXPLOSION’ IMMINENT? A few days after the hurricane, two very ■ A new wave of repressive U.S measures CHÁVEZ: 100,000 LATINS TO GET EYE SURGERY small groups of demonstrators went to Hav- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said an against the the Cuban government; ana’s Malecón to throw flowers into the sea, ■ A new series of unfulfilled promises made estimated 100,000 Latin Americans will under- in order to commemorate the 1994 sinking on go eye surgery in Cuba this year, as part of early this year with regard to housing proj- that day of the tugboat 13 de Marzo, in which ects, electrical power stability, employment the island’s Milagro medical program, which 28 people drowned. They carried pictures in he said will also include patients from the benefits, house appliances and others. the form of posters with slogans describing The fact is that thousands of families United States as well. Fidel Castro as a cruel tyrant. During his weekly radio and TV appear- severely affected by previous hurricanes are At the same time, some European corre- still waiting for solutions promised by the ance, Chávez said the Cuban medical initiative spondents in Havana were trying to prove is a free-of-charge eye surgery program for Castro government. that these confrontations were just the begin- This has led some opposition groups in poor Latin American and Caribbean people. ning of a wave of social and political turmoil. Chavez said low-income U.S. patients would Cuba to predict that the current situation is Indeed, the current economic crisis in approaching “a point of no return toward a also be included “since the Bush administra- Cuba is a multifaceted phenomenon, fostering tion continues to exclude a sizeable portion of social explosion.” frustrations of every sort, as well as even That’s the view of a social-democratic the population from health care.” greater hardships and popular discontent as The Milagro project is one of several initia- group known as Arco Progresista, which em- never before. But a social explosion or an phasizes the need for a “national solution” de- tives of the Bolivarian Alternative for the apocalyptical outcome is unlikely and would Americas (ALBA), and is being jointly imple- void of ideologies and revolutionary rhetoric. depend on many different circumstances. A similar approach is championed by oppo- mented by Venezuela and Cuba in order to As Sánchez noted, social reactions are still offer assistance to those who most need it. sition economist Oscar Espinosa Chepe, who very much isolated, spontaneous and disor- warned that the Castro regime is not only ganized. Even before Dennis, the Castro gov- entrenched “but is reinforcing its measures of ernment suffered a credibility problem. Den- recentralization.” He said that “the situation nis has made things dramatically worse. WHERE TO SEND HELP: in the streets is very tense, and the govern- Hopes for short-term improvement seem to Readers who’d like to help Cuban victims ment knows it.” be increasingly fading and the cash-strapped of last month’s Hurricane Dennis are urged Adds well-known dissident leader Elizardo government is hard-pressed to come up with to contact any of the following groups: Sánchez of the National Commission on instant solutions. Castro is now compelled to ■ Catholic Relief Services, 209 W. Fayette Human Rights and National Reconciliation: act, and quickly, in terms of short- and long- St., Baltimore, MD 21201. Tel: (410) 625- “The level of popular discontent is the highest term solutions not only by allocating massive 2220 x7497. URL: www.catholicrelief.org. in the last 46 years. There is social and politi- resources for several neglected areas, but by ■ Jo McIntyre, St. Augustine-Baracoa cal unrest,” aggravated by Hurricane Dennis, implementing the economic reform policies Friendship Association, PO Box 861086, St. which is part of the popular discontent. What that are being stalled again and again. Augustine, FL 32086. Tel: (904) 461-3175 we are seeing now, he said, “is isolated, spon- Jaime Suchlicki, director of the University or (904) 806-1400. E-mail: [email protected]. taneous, and disconnected protest manifesta- of Miami’s Institute for Cuban and Cuban- URL: www.staugustine-baracoa.org. tions due mostly to the existing economic American Studies, says he sees little reason to ■ Rick Schwag, Caribbean Medical Trans- hardships, not politically inspired.” be optimistic. port, 1393 Cold Hill Road, Lyndonville, VT From another perspective, Dr. María Cris- “The hurricane aggravates a very difficult 05851. URL: www.cubacaribe.com. tina Herrera, founder of the Miami-based In- situation for the Cuban regime,” he told ■ Disarm Education Fund, 113 Univer- stituto de Estudios Cubanos, told CubaNews CubaNews. “It is exacerbating tensions about sity Place, New York, NY 10003. Tel: (212) that “whoever has followed the Cuban quag- the lack of food; a failed energy system, and 353-9800. Fax: (212) 353-9676. E-mail: the inability of the regime to deliver on its mire since 1959 has ample evidence of the [email protected]. URL: www.disarm.org. failure of politically vested efforts — of much-touted promises of a better future. Cubans live in despair, with little hope. It’s sad ■ Stanley Falkenstein, Jewish Cuba Con- friends and foes alike — to reap the crop of nection, 4 Lighthouse St., Marina del Rey, CA victims of nature’s wrath on Cuba.” that nature has conspired to increase the mis- For Pablo Alfonso, a Cuban-American ery of a people that has suffered enough.” ❑ 90292. E-mail: [email protected]. 10 CubaNews ❖ August 2005 POLITICS Parmly to replace Cason as head of U.S. mission in Havana BY LARRY LUXNER than me. He may be sorry.” ing of the complexities of the Cuba issue, but ichael Eleazar Parmly, a career diplo- Daniel Erikson, who follows Cuban affairs also a sense of personal commitment to the mat who’s spent most of his 26 years at the Washington-based Inter-American cause of freedom for the Cuban people,” said Mwith the Foreign Service in Europe, Dialogue, told the Miami Herald that Parmly CANF spokeswoman Camila Ruíz. will replace James Cason as chief of the U.S. seems to be a “generalist” whose strength “I had the pleasure of witnessing this first- Interests Section in Havana. may be his capacity to reach out to Europe- hand, and I believe he is an excellent choice Parmly spent three years as the State to fill this position.” Department’s principal deputy assistant sec- Said the CANF’s chairman, Jorge Mas Santos: “The new Cuba Transition Coordina-

