Baucus wants to allow Americans to travel to Cuba  5/15/03 Billins Gazette, MT

History, race must be factored into Cuban equation  5/15/03 Granma: historic article - first major Cuban piece on the racial dimensions of the Miami - Havana conflict. A sign of things to come?

Lawmakers seek eased Cuba travel rules  5/15/03 Miami Herald: "Undeterred by rising tensions with Cuba, a bipartisan group of legislators from both chambers of Congress on Wednesday said they are forging ahead with proposals to lift U.S. restrictions on travel to the island. The legislators said they are confident of support in both the House and the Senate, and are refining tactics to prevent the measure from being derailed by the Republican leadership."

Crying wolf with Cuba  5/15/03 Nassau Guardian: "The U.S. is now conveniently re-inventing international laws and precedents because of the mighty dollar. It is absurd. The Bahamas Government must stand for something. We should not be told by an Ambassador, who disgraced our Defence Force and thinks of every Bahamian male as a suspect, to support a resolution against our Cuban brothers, whose blood helped to free South Africa. Comedy cannot describe this request. Madness cannot describe such an attempt by the U.S. If one day the U.S. dreams that our Minister of Foreign Affairs is a terrorist, he may be arrested and held by the United States without trial at Guantanamo Bay and be tortured. Is that democracy or freedom - U.S. - style?"

If Bush seeks a wise path on Cuba …  5/15/03 Orlando Sentinel: "For three black Cubans who hijack a Havana ferry in a desperate attempt to reach U.S. shores, it's death by firing squad, but we don't hear a peep from civil-rights activist Jesse Jackson or any other black U.S. leaders who would normally cry racism."

Proposal may send 'flood' of tourists  5/15/03 Washington Times: "Frank Calzon, director of the Center for a Free Cuba, said the legislation encourages "tourist apartheid" on the island. "These are segregated facilities. Cubans are not allowed to go to those hotels, or visit those beaches," he said." - the usual lies as many tourists get out and mingle with Cubans.

HotHouse Press Release: HOTHOUSE SHUT DOWN IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO SOLD-OUT PERFORMANCE OF LEGENDARY CUBAN BAND ORQUESTA ARAGON  5/14/03 AfroCubaWeb: "At the time of the citation, HotHouse was transitioning from a 7 p.m. performance to a sold-out 10 p.m. show of the legendary Cuban charanga band Orquesta Aragon. A crowd of ticketholders to the 10 p.m. performance had formed an orderly line outside the venue in anticipation of the concert. HotHouse management asserts that all licenses for the venue are in good standing and proper order. Management believes that the raid, which will cause untold financial losses to the venerable non-profit cultural center, was politically motivated."

Cuba: U.S. expulsion of diplomats aimed at provoking confrontation  5/14/03 AP

Statement from the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs  5/14/03 Granma: "As our government has repeatedly charged, this arbitrary decision is yet further evidence of a plan against Cuba aimed at sabotaging the migratory agreements, creating a crisis and propitiating a confrontation between the two countries. The expulsion of the Cuban diplomats pursues the objective of provoking an escalation culminating in the closure of both countries’ Interests Sections, as has been historically demanded by the anti-Cuban mafia in Miami."

TOM MILLER: U.S.-Cuba policy potholes  5/14/03 News Observer

The Strange Conscience of Danny Glover  5/14/03 NewsMax: by the inimitable right wing hack, Myles Cantor.

State Dept., Not the F.B.I., Expelled Cuban Diplomats  5/14/03 NYT: "Bureau officials said there was no specific espionage event that touched off the action, adding credence to Cuba's charge that the expulsions were part of a new political strategy. "It was not our recommendation to take this action at this time," said a senior F.B.I. official. The decision to expel Cubans was made "at the highest levels" in the State Department and the White House, and the policy makers then turned to the bureau for names of intelligence operatives, said the official, who asked not to be named." The US Banana Republic.

Glover's dangerous weapon  5/14/03 The Age: "He recently signed an open letter in support of Fidel Castro that stated that the administration's "harassment against Cuba could serve as a pretext for an invasion." A number of groups have threatened to boycott MCI if it doesn't disconnect Glover as pitchman from its ad campaign, MSNBC's The Scoop reports. In a Brazilian magazine interview, Glover accused Bush of pushing a "conservative program designed to eliminate everything Americans had accomplished" in matters of race and equality. In a statement, MCI praised Glover's work. But the company added that it is reviewing "options for new product campaigns." The whole thing may be moot since Glover's contract with MCI runs only two more weeks."

