Vol. 14, No. 6 December 2006 www.cubanews.com In the News Democrats to challenge Bush over Cuba Treasury slams banks as Fidel’s condition remains a mystery OFAC gets tough with foreign institutions BY ANA RADELAT The six Democrats and four Republicans that do business in Cuba ..............Page 3 y electing Democratic candidates to Con- attempted to see Raúl but failed. gress last month, American voters have They did, however, meet with other Cuban of- opened the door to a fresh debate on the ficials including Foreign Minister Felipe Pérez OFAC vs. the Harrells B Roque; Central Bank President Francisco U.S. embargo against Cuba — and the distinct Soberón; Yadira García, minister of basic indus- Vermont couple fights the travel ban after possibility of a range of policy changes sooner getting fined for Cuba trip ............Page 4 tries; Alimport CEO Pedro Alvarez, and Ricardo rather than later. Alarcón, president of the National Assembly. The new leadership in Washington comes as “The Cuban officials made every attempt to Polling the people observers increasingly talk about Fidel Castro convince us [and] to demonstrate that there is Gallup survey: 47% of Cubans approve of in the past tense. On Dec. 2, Fidel didn’t even no change of policy in Cuba,” Rep. Jerry Moran show up at his own 80th birthday bash, leaving Castro regime, but only 25% satisfied with (R-KS) told the Chicago Tribune on Dec. 18. younger brother Raúl to make what amounted The elder Castro has not been seen in public level of personal freedom .............Page 5 to an inauguration speech before 300,000 people since July 26. He appears feeble in the few pho- attending a military parade in Havana. tos and videos released by the regime, which is UN ranks Cuba 50th “It means he will not return to power, that’s saying nothing about his condition following for sure. Otherwise he would have made it,” an UN development agency gives Cuba “qua- emergency surgery for an undisclosed illness. unidentified European diplomat told Reuters. Most U.S. analysts are convinced Fidel Cas- lity of life” score of 0.826 ..............Page 6 Two weeks later, 10 lawmakers led by Rep. tro has terminal cancer and won’t live to see the Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Rep. Bill Delahunt (D-MA) end of 2007. But the 10 lawmakers were told — Kingston calling visited Cuba, in the largest congressional dele- without elaboration — that Fidel does not have Jamaica seeks to boost trade ties with its gation to set foot on the island in years. See Democrats, page 2 Spanish-speaking neighbor ..........Page 7 Who’s who in the PCC Aging leadership threatens continued A comprehensive look at members of the Cuban Communist Party who have been relevance of Cuba’s Communist Party ousted and/or promoted ..............Page 8 BY DOMINGO AMUCHASTEGUI stage makes this even more urgent. ith 80-year-old Fidel Castro in the hos- The Young Communist Union (UJC) has al- Mazel tov! pital and nine years after the 5th Con- ready held its congress, as has the Confedera- tion of Labor Unions (CTC), while the Federa- Island’s tiny Jewish community celebrates W gress of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC), more than a third of the members of the tion of University Students (FEU) will celebrate its 100th anniversary ...................Page 11 Party’s Central Committee are — like Fidel — its congress imminently. out of the “major leagues” of political life. The Politburo recently announced the revival Business briefs It’s obvious that Cuba’s communist bosses of the CC’s Secretariat, an organism in charge of controlling, supervising and providing guidance Miami CEO forms investment committee; need a new and fresh Central Committee (CC). New faces, younger figures and more blacks for the CC’s various departments and agencies. Bank issues new chavito bills ....Page 12 and professionals would project an image of The Secretariat also removes a heavy burden vigor to a largely apathetic population for whom of time-consuming activities from the Politburo. Provinces: Pinar del Río the PCC has little relevance. It was abolished in the early stages of the so- called “special period” at the beginning of the An in-depth look at Cuba’s tobacco-produ- After the 5th Congress was held in 1997, it was decided that the 6th Congress would take 1990s — along with a sharp reduction in the size cing westernmost province ........Page 14 place within five years. It did not, and many of the CC itself — though electing a whole new observers now warn that further postponement body of high-ranking leaders very close to the CubaNews (ISSN 1073-7715) is published monthly of a Party congress will continue to erode the Politburo is not a simple matter. by Luxner News Inc. © 2006. All rights reserved. PCC’s public image and