retary for democracy, human rights and labor. LUXNER At DRL, he focused on Europe, Africa, Latin Y tor position provides an opportunity not only to look at what issues will be faced in a post-

America and South Asia, recently returning LARR from Afghanistan as the State Department’s Castro transition, but more importantly, how representative on the Provincial Reconstruc- we can best help those brave dissidents who tion Team in Kandahar. have already begun to work towards peaceful, Among Parmly’s earlier posts: political min- democratic change on the island.” ister-counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Paris; political counselor at the U.S. Embassy in ROGER NORIEGA TO STEP DOWN Bucharest, Romania, and tours in Morocco The day after McCarry’s appointment was and Spain. Parmly has also served at the State Cason heads to Paraguay, Whitaker to Venezuela announced, Roger F. Noriega, assistant secre- Department’s Operations Center, in its tary of state for Latin American affairs for the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, and as ans and establish a common policy on Cuba. past two years, said he would resign. The New office director for Northern Europe in the In a related move, the State Department York Times noted that McCarry’s mission of Bureau of European Affairs. has chosen Caleb McCarry to be its new “regime change” took primary responsibility Parmly holds two master’s degrees from “Cuba transition coordinator.” The new posi- for Cuba — one of Noriega’s favored issues — the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, tion was created by the Commission for away from him. and a bachelor’s degree from St. Joseph’s Assistance to a Free Cuba, an interagency The White House has not said who will re- College in Philadelphia. committee whose findings resulted in a 500- place Noriega, though Thomas Shannon, who Before joining the Foreign Service, Parmly page report last year that included recom- oversees Latin American affairs at the was a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia, National Security Council, is widely viewed as mendations to President Bush on how to facil- the likely replacement by Latin American though he has no diplomatic experience in itate a “democratic transition” in Cuba. Latin America. Cason, on the other hand, observers, lawmakers and former officials. served at U.S. missions in Jamaica and Hon- In Cuba, McCarry’s appointment was criti- duras before being sent to Havana in 2002. CANF WARMLY EMBRACES McCARRY cized by both the regime and its opponents. Cason, who will leave Cuba in September, McCarry most recently served as staff “I’m sure he will receive a juicy salary in his has been named U.S. ambassador to Para- director for the Subcommittee on the West- new post,” said Cuba’s foreign minister, guay. During his three years in Havana, Cason ern Hemisphere of the House International Felipe Pérez Roque, “but I can assure you he made himself persona non grata with Fidel Relations Committee. The CANF says he has will retire without ever setting foot in Cuba.” Castro due to his persistent criticism of the “a distinguished record of work on Cuban Leading human rights activist Elizardo Sán- Castro regime’s human rights violations. issues, including the co-authoring of a chez, meanwhile, said he considered the State Both Cason and his predecessor, Vicki Congressional report which detailed the fail- Department announcement “counterproduc- Huddleston, have been profiled by CubaNews ings of Cuba’s repressive system.” tive and difficult to accept,” and that it will (see our February 2004 and July 2005 issues). He also made recommendations as how to worsen the already dismal relations between Last month, the veteran diplomat told the precipitate a democratic transition on the Washington and Havana. Associated Press that Washington’s hardline island following his participation on a visit to “It will serve the totalitarian government of policy will continue long after he leaves Cuba. Cuba during the Pope John Paul’s historic trip Cuba, allowing it to continue holding up the “There is no reason to believe there will be to the island in 1998. scarecrow of foreign intervention,” said Sán- any loosening of anything we do,” Cason said. “Caleb McCarry not only has an impressive chez, of the non-government Cuban Commis- “Fidel said there couldn’t be anyone worse breadth of knowledge and a deep understand- sion on Human Rights and Reconciliation.

KEVIN WHITAKER REASSIGNED TO VENEZUELA In yet another personnel shuffle, Kevin Cuba Corps dreams of ‘rebuilding the homeland’ Whitaker, coordinator of the State Depart- he Cuba Corps, a humanitarian volun- The group says it’s committed to helping ment’s Office of Cuban Affairs, has left that teer project to “help freedom-loving opposition and dissident groups reconstruct job to become deputy chief of mission at the T Cubans on the island rebuild civil soci- their homeland. U.S. Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela. ety in a post-Castro Cuba,” announced its “There exists, in the Cuban exile commu- Our sources indicate that Steve McFarland, establishment Jul. 8 in Miami. nity, a veritable treasure trove of profession- who currently holds that post, will come up to The organization, a registered nonprofit al and business experience in every possible Washington to take Whitaker’s place. group that has applied for 501 (c)(3) status, area necessary to build a civil society on the Whitaker, 47, had been State’s point man says it “seeks the recruitment, organization, island,” according to a Jul. 21 press release. for Cuba since September 2002. Other assign- training and eventual travel of a corps of vol- “We seek to leverage this wealth of experi- ments in his 26-year career include serving as unteers going to Cuba for brief periods of ence on behalf of democracy in Cuba.” a desk officer for El Salvador and France, as time to contribute their experience and Details: Maite Argüelles, Cuba Corps, Exec. well as working as a political officer at U.S. know-how to rebuild a democratic society in Director, Miami. Tel: (305) 815-9376. embassies in Honduras in Jamaica. Cuba after the demise of the Castro regime.” E-mail: [email protected]. Parmly, Whitaker and McCarry were all unavailable for comment for this article. ❑ August 2005 ❖ CubaNews 11 my has not yet recovered from anti-govern- tension between Washington and Caracas. Venezuela — FROM PAGE 1 ment strikes at PDVSA in 2002 and 2003, Oil accounts for a third of Venezuela’s GDP Bottome told CubaNews during an inter- which dramatically reduced oil output. and about half of the government’s revenue. view in Caracas that while unemployment is Venezuela currently produces about 2 million That dependency on petroleum — combined at about the same rate as when Chávez took barrels per day, down from more than 3 mil- with the lack of official planning for potential office in 1999, the numbers are now inflated lion before the strikes. busts during economic booms — has led to by the creation of numerous government jobs problems in the past. And Cuba could suffer if and people working for state-owned coopera- Venezuela’s oil-based economy slows down. “If oil prices drop, the relationship as it is

