Cuba Gradually Recovers from the Wrath of Unwelcome Visitors
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Vol. 12, No. 9 September 2004 www.cubanews.com In the News Bush, Kerry agree on embargo but little When Fidel is gone else when it comes to U.S. Cuba policy Phil Peters, Brian Latell: Differing visions BY ANA RADELAT principles, although Bush is not bound by them. of post-Castro Cuba .......................Page 4 resident Bush and his rival for the White It also said that “Republicans understand that House, Sen. John Kerry, both say they the Castro regime will not change by its own Fast-food fantasy P back the long-standing embargo against choice,” and recommended more money for the Castro regime, but with their eye on Cuban- Bush’s plan to thwart Cuban jamming of Radio U.S. restaurant chains mum on potential American voters, they’ve taken very different and TV Martí broadcasting through the use of for future expansion to Cuba .......Page 6 approaches on policy toward Cuba. military aircraft. In addition, the GOP called for Bush has managed to avoid the issue of Cuba increased funding of groups that are involved in Calling on Beijing since Jun. 30, when new regulations that tight- “democracy-building” efforts in Cuba. ened travel and remittances took effect, anger- Kerry, meanwhile, says the new travel restric- Cuba’s MINVEC proposes joint ventures ing many Cuban-Americans who still have fami- tions are too harsh and that he backs “princi- pled travel” to the island. with Chinese counterparts ...........Page 7 ly on the island. But the Republican Party platform — adopted “George Bush’s cynical, election-year policy on the first day of the GOP convention in New will punish the Cuban people and hurt Ameri- Newsmakers York — praised Bush’s most controversial cans with families on the island while doing Vladimiro Roca, one of the island’s best- measures, including limiting exile travel to the nothing to hasten the end of the Castro regime,” said the Massachusetts Democrat. “Cuban- known dissidents, tells CubaNews about island from once a year to every three years and allowing Cuban-Americans to send gift parcels Americans are the most positive force for his hopes and frustrations ............Page 8 only to immediate family members. change in Cuba today, and we should be encour- The measures “provide a plan for agile, effec- aging the exchange of ideas that lay the ground Silicon Island? tive and decisive assistance to the people of for political reform.” See Election, page 2 Cuba, which limits Internet access, hopes Cuba,” said the platform, which outlines GOP to become an IT power ...............Page 10 Cuba gradually recovers from the wrath OJ that’s PC ‘Ethically produced’ Cuban orange juice of unwelcome visitors Charley and Ivan now on U.K. grocery shelves......Page 11 BY OUR HAVANA CORRESPONDENT In the north, the coastal villages of Santa Fe Business briefs wo years ago, in October 2002, western and Playa Baracoa also sustained heavy dam- age. Also badly affected were the rural towns of Sherritt resumes exploratory oil drilling; Cuba was struck by two storms — Isidore T and Lili — in the space of a month. Guira de Melena, San Antonio de los Baños, Argentina to sign trade pact .......Page 12 Well, it’s happened again. Hurricane Charley Alquízar and Bauta. raced across western Cuba on Aug. 13 and Ivan Charley destroyed banana plantations, felled Guest editorial followed exactly a month later, on Sep. 13. fruit trees, damaged homes and anything else in Charley entered the southern coast of La its path. Industrial plants, educational and Antonio Martínez calls new travel regs an health institutions and local, provincial and cen- Habana province shortly after midnight Aug. 13 affront to Cuban-Americans .......Page 14 tral government offices also sustained damage, as a Category 2 hurricane, cutting a path of as did hundreds of hectares of banana, citrus, destruction on its way north. Its eye passed guava, mango and avocado plantations. New approach to AIDS over the north coast about two hours later, at a See Hurricanes, page 3 LíneAyuda marks 6th birthday as Cubans point east of Playa Baracoa. The storm caused an estimated $1 billion in begin talking about STDs ...........Page 15 damages, mainly in coastal villages along both DEAR SUBSCRIBER: This issue of CubaNews the southern and northern coasts of western should have been in your hands three weeks ago. But the back-to-back hurricanes that caused ha- CubaNews (ISSN 1073-7715) is published monthly Cuba. In the south, the fishing villages of by Luxner News Inc. © 2004. All rights reserved. Guanímar and Cajío were wiped out by giant voc in Cuba and Florida also disrupted our edi- Subscriptions: $429/year. For subscription or edito- waves and swirling winds. The towns’ inhabi- torial and production schedule. We apologize for rial inquiries, call us at (301) 365-1745, send a fax to our lateness and will be back on track with the (301) 365-1829 or e-mail us at [email protected]. tants had been evacuated to safety hours before, but all their possessions were lost. October issue. Thank you for your understanding. 