legitimacy domestical- Considering the regime’s claim of 12.5% eco- Subscriptions: $429 for one year, $800 for two years. ly, as well as among allies abroad at a critical nomic growth in 2006, this might not be a bad For editorial inquires, please call (301) 452-1105 time to hold that Party congress after all. or send an e-mail to: [email protected]. moment in Cuba’s history. The aging of the old leadership at this final See PCC, page 8 2 CubaNews ❖ December 2006 soon-to-be chairmen are already considering thinks about it.” Democrats — FROM PAGE 1 legislation and hearings on the embargo. Democratic control of the House also Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY), the new chair- means that Delahunt will have the authority cancer and that his condition is not terminal. man of the powerful House Ways and Means to launch investigations into administration In his speech, Raúl, 75, made no mention of policy toward Cuba. his brother’s condition but did tell the cheer- Committee, is likely to once again introduce ing crowd that “we are willing to resolve at legislation that would scrap all U.S. economic The Cuba Working Group is a bipartisan the negotiating table the longstanding dispute sanctions on Cuba. group of lawmakers who want to ease trade between the United States and Cuba.” That far-reaching effort is likely to fail, even and travel restrictions (see list of members in Raúl’s words may have fallen on deaf ears in a Democrat-controlled Congress. But Ran- last month’s issue of CubaNews, page 2). in the White House (see box, bottom of page 3), Delahunt is expected to chair the House In- though with Democrats now in control of ternational Relations subcommittee on over- Congress, a debate over Cuba’s future now sight and investigations. seems imminent — when before, key Repub- The Massachusetts Democrat will likely licans effectively blocked such debate. begin his new job by calling for an investiga- tion of a U.S. Agency for International Deve- TIME TO ACT, SAYS FLAKE lopment program that’s funneled over $70 mil- lion to groups promoting democracy in Cuba. “At a time when Cuba is changing and the opportunities to advance our interests and va- A recent Government Accountability Office lues in Cuba are not known, we unanimously audit of the program — requested by Dela- believe that the United States should respond hunt and Flake — determined that most of positively to the proposal made by Raúl Cas- the money was awarded without competitive bidding or oversight. tro in his speech of Dec. 2,” said Flake in a Reps. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Bill Delahunt (D-MA) Dec. 17 statement at Havana’s Hotel Nacional. The Democratic takeover of Congress also “No one should be under the illusion that gel press secretary Emile Milne said the new gives newly empowered lawmakers who want negotiation with Cuba will be easy, or that re- Ways and Means Committee chairman is like- to ease the embargo more clout in dealing sults will be guaranteed,” he added. “But if we ly to hold hearings on the embargo. with the Cuban government. refuse to engage in normal diplomacy, we are “If you have hearings, you have a chance to Flake press secretary Matthew Specht said guaranteed to produce no results at all.” change peoples’ minds,” Milne told Cuba- his boss will re-introduce legislation he’s Added Rep. Mike Conaway (R-TX): “I be- News. “Maybe nothing will happen, maybe sponsored several times in the past that lieve that the leadership of the government of something will happen, but at least there will would bar the Treasury Department from Cuba has moved on, even though Castro is be an airing of the issue.” enforcing restrictions on U.S. travel to Cuba. still alive. This trip is a good example of the Every year, GOP leaders would systemati- U.S. trying to move the relationship with DEMOCRATS TO BLOCK BUSH ‘TRANSITION PLAN’ cally strip Flake’s proposal, usually approved Cuba forward. The leadership in Cuba is very Besides allowing a public debate on the em- by his House colleagues as an amendment to nationalistic and does not want to be seen as bargo, Democrats will make it much tougher Treasury spending bill, from the final version. “giving in” to the United States.” for President Bush to implement a White But that won’t happen anymore, Specht said. Delahunt, who co-chairs the House Cuba House plan to respond to a post-Castro Cuba. THE LANTOS FACTOR Working Group with Flake, predicted that one The White House plan, announced in July, way or the other, Congress will pass legisla- would lift sanctions and offer Cuba recon- Rep. Tom Lantos of California, who will tion in 2007 to ease restrictions on family trav- struction aid only after all vestiges of both head the House International Relations Com- el and financial transfers to Cuba.