tives who are not drawing real salaries. LUXNER A better indicator of the economy’s health, Y now is going to be less sustainable for Vene- zuela,” warned Dan Erikson, an analyst at the he says, is the number of jobs in private indus- LARR try. Since 1998, the number of factories in Washington-based Inter-American Dialogue. Venezuela has plummeted from 10,000 to “But the amount of oil they are giving to Cuba 4,000. Likewise, the number of workers is still a small fraction of their output.” employed in industry has dwindled from 450,000 to 290,000, Bottome says. CHÁVEZ STILL RIDING WAVE OF POPULARITY Still, economic analysts wonder whether DEPENDENCY ON OIL COULD HURT ECONOMY Venezuela is spreading itself too thin. At home, Chávez — a former Army paratrooper Venezuela’s economy continues to grow Caracas graffitti: “Long live Chávez — in Cuba!” only because of the escalating price of oil, not who is running for re-election next year — because of any economic strategy, he and oth- Still, Venezuela remains the fourth-largest plans to raise spending on health care, educa- ers say. The high cost of oil is expected to foreign oil supplier to the United States. It tion, pensions and housing from $9 billion last ensure that the country’s GDP expands by an also has six refineries on U.S. soil and owns year to about $13 billion, or 40% of all govern- estimated 5% this year. Citgo. So it’s no wonder that Chávez’s increas- ment expenditures, reports Bloomberg. Venezuelan officials retort that the econo- ingly close ties with Castro are a source of At the same, PDVSA is pumping at least $3 billion into social projects known as missions, which provide medical services, food and education for the poor. About 80% of Venezuela’s 25 million people Chávez counts on Fidel for re-election in 2006 live in poverty. The missions largely depend CARACAS — As Venezuelan President developed a cough. A Cuban doctor lives in on thousands of Cuban doctors, medical train- Hugo Chávez gears up for re-election next her neighborhood and holds regular office ers and literacy instructors who work in year, the populist leader is securing high hours there every day. Venezuela in exchange for cut-rate oil prices approval ratings among voters with the help Holding her son in her arms, Gómez said for their country. In that sense, Castro is of Cuban ally Fidel Castro. the doctor treats her with more respect than largely responsible for Chávez’s soaring pop- Chávez now enjoys the support of over the Venezuelan physicians she encounters ularity — over 70% of Venezuelans approve of 70% of Venezuelans, according to a recent at local hospitals. the populist leader. poll by the Caracas-based Datanalisis. “If Chávez leaves,” Gómez told CubaNews, According to a Datanalysis survey quoted And, to a large extent, he has Castro to “this would be the first thing to go.” in a Jul. 22 Miami Herald article, 11.6% of thank for it. The communist leader has sent The young woman’s comment is an oft- those polled approved of using Castro’s Cuba thousands of Cuban doctors, literacy teach- repeated sentiment that lies at the heart of as a model for Venezuela, while 63.2% were ers and sports trainers to help Venezuela’s Chávez’s success. Despite the country’s opposed to such a model. poor in exchange for cut-rate oil shipments soaring crime and unemployment rates, Apparently, sympathy for Cuba is up dra- since 2003. many people say they benefit directly from matically, because in July 2002 — in response Now Chávez is rapidly expanding the government programs. to the same question — only 3% expressed ambitious social initiatives that have kept One such person is Yolanda Cañizales, 36, support and 91% were opposed. As recently as him in power and will likely ensure him who proudly has a poster of Chávez hanging this January, support for the Cuban model another ballot-box victory in 2006. on her kitchen wall. was still under 6%. Castro has pledged to boost the number Cañizales stirs mounds of chicken and In an effort to boost Chávez’s influence in of Cuban doctors and health professionals potatoes in tomato sauce for her neighbors the region, Venezuela is now selling oil under working in Venezuela’s slums from 20,000 to in the shantytown known as El Cementerio. preferential terms not only to Cuba but to 30,000 by year’s end. The government provides the food free of other countries in Latin America and the Although critics say Chávez is only inter- cost. She and a group of other neighbor- Caribbean. In July, the president launched ested in buying votes through these initia- hood women volunteer to do the cooking for Petrocaribe — a new oil accord that will help tives, the country’s poor argue that their 150 people six days a week. ease the rising cost of oil for 14 Caribbean leader is offering much-needed services for “No other government has done so much nations by subsidizing part of the costs if oil a segment of the population that had been for us,” she says, scooping rice and chicken climbs over $50 a barrel. neglected for far too long. into plastic containers. Yet Venezuela still needs to figure out how Despite its oil riches, adults and children Despite popular support, Chávez’s detrac- to take advantage before the world learns to alike can be seen begging for money at busy tors call the Venezuelan leader a dictator decrease its dependency on oil, says Fran- intersections throughout Caracas. And mil- who is indoctrinating the poor with Castro’s cisco González, president of the Venezuelan- lions live in hillside shantytowns where few support. Critics, especially those among the American Chamber of Commerce in Miami. Venezuelan doctors, or government officials country’s upper classes, worry that Vene- Whether or not oil prices drop in the short for that matter, ever dared to venture. zuela is becoming more like Cuba every day. term, say analysts, Chavez’s free-spending Now that the Cuban doctors are here, That kind of discontent can be seen all over policies could eventually catch up to him. many people receive free medical services Caracas, where signs criticizing Chávez “Chávez’s macroeconomic and political right in their own neighborhoods. Emily have sprung up on walls and overpasses. bubbles are going to burst sooner or later,” Gómez, 21, who lives in a sprawling Caracas “No to Cubanism, get out of here,” reads says Teodoro Petkoff, a Chávez critic who shantytown, did not have to go far to find a one such sign. publishes an opposition newspaper, Tal Cual. doctor for her 5-month-old son when the boy “His politics are not sustainable, not even at – DIANA MARRERO $100 a barrel.” ❑