2 CubaNews ❖ September 2004 Cu Network, a moderate Democratic group that After the new Cuba regulations created a Election — FROM PAGE 1 is spending millions of dollars to woo backlash in the exile community, the State Hu A month before the GOP met in New York, Hispanic voters. Department said it would review public com- Democrats crafted their own platform at their García said he made the switch because he ments and possibly make changes. tie convention in Boston. It did not mention the wanted to get involved in Democratic politics, Some believe the new regulations restrict- Ch embargo, but called for “effective and peace- telling CubaNews that “at the foundation, I ing humanitarian aid and Cuban-American hu ful strategies to end the Castro regime as had to play it straight down the middle.” travel will be moderated, but García said an soon as possible and enable the Cuban people As the CANF’s executive director, García Bush isn’t likely to scale back the regulations er to take their rightful place in the democratic lobbied the Bush until after the Nov. 2 election, in order to pla community of the Americas.” administration to avoid angering hardline exiles. kn Said the platform: “We will work with the spend more money “After the election, all bets are off,” he said. ty international community to increase political on Radio and TV Kerry has also sent running mate Sen. Martí, and to help and diplomatic pressure on the Castro regime LARRY LUXNER John Edwards (D-NC) as an emissary to the La to release all political prisoners, support civil to Cuban dissidents exile community. Edwards has made several In society and begin a process of genuine politi- and independent campaign trips to Florida, including one right na cal reform.” groups working to after the Boston convention that included ho “democratize the meetings with Cuban-American leaders. ELIÁN GONZÁLEZ AND JOE GARCÍA island.” “I can tell you, John Kerry will keep the fou He’s happy that In 2000, Cuban-American anger toward the pressure on Castro and support those in the ve the White House fight for freedom,” Edwards assured the exile Clinton administration’s decision to send has agreed to in- young rafter Elián González back to his father group. ne crease the U.S. Ex-CANF man Joe García th in Cuba resulted in an overwhelming exile Agency for Interna- Edwards has also adopted a tough line on vote for Bush. According to pollster Sergio new trade with Cuba, saying he opposes ed tional Development’s Cuba program from the itu Bendixen, 92% of South Florida exiles who $9 million Bush had budgeted to $30 million allowing the financing of farm sales to Cuba came to the United States voted for Bush. for fiscal 2005. which now take place on a cash-only basis. But support for the president was lower Another factor that may affect White House re But García says the new tough regulations cu among more recent Cuban immigrants and on travel and remittances are a mistake. policy on Cuba is the possible election of Mel 2nd-generation Cuban-Americans, Bendixen Martínez, a Florida Republican, to the Senate. an “[Bush] turned Cuba policy into a ridiculous an found. Only 55% of Cubans who arrived in the pandering to the right,” he told us. Martínez, Bush’s former secretary of hous- United States after 1980 voted for Bush, as did ing and urban development, would be the first sa 58% of Cuban-Americans born in the United THE MEL MARTÍNEZ FACTOR Cuban-American in the Senate if he wins his ar ap States. The strategy in the Kerry-Edwards García, whose job at the New Democrat race against Democratic rival Betty Castor. camp is to win enough of these votes to carry Network is outreach to the exile community But Martínez is much more moderate than FO Florida, perhaps the most important swing in Florida and other swing states — he’s even the Cuban-American lawmakers in the House state in the race for the White House. who have influenced Bush’s tough stance, meeting with exiles in Nevada — said he tried mu In August, Kerry’s effort received a huge to wean the CANF away from focusing its pol- even to the point of criticizing the “wet foot- boost when Joe García quit his post as execu- dry foot” policy which allows only Cubans ag icy toward Cuba on the embargo. Co tive director of the Cuban American National “The embargo is not the be all and end all,” who reach U.S.