2003_08/CubaNews 8/8/03 12:47 PM Page 1 Vol. 11, No. 8 August 2003 www.cubanews.com In the News Cuba’s power structure undergoes its Texas port bonanza biggest housecleaning since mid-’70s Corpus Christi signs shipping agreement BY DOMINGO AMUCHASTEGUI CONRADO MARTÍNEZ CORONA with Cuba’s Alimport ....................Page 3 ver the last six months, Cuba has seen the Age 54 and white, promoted from the ranks of most extensive overhaul of its ruling Communist Youth Union (UJC) to the PCC’s Onomenklatura since before the holding of Central Committee (CC) and president of Poder Organopónicos the First Communist Party Congress in 1975. Popular in the city of Havana. Food shortage sparks growth of neigh- Cuba’s dismal economic performance and Removed after political clashes with current borhood organic farms .................Page 4 President Fidel Castro’s persistent reluctance to UJC leaders, Martínez was appointed head of the adopt the necessary reforms to lift Cuba out of Havana Convention Bureau. He was replaced by its current situation has forced him to replace Juan Contino Aslan, 43 and white. Contino, who Experts meet in Miami more than a dozen Party and government big- has a degree in economics, was promoted from Economists present over 50 Cuba papers shots — thereby giving ordinary Cubans the the ranks of UJC’s top leadership to the CC in 1991; he’s been head of the CDR (Cuba’s neigh- at ASCE conference ......................Page 6 impression that change is really in the air. Yet these cosmetic changes are aimed only at borhood spy network) for the last 10 years. neutralizing criticisms like those articulated last A member of the Council of State, Contino was Camagüey calling month by academic economist Juan Triana, who actively supported by Raúl Castro in opposition to Cuba’s largest province tries to lure tour- told foreign reporters in Havana that Cuba must Roberto Robaina in the 1980s. ists and their dollars ......................Page 7 enact sweeping economic reforms in order to get ROBERTO F. GARCÍA DÍAZ the economy moving again (see page 5). Castro’s overhaul has involved the following First secretary of the PCC in Isla de la Juven- Newsmakers leaders in the Cuban Communist Party (PCC) tud. Mid 40s, white, engineer; promoted from Washington lobbyist Brent Gibadlo leads and Cuba’s Poder Popular, or people’s assembly: See Party, page 2 efforts by newly formed ATRIP to lift the travel ban on Cuba ........................Page 8 No easing of U.S. embargo likely -- even Sugar in crisis as debate on travel ban picks up steam Cuba’s latest zafra leaves future of sugar industry in doubt .........................Page 10 BY ANA RADELAT Rangel’s colleagues in the Cuba Working hen U.S. lawmakers return from their Group are likely to have better luck. They plan Business briefs August recess, Congress is expected to to introduce three other amendments to the bill that would strip Treasury of money to enforce Cubana opens Barcelona-Santiago route; W push for greater opportunities for trade and travel to Cuba. restrictions on American travel to Cuba, lift the no more power blackouts ...........Page 12 But the White House and Republican leaders $1,200 annual cap on cash remittances Cuban- are likely to block all such attempts — just as Americans send to their families on the island FX regs tightened they’ve done since President Bush took office. and hamper the government’s ability to enforce “The same things will come up, and the same a ban on the use of U.S. bank credits in food and Cuba puts new foreign-exchange controls things will fail,” predicted Dennis Hays, execu- medical sales to Cuba. on banks, state entities ...............Page 13 tive vice-president of the Cuban American Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), who has sponsored National Foundation. the travel amendment for three years in a row, Provinces: Santiago de Cuba Just like last year, a fight between Congress said allowing American travel to Cuba is an and the Bush administration is expected to issue of freedom. “The U.S. government cannot Santiagueros have disproportional influ- break out in September, when the House of Rep- tell us where to go,” he quipped. ence on rest of island ..................Page 14 resentatives considers the bill that funds the While the Cuba amendments could win majo- Treasury Department, the U.S. Postal Service rity support in the Republican-controlled House, CubaNews (ISSN 1073-7715) is published monthly and a number of smaller agencies. the threat of a veto by President Bush may per- by Luxner News Inc. © 2003. All rights reserved. Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) will probably suade House and Senate negotiators to strip the Subscriptions: $429/year. For subscription or edito- introduce an amendment that would end the provision out of a final Treasury Department rial inquiries, call toll-free (800) 365-1997, send a fax spending bill, just as they’ve done before. to (301) 365-1829 or e-mail us at [email protected]. U.S. embargo on Cuba. But that measure is not expected to win majority support. See Congress, page 9 2003_08/CubaNews 8/8/03 12:47 PM Page 2 2 CubaNews ❖ August 2003 Party — FROM PAGE 1 ESTEBAN LAZO HERNÁNDEZ ical services and other positions until his pro- within the ranks of UJC cadres. Replaced by First secretary of the PCC in the city of motion to the Party leadership in the early mathematician Elizabeth Cámara Báez, mid- Havana for nearly 10 years. Age 59 and black. 1980s, Balaguer served as ambassador to the 30s, black, promoted from the ranks of the Served more than 30 years as a Party cadre, Soviet Union under Gorbachev. He was also UJC cadres to the CC. and provincial leader in Matanzas and first secretary of the Party in Santiago de Cuba and Granma, and the man chosen by MANUEL MENENDEZ CASTELLANOS Santiago de Cuba. Politburo member since the mid-1980s. Raúl Castro in 1992 to replace expelled First secretary of the PCC in the province of On Jun. 24, Lazo was transferred to other Politburo member Carlos Aldana. Cienfuegos. Age 51, white. A technician in the duties within the Politburo, supervising the As a Politburo member, Balaguer super- oil industry, he was promoted from the ranks CC’s departments of education and ideology. vised three departments — the two recently of the state-controlled union movement to the (see CubaNews, July 2003, page 2). handed over to Lazo Hernández and the CC in 1991, and transferred to the auxiliary The real reasons for Lazo’s removal seem Department of International Relations, which apparatus of the Council of State. he continues to head. Replaced by Lazara M. López Acea, black to be associated with his lack of enthusiasm over Martínez Corona’s removal and the out- Yet these days, this department has lost and in her early 40s. A forestry specialist by considerable prestige due to the current roles profession, promoted to CC in 1997. She has come of the 2002-03 elections in the capital city, along with Lazo’s own health problems. of Felipe Pérez Roque as minister of foreign been a member of the provincial nomenkla- affairs (working very closely with Fidel Cas- tura for the last 10 years. Replaced by Politburo member Pedro Saez Montejo, who is 50 and black. tro), Ricardo Alarcón and Interior Minister JOSÉ ANTONIO DÍAZ PÉREZ Saez Montejo was a UJC cadre while teach- Abelardo Colome Ibarra. In addition, reports indicate that Balaguer’s health is worsening. First secretary of the PCC in the province of ing history, and from there was promoted to Sancti Spíritus. Age 40, white, mechanical Party cadre and provincial leader, first in La MIGUEL M. DÍAZ-CANEL BERMUDEZ engineer by profession; promoted from ranks Habana and Sancti Spíritus, then back to La Habana as PCC first secretary. He’s been First secretary of the PCC in the province of of UJC cadres, with 10 years of experience in Villa Clara for the last nine years. Age 43, Party work. He was transferred to the CC’s repeatedly praised in public by Raúl Castro. white, electronics engineer by profession. central apparatus. JOSÉ R. BALAGUER CABRERA Replaced by Miguel Acebo Cortiñas, 48, Díaz-Canel comes from the ranks of UJC’s top white. Agronomics engineer, promoted from Age 71, white. Politburo member and leadership and was promoted to the CC in ranks of UJC cadres and with 20 years of physician who joined the Rebel Army in 1958 1991. In 1997, he was one of six candidates experience in Party work in Villa Clara and always enjoyed leadership positions selected to join the Politburo, where he has province. A member of the CC since 1991 and under the protection of Raúl Castro. become very close to Pedro Saez Montejo. In member of National Assembly since 1998. Comandante in Cuba’s FAR, head of med- See Party, page 13 EXCERPTS FROM FIDEL CASTRO’S JUL. 26 SPEECH BLASTING THE EUROPEAN UNION The following is the translation of a July 26 speech given by President making processes. This absurd condition, which was never accepted, Fidel Castro to mark the 50th anniversary of the attack on the Moncada practically paralyzed the flow of aid for a number of projects. Barracks in Santiago de Cuba, as published in the English-language The European Union [should] feel ashamed of the measly and inef- version of the official Communist Party daily newspaper Granma: fective aid it offers [Third World] countries. In early June, the European Union adopted an infamous resolution, While Cuban soldiers were shedding their blood fighting the drafted by a small group of bureaucrats ..