12 CubaNews ❖ August 2005 “in order to contribute to Cuba’s energy-sav- island they’ll be manufactured. BUSINESS BRIEFS ing policy, it is considered sensible to cancel The new TVs will be equipped with such imports” of these products. applications as a calendar, timetable, message DRUG EXPORTS COULD GENERATE $300 MILLION Now banned are imports of “incandescent device, alarm clock and phone book. Cuban pharmaceutical earnings are expect- lamps and tubes, except ultraviolet or infrared In addition, the local industry will assemble ed to triple to $300 million this year due to in- rays, and others of lower electricity consump- Panda washing machines, with Cuba manufac- creased demand from Venezuela, China and tion or equal to 200 watts that use an over-100- turing the plastic parts. other countries — catapulting the industry in- volt tension.” By year’s end, Haier will have the molds to 5th place among foreign-exchange earners. In late April, Fidel Castro announced he needed to produce computer displays; Cuba “This year, revenues will be about $300 mil- would eliminate incandescent light bulbs in will import the screens and circuit boards. lion, compared with around $100 million in Cuba, replacing them with others that con- Haier is China’s largest appliance maker and 2004,” said Dr. Manuel Raices Perez-Casta- sume less power. The idea is to stabilize elec- the fourth-largest company of its kind in the ñeda, business development executive at Hav- tricity supply and put an end to power black- world, with $2.1 billion in annual sales. The ana’s flagship facility, the Center for Genetic outs by late 2006. entity began as a state-owned producer of Engineering and Biotechnology. refrigerators, but under Rumin’s aggressive The government said that pharmaceutical CHINA’S HAIER, CUBA IN J-V TO MAKE TV SETS leadership, Haier has expanded into comput- exports averaged around $50 million annually China’s Haier Group has signed a memo of ers, TVs and DVD players. during the 2000-03 period, the last time offi- understanding with Cuban authorities to pro- Haier’s U.S. headquarters is in New York; it cial figures were available. duce one million TV sets beginning later this also operates a 110-acre industrial park in Perez-Castañeda said his figure included year, reports Chinese news agency Xinhua. Camden, South Carolina, where it produces direct exports to growing markets in China, On hand for the Havana signing ceremony refrigerators for Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Venezuela, Malaysia, Russia, India and Pakis- was Zhang Rumin, president of Haier; Ramiro Lowe’s, Best Buy and other large retailers. tan, plus revenues from overseas joint-venture Valdés, president of Cuba’s Grupo de la Asked if Haier’s venture with Cuba might sales as well as technology transfers. Electrónica, and Cuba’s minister of govern- harm those U.S. operations in any way, Karin ment, Ricardo Cabrisas. Chung — an official at Haier USA — told CHILDREN’S DEATHS ALARM HEALTH OFFICIALS The joint-venture agreement, which came CubaNews in an e-mail that “management Cuba’s health officials have called residents out of last year’s visit by Chinese President would like to decline comment on this topic.” of Havana to be especially careful with Hu Jintao to Cuba, stipulates that the TVs will hygiene, after eight children died in recent cary the Atec-Haier brand name. CUBA, INDONESIA SIGN BIOTECH AGREEMENT weeks of illnesses aggravated by tropical heat The head of Cuba’s electronics industry, Cuba and Indonesia signed a cooperation and humidity. José Enrique Forcada, said the 21” and 29” TV accord in Jakarta to develop and produce a AP reports that a communique by Cuba’s sets would use Chinese components but have Cuban monoclonal antibody, 1E10, which is Ministry of Public Health appears to be aimed a Cuban design. It wasn’t clear where on the hoped to be very effective in fighting cancer. at dispelling persistent rumors circulating in Havana in recent weeks about child sickness- es and deaths supposedly caused by epidem- ics and contaminated medicine. Analysts see Cuban potential as transshipment hub The ministry denied that anyone died due uba is not yet really much of a player conditions. The port is also well-placed in to supposedly contaminated medicines. It said in the Caribbean transshipment busi- relation to the Panama Canal, to benefit the deaths were caused by severe respiratory Cness, for the obvious reason that the from the east-west transshipment trade and gastronomical ailments worsened by heat U.S. embargo limits the amount of maritime associated with the hundreds of vessels that and humidity, as well as faulty water and elec- cargo that is accessible to the island. use that waterway. tricity service after Hurricane Dennis struck The entry channel into the port can the island in early July. However, according to an article pub- lished Jun. 27 on the Lloyd’s List website, accommodate vessels with a maximum draft analysts say Cuba could in time become of 10.97 metres. The port has three distinct PARAGUAY MAY SOON EXPORT BEEF TO CUBA one of the Caribbean’s leading transit wharves that currently handle mainly The head of Paraguay’s chief meat producer points, thanks to its ideal location. breakbulk cargo such as fuel, grain and association says her country has the potential Remarks one of them: “As, and when, cement, and in recent years it has diversi- to become a beef exporter to Cuba. fied its business into the handling of cruise The Asunción newspaper Última Hora re- state-of-the-art container terminal facilities ships, a growing activity in Cuba. ported Jul. 21 that Maris Llorens is negotiat- are constructed, Cuba will almost certainly Mariel offers two wharves, one of which ing with Cuba’s Ministry of Agriculture; spe- become one of the region’s largest trans- cific quantities and prices weren’t released. shipment centers, attracting significant car- is the Mariel port itself, consisting of five “We have to see all the documentation that goes from competing ports.” berths that cater for containerized cargo via the Cuban authorities require. For next year Cuban authorities are focusing on both a number of Kirov gantry cranes, backed up we think we have the possibility to sell Santiago de Cuba on the south coast and by supporting cargo handling facilities and Paraguayan meat to Cuba,” she told the paper. Mariel on the north coast — 40 miles west a modern warehouse. Llorens said her country’s meat processing of Havana — as future transshipment hubs, The Mariel free zone is located adjacent sector is working to open new markets for once investment capital becomes available. to the port, offering easy communication to Paraguayan beef. If current negotiations are Cuba has 12 main ports. and from Havana, while the Autopista Naci- successful, it would mean a significant first for The country is an active member of the onal is only 5 kilometers from the port. Paraguay, which only recently established 25-nation Association of Caribbean States, Among those who see Cuba as a future diplomatic relations with Cuba yet conducts and it is in that capacity that it sees a key rival for existing transshipment hubs in the very little business with the Caribbean island. role for itself as traditionally modest trade Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Puerto among members of the group, which brings Rico is Capt. Rawle Baddaloo, former presi- IT’S OFFICIAL: NO MORE LIGHT-BULB IMPORTS English and Spanish-speaking Caribbean dent of the Caribbean Shipping Association. Cuba has finally stopped importing incan- Basin countries together, begins to pick up. He told Lloyd’s List that he’s confident descent light bulbs, according to a Foreign The bay of Santiago de Cuba is well-shel- Santiago de Cuba in particular “is a nice big Trade Ministry regulation published Jul. 26 in tered and surrounded by high mountains port and clearly has the potential to become the government’s Gaceta Oficial. that protect it from unfavorable weather a transshipment competitor.” MINCEX Resolution #190 of 2005 states that

August 2005 ❖ CubaNews 13 The agreement was signed during the offi- bilateral trade to reach $200 million a year. Its advantages include a short-cycle growth, cial presentation in Indonesia of the Innogene Pedro Alvarez, president of Cuban food high grain yield and resistance to common Kalbiotech Co., a subsidiary of Kalbe Farma, importing agency Alimport, signed the deal at plagues and diseases. a leading Indonesian biotech entity which has the Buenos Aires headquarters of Banco de la Another three, INCALP-4, 2 and 5, have relations with Cuban scientific institutions. Nación (BNA), as did José Goicochea, secre- been registered at the Ministry of Agricul- The 1E10 monoclonal antibody is produced tary of the Cuban Council of State’s Comme- ture and are being planted throughout Cuba. by Cuba’s Molecular Immunology Center and rcial Group, and BNA President Felisa Miceli. Testing area of these varieties cover 11,403 is considered crucial for both the Cuban and According to Miceli, BNA will serve as fidu- hectares or about one-third of total area plant- the Indonesian biotechnological sectors. ciary manager of the contract, under which ed with rice. Besides those plantations, the Details: Normando Iznaga, Head of Business money resulting from the sale of Cuban new varieties are used by private farmers in and Development, CIMAB S.A., Calle 206, health products and related technology to farms that cover 20,130 hectares in Villa Clara #1926, e/19 y 21, Atabey, Playa, La Habana. Argentina will be assigned to a trusteeship or- province and 5,005 hectares in Pinar del Río. Tel: +53 7 271-5057. Fax: +53 7 33-3509. E- ganized by the Investment and Foreign Trade mail: [email protected]. Bank (BICE) and managed by the BNA. CTP OFFERS REPORTS IN PORTUGUESE, FRENCH Cuba will then use that money to buy food The Cuba Transition Project says it is now LCI SECURES LAND RIGHTS FOR HAVANA HOTEL on the Argentine market. translating issues of its Cuba Focus and Cuba Vancouver-based Leisure Canada Inc. says it Facts not only into Spanish but into Portu- has signed an agreement for surface exten- PENNSYLVANIA PLANS NEXT CATTLE SHIPMENT guese and French as well, for widespread dis- sion rights for its 400,000-sq-ft Monte Barreto Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Dennis tribution. If interested in receiving these pub- property in Havana’s Miramar suburb. Wolff says a second shipment of cattle has lications in any of these languages, contact The extension letter, signed by Cuban Vice- been sold to Cuba as a result of his trade mis- CTP and specify which language you prefer. President Carlos Lage Dávila, establishes sion last year, and as part of Cuba’s commit- The Cuba Transition Project is a USAID- deadlines for the completion of a number of ment to invest $10 million in agricultural com- funded arm of the University of Miami’s Insti- preliminary tasks. With the extension in modities within Pennsylvania. tute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies. hand, LCI is now able to proceed with its “Building relationships with domestic and Details: CTP, PO Box 248174, Coral Gables, design development phase and ultimately foreign markets is consistent with Gov. Ed- FL 33124-3010. Tel: (305) 284-2822. Fax: groundbreaking work on the 800-room hotel. ward Rendell’s commitment to economic de- (305) 284-4875. E-mail: [email protected]. “With this added element of security, we velopment and is a win-win situation for Penn- can now move forward at our Havana proper- sylvania agriculture and for Cuba’s dairy in- ty with the highest level of confidence,” said dustry,” he said. “The sale not only is a signif- NESTLÉ EXPANDS INTO EASTERN CUBA Swiss food giant Nestlé is selling its prod- LCI’s president, Guy Chartier. “We echo the icant economic boost to Pennsylvania’s farm ucts in eastern Cuba for the first time. enthusiasm of our Cuban partners.” economy, but also helps to grow the Cuban LCI currently has the rights to develop dairy industry with high-quality genetics.” The company began ice-cream production 4,200 hotel rooms, timeshare condos and two Some 300 Holstein and Jersey animals from in Cuba two years ago, though imports have PGA championship golf courses in Cuba. Pennsylvania will be shipped from the Penn- supplied the hard-currency market and tourist Details: J.J. Jennex, Investor Relations Direc- sylvania Holstein Association Export Facility industry since 1996. tor, LCI, Vancouver, BC. Tel: (604) 990-9599. in Middletown, Pa., to Gulfport, Miss., and Current production consists of popsicles E-mail: [email protected]. then to Havana. The USDA will grant the final with or without coatings, as well as 16 flavors approval for shipment. of ice cream in 4-liter and 10-liter containers ARGENTINA, CUBA SEEK TO BOOST TRADE Details: Stephanie Meyers, Pa. Dept. of Agri- to supply hotels, ice cream parlors and com- The Argentine and Cuban governments culture, Harrisburg, PA. Tel: (717) 787-5085. mercial operations for state entities CIMEX, marked a new era in cooperation Jul. 20 with Palmares and Islazul. the implementation of a mechanism allowing VIETNAM HELPS CUBA DEVELOP RICE VARIETIES Cuba is developing a popular rice-growing CUBAN TOBACCO ENCYCLOPEDIA SELLING WELL program with the participation of Vietnamese An encyclopedia on Cuban tobacco is still specialists in the introduction of advanced grabbing world attention among experts, two LUXNER PHOTO SITE REVAMPED years after appearing on the market. Luxner News Inc., which publishes this technology. Agriculture Ministry sources told Prensa Written by Adriano Martinez, a former advi- newsletter, is proud to announce the re- sor to Habanos S.A., the volume contains design of its global stock photo website. Latina that the program is being implemented in Bartolomé Masó, Granma province, and La complete information on the Cuban tobacco Visitors to www.luxner.com will find a Sierpe, in central Cuba, so far yielding 4.7 industry. Martínez uses his experiences to sleek new look, a completely revamped metric tons per unit. The system will extend illustrate the quality of Cuban tobacco and user interface and easy access to nearly to 17 municipalities in eastern Cuba. gives plenty of details that are useful to spe- 11,000 color images from 75 countries in Coordinator Thang Le Manh said the pro- cialists, traders and journalists. Latin America, Caribbean, Africa, Middle gram consists of using grown seedlings, The “Enciclopedia del Tabaco,” published in East and Europe. instead of the traditional transplant method, English and Spanish, documents Cuba’s post- The site boasts extensive coverage of and this has raised productivity. 1959 tobacco production, with details on more Cuba, with more than 850 pictures taken The state-run National Popular Movement than 600 cigar brands and labels. The 491- in 11 of the island’s 14 provinces. of Rice Producers has managed to fill Cuba’s page book includes photographs, technical The site is an ideal resource for compa- rice deficit through intensive exploitation of details and the history of each brand. nies needing photographs to illustrate bro- small plots using sustainable technologies, The author worked together with Chinese chures, annual reports or presentations. and increasing manual work. connoisseur Min Ron Nee. He says the 491- Use our searchable database to find In that way cultivation by transplant was page luxury edition — first released at the 5th exactly what you need. We offer quality introduced, with the selection of the most International Habano Festival, and later on in photos at competitive rates and can e- adapted local genotypes. That yielded quality Hong Kong — could become a classic, as the mail high-resolution scans or have CDs seed banks of varieties that can adapt to book is still in great demand despite its retail overnighted to our clients in most cases. regional ecosystems, stimulating production. price of $80 to $90. Details: Luxner News Inc., 10454 Parth- In related news, researchers looking to de- Martínez published another book in 1999, velop new rice varieties have come up with “Habano El Rey,” which is sold out at the enon Ct., Bethesda, MD 20817. Tel: (301) one called INCALP-14, at the Los Palacios moment, but he is already working on another 365-1745. E-mail: [email protected]. experimental station in Pinar del Río. project concerning Cuban cigar factories.

14 CubaNews ❖ August 2005 US-CUBA TRADE After lengthy delays, Vermont cattle finally head to Cuba BY HELEN J. SIMON better price from California-based Dairy Naples, Fla., investor who won the contract to espite months of red tape, a shipment America, an association of seven producer- sell the livestock to Cuba. of Vermont dairy cows is finally on its owned dairy cooperatives whose inventory The 22 head of cattle were the first sent D way to Cuba — and will likely travel on includes milk from Vermont. from the U.S. to Cuba in about 45 years. The the same ship as medical supplies gathered The Cubans believed they could buy more shipment included three Brangus bulls from by a Vermont nonprofit group to assist victims cheaply from individual producers, but Kerr the Jim Strickland ranch in Parrish, 16 heifers of Hurricane Dennis. showed them how the huge volume of Dairy and one Braford breed bull from the Adams About 70 heifers from Vermont will leave America’s milk supplies allowed the associa- Ranch in Fort Pierce, and two head of the U.S. soil either Aug. 4 or Aug. 17, said Ver- tion to sell for less. Beefmaster breed from north Florida. mont Agriculture Secretary Steve Kerr. “It took me two trips to pound that into Of the 300 head, 80 were being supplied by The Holsteins and Jerseys were part of a $7 their heads,” he said, adding that without Strickland. million deal finalized last summer whereby Vermont there would have been no deal with “We’re still looking to fill the order,” said Vermont farmers would sell Cuba cows to Dairy America. Strickland, who was hired by Wright to be a upgrade the island nation’s herd, as well as Under the agreement, Dairy America consultant on the deal. “We ran into problems Vermont powdered milk and the state’s signa- began shipping 8.8 million pounds of pow- with their testing protocols.” ture McIntosh apple. dered milk to Cuba in January, Kerr said. The Cuba asked Wright to test the Florida cattle milk, purchased by Cuba for $1 per pound, is Tiny Vermont is one of a growing number for blue tongue, a virus that U.S. ranchers being sent in monthly installments over the don’t normally test for. It doesn’t harm of states trying to forge ties with Cuba to course of a year. develop new markets for their farm products. humans or cattle, said Dr. Owen Rae, a The cows originally were expected to be University of Florida associate professor who shipped in the first quarter of this year. But BLUE TONGUE VIRUS STALLS FLORIDA DEAL specializes in beef cattle. bureaucratic delays by U.S. and Cuban offi- Meanwhile, the blue tongue virus has held But the Cubans may be worried about the cials held up the visas of Cuban dairy experts up a $1 million beef cattle deal between Alim- disease spreading to their sheep population, and prevented them from traveling to port and Florida cattlemen, reports the Rae said, explaining that infected sheep have Vermont and other states to select their stock. Bradenton Herald. difficulty breathing and their tongues become The Cubans finally arrived in Vermont in Ironically, cattle that carry the virus are not cyanotic, or oxygen-deprived, turning blue. June and chose 70 animals valued at about harmed by it. But Cuban officials are con- “Sheep certainly can die,” Rae said. “I have $2,000 each, he said. Unlike cows from south- cerned that the virus could jump from cattle never seen a case in cattle and it’s not a ern states, some of which tested positive for to sheep with devastating effect. human health concern.” blue tongue disease, the Vermont cows had When tested for blue tongue, 118 of the 140 Details: Steve R, Kerr, Vermont Dept. of Ag- no health problems, Kerr said. Florida beef cattle scheduled to go to Cuba riculture, Drawer 20, Montpelier, VT 05620. The heifers were shipped in mid-July to a tested positive, said John Parke Wright, a Tel: (802) 828-2416. Fax: (802) 828-3831. quarantine station in Pennsylvania, where they were to join cows from several other states for the trip to Cuba. The cows are Nebraska Gov. Heineman plans Cuba trip expected to travel on the same vessel as a ebraska Gov. Dave Heineman has de- farmers and ranchers access a new and fertile container shipped by Caribbean Medical cided to lead a 10-member delegation market for Nebraska’s high-quality products.” Transport, a Lyndonville, Vt.-based group Nto Havana later this month in order to Cuban officials have expressed strong that sends donated medical equipment and sell his state’s farm commodities to Cuba. interest in importing dry beans, which are pharmaceuticals to Cuba. “I want the Cuban government to under- among Nebraska’s top crops. In 2004, Nebras- “They’re kind of killing two birds with one stand by my presence the high level of com- ka ranked first in the nation in great northern stone, taking care of the Cuban people,” said mitment” Nebraska has for its agricultural bean production, second in pinto bean and Vermont Agriculture Department spokesman producers, Heineman said. “Our farmers and third in production of dry edible beans. Mark Bosma. ranchers are worth going to bat for.” Since passage of the Trade Sanctions According to the Omaha World-Herald, the Reform and Export Enhancement Act in 2000, KERR LANDS POWDERED-MILK DEAL Aug. 13-17 trip will include Heinemann as well governors from Illinois, North Dakota, Sen. James Jeffords (I-VT), who traveled to as the state’s agriculture director and a Minnesota and Louisiana have all visited Cuba earlier this year and met with Fidel department staff member; three representa- Cuba, and more than half the states now Castro, was expected to send a letter of sup- tives of dry-bean producers, one person each export to Cuba. port for the Cuban people in the wake of representing corn and wheat growers, a Nebraska isn’t one of them. But it should Hurricane Dennis with the medical supplies, University of Nebraska official and a repre- be, says Stan Garbacz of the Nebraska De- said Jeffords spokeswoman Diane Derby. sentative from First National Bank of Omaha. partment of Agriculture, noting that besides Kerr said the Cuban dairy experts want to First National offered to help producers beans, other possibilities for food exports return to Vermont to buy more heifers — pos- negotiate the complex financial arrangements under TSRA include beef, corn and wheat. sibly in September or October. necessary when dealing with Cuba. Heineman’s trade mission — his first since Cuban agriculture officials, who were ini- Because of the embargo, Heineman said he taking office in January — follows a late June tially slated to come last fall, also hope to wanted to consult with federal and agricultur- meeting between Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) come in September to inspect McIntosh apple al officials before deciding whether to make and high-level Cuban trade officials, including orchards and storage and packing facilities. the trip himself. “I wanted to make sure this Pedro Alvarez, chairman of Alimport, the They hope to buy 4,000 bushels — four con- would not be made into an international polit- Cuban government agency that buys farm tainers full, or double the amount originally ical situation,” he told the World-Herald. and food imports for the country. discussed, Kerr said. In a press release, Heineman noted that Details: Greg Ibach, Director, Nebraska De- With respect to Cuban purchases of “international politics have nothing to do with partment of Agriculture, PO Box 94947, Vermont powdered milk, Kerr said he con- this trip. We will be working within estab- Lincoln, NE 68509-4947. Tel: (402) 471- vinced the Castro government it could get a lished legal parameters to try to help our 2341. Fax: (402) 471-2759. URL: agr.ne.gov.

August 2005 ❖ CubaNews 15 TOURISM Little Havana’s shrine to Elián González worth a quick visit BY LARRY LUXNER “We have to maintain this place for history,” he told CubaNews. “This ate last month, as Cubans were cleaning up from Hurricane is not a business, but an open house for people to learn about what hap- Dennis, President Fidel Castro made a point of traveling to the pened to Elián. It was such an injustice.” L coastal city of Cárdenas to attend a party for Elián González. And every available square inch of space in the tiny house, it seems, The occasion: Elián’s graduation from sixth grade. is designed to reinforce that point. “I have the privilege to be his friend,” said the beaming, 79-year-old The walls are cluttered with photographs and paintings of Elián and revolutionary, in a speech broadcast on state television and published his family. A framed letter dated Oct. 2, 2003, and signed by President Jul. 22 in the Communist Party daily Granma. Bush thanks Delfín González for his patriotism. There’s also an auto- Elián, now 11, was the focus of an international legal battle five years ago between his father in Cuba and his extended family in South Florida, both of whom claimed custody. LUXNER

Discovered in November 1999 floating alone and clinging to an inner Y

tube in the middle of the Florida Straits, Elián was one of just three sur- LARR vivors of a group of 14 Cubans who had set off from Cárdenas, hoping to reach Florida. His mother was among those who died. The boy was taken to his relatives in Miami’s Little Havana neigh- borhood. Those relatives claimed it would be a travesty of justice to send him back to Cuba, but U.S. courts ruled he should be returned home. After seven months of legal wrangling, Elián was forcibly re- moved by federal agents and reunited with his father in June 2000.

HOUSE WHERE ELIÁN LIVED NOW FILLED WITH MEMORABILIA That unpleasant memory is relived every day at Casa Elián — a free yet somewhat bizarre tourist attraction dedicated to the famous boy and maintained by the bitter relatives he left behind. Located at 2319 NW 2nd Street in the heart of Miami’s Little Havana Flags and crosses decorate “Casa Elián” in Miami’s Little Havana district. neighborhood, the house where Elián González briefly lived is a shrine graphed card from Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and campaign to all the virtues he represents: innocence, faith in Jesus Christ, patri- posters advertising “Mel Martínez for U.S. Senate.” otism for America — and contempt for tyranny. Hanging in a bedroom closet are all the clothes Elián wore, while the Yet from the outside, this makeshift museum couldn’t look tackier. bed Elián slept in is roped off by yellow police tape. Various items are A broken-down Cadillac is parked out front, a black plastic garbage carefully — almost religiously — arranged on the bedspread, includ- bag covering the smashed ing a stuffed bear, a folded U.S. flag and a portrait of José Martí. window on the driver’s On the floor are bicycles, tricycles, bats and balls. There’s also a side. Other cars straddle glass case filled with toy trucks and remote-control Jeeps donated by the sidewalk, despite the well-wishers. In fact, four rooms — not counting the bathroom — are “No Parking” sign hanging filled with such sentimental tchotchkes. on the chain-link fence. The final room is dominated by a poster of young boys against an A large wooden crucifix ominous backdrop of Hitler, Stalin and Fidel, and the slogan: “A crime strung with Christmas against a child is a crime against humanity. Wake up, America.” lights is nailed to the side of Of course, Casa Elián wouldn’t be complete without an enormous the house; nearby, U.S. and blowup of the notorious AP photograph of National Guardsmen wear- Cuban flags are draped ing night goggles and taking a terrified Elián by force from the arms prominently from bedroom of his loving Miami family — right under a huge banner that says windows. And an outdoor “Clinton/Reno: April 13, 2000: A day that will live in infamy forever.” Photos clutter walls of Elián’s former home. poster supports the Assem- bly to Promote Civil Soci- ety, a recent illegal gathering of anti-Castro dissidents in Havana. ELIÁN’S HAPPINESS STILL A MATTER OF DEBATE Hanging prominently betwen two palm trees in the unmowed front Since that “infamous” day, Elián himself has lived a rather ordinary yard is a portrait of Elián and his mother, with the inscription “Con mi life in Cárdenas. Besides attending school and playing with his friends, sangre, pongo tu nombre, porque tu, madre, me hiciste un hombre” (With he earns money as a waiter at a nearby resort, though Cuban officials my blood, I write your name, because you have made me a man.) go to great lengths to shield him from reporters. An open door beckons visitors inside, where they’re greeted with a According to a Jul. 23 article in The Independent of London, “Elián painting of the Virgen de la Caridad — and a little altar at which has can occasionally be seen sitting in the front row at Cuban government been placed Bibles, ceramic figurines of Jesus, a toy rattle, a scale- events, where he appears comfortable, if a little bored, in the company model yellow Volkswagen, a book about baby dolphins and a bumper of Mr. Castro, who in turn seems to dote on him. The publicity-con- sticker that says “More Dollars to Castro, Less Freedom for Cuba.” scious Cuban leader has always been aware of the importance of Elián About 15 or 20 people a day visit the house, says Delfín González, a growing up into a happy young man who is proud to be Cuban.” great-uncle of Elián who keeps the house open at his own expense. Yet his great-uncle insists Elián isn’t happy at all. “People come here from all over, and from as far away as Argentina, “The boy wanted to be here [in Miami], but he’s obliged to live in an Poland, the Czech Republic and Japan,” said González, interviewed by absurd system,” complained González. “Fidel doesn’t let us communi- CubaNews as he sat in the backyard listening to Radio Mambí. cate with him. He uses Elián as a political instrument. Neither Elián The 70-year-old exile, a part-time handyman who left Cuba in 1978, nor his father agrees with the regime. He went back to Cuba only says that between property taxes, electric bills and other expenses, it because the Clinton administration pressured him to.” costs about $500 a month to keep the house open. But González is The aging exile added: “The government thinks Elián’s going to for- happy to do it, and he’s got five books filled with signatures of people get about us, but he’ll never forget.” and sympathetic donors who have visited over the years. And neither will the rest of the world, if he has his way. ❑ 16 CubaNews ❖ August 2005 CALENDAR OF EVENTS CARIBBEAN UPDATE If your organization is sponsoring an upcoming event, please let our readers know! You already know what’s going in Cuba, Fax details to CubaNews at (301) 365-1829 or send an e-mail to [email protected]. thanks to CubaNews. Now find out what’s happening in the rest of this diverse and Aug. 4-6: XV Annual Meeting, Association for the Study of the Cuban Economy, Miami- fast-growing region. Dade College. 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Details: Lorna Payne, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, St. Michael, 116 Myrtle Ave., Millburn, NJ 07041, call us at (973) 376-2314, visit our new website at Barbados. Tel: (246) 417 4220. Fax: (246) 424-1788. E-mail: [email protected]. www.caribbeanupdate.org or send an e-mail to [email protected]. We accept Sep. 26-30: 12th Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association conference, St. Kitts. Event will Visa, MasterCard and American Express. bring 1,000 cruise executives together for 5 days of networking. Details: Candice Adams- Kimmel, Adams Unlimited, New York. Tel: (212) 956-5900. E-mail: [email protected].

Oct. 1-2: Vermont Conference on Humanitarian Aid to Cuba, Champlain College, Bur- lington, Vt. Sessions on developing and sharing sources of supplies; shipping and distri- bution; working with OFAC travel licenses. Bob Guild of Marazul Tours to speak. Cost: $25-100). Details: Marisha Kazeniac, Institute for Cuban and Caribbean Studies, 16 Lud- wig Ct., Burlington, VT 05401. Tel: (802) 864-4334. E-mail: [email protected]. Editor & Publisher ■ LARRY LUXNER ■

Dec. 5-7: 29th Annual Miami Conference on the Caribbean Basin, Inter-Continental Washington correspondent Hotel, Miami. Promoters bill event as “an important gathering of key private and public- ■ ANA RADELAT ■

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