US Lawmakers Call for End to Cuba Travel Ban  5/14/03 VOA: "Politically influential Cuban Americans, many of whom believe President Bush owes his presidency to their votes in Florida, have long pressed the administration to tighten the trade embargo and travel restrictions against Cuba. Their support will be crucial to Mr. Bush's re-election effort next year."

Political Analyst Calls Up Solidarity in Favour of Cuba  5/13/03 Angola Press Agency: "The Angolan Political Analyst and Sociologist Carlos Belli Bello, Tuesday in Luanda appealed for solidarity with the cause of the Cuban people, in view of American threats. The appeal follows a document named World Consciousness launched in Mexico in April this year, in which the promoters unequivocally expressed their total support and solidarity with Cuba and its revolution."

City puts clamps on HotHouse  5/13/03 Chicago Tribune: "Added Horberg, "We feel that if there's really some technical issue with a license, the appropriate way to handle it is for the city to make a call during business hours and request that we take care of the problem." " - instead, the Chicago goons shut down a sold out Aragon concert right before it was scheduled to start.

Cuba and Venezuela sign cooperation and trade agreements  5/13/03 Granma

MCI SPOKESMAN SUPPORTS CASTRO: TERRORIST MURDERER WHO SYSTEMATICALLY VIOLATES HUMAN RIGHTS  5/13/03 Judicial Watch: from Black Commentator: "The "Get-Glover" campaign is spearheaded by the far-right attack dog Judicial Watch, a truly primitive outfit. "MCI must fire Glover," howled Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. Outraged at Glover's support for lifting the U.S. embargo against Cuba, Fitton threw a ... fit. "Any more than it should have a spokesman supporting Osama bin Laden, it can't have a spokesman supporting terrorist Castro," he raged."

Democracy and dissident  5/13/03 Miami Herald: "The bags are shipped to families of Cuban dissidents imprisoned for alleged crimes against the Castro government. ''This is the meat and potatoes of our work, what families of dissidents need to survive,'' said Frank Hernández Trujillo, executive director of Support Group for Democracy. It is one of more than two dozen organizations, several of which are based in South Florida, that form the USAID Cuba Program, an ambitious U.S.-funded initiative to promote and bolster democratic movements on the communist island."

Aiding Cuba  5/13/03 San Jose Mercury News: "Since 1996, the U.S. Agency for International Development has given $23 million to groups working to promote democracy in Cuba. The groups work on various issues, including human rights, an independent press and plans for Cuba's future. Here's a sample of the groups and what they do." - Buying a Dissidence.

TRANSAFRICA FORUM URGENT ACTION APPEAL: Dial In For Democracy and to Support Danny Glover  5/13/03 TransAfrica: "Despite all the rhetoric from the White House and in conservative political circles regarding freedom of speech and human rights, the illegal Anglo-American invasion of Iraq demonstrated that it is all at best disingenuous. This is becoming all too clear at this moment with the concerted attack on TransAfrica Forum Board of Directors Chairperson Danny Glover… The attack on Danny takes place at the same time that other courageous public figures are facing the wrath of the administration and their allies on the political Right for daring to challenge US foreign policy on Iraq, Cuba and countless other situations. The attempt to isolate and destroy political opponents is reminiscent of the McCarthy era. It happened to the great Paul Robeson in the 1950s, and from that lesson we should learn that this can NEVER be allowed to happen again."

United States Expels 14 Cuban Diplomats  5/13/03 Voice of America: "The United States is expelling 14 Cuban diplomats, on charges of alleged espionage. Seven of the diplomats were assigned to the Cuban mission to the United Nations. The U.S. State Department says the 14 engaged in "activities deemed harmful to the United States" outside of their official capacities, diplomatic language often used for spying." - if this is not a total fabrication, perhaps they were tracking US based terrorists who are being given a freer hand against Cuba than they had under Clinton.

When Cuban envoys need a plumber, they now have to call the State Department  5/12/03 AP

Allied hopes for a Bacardi mixer  5/12/03 Guardian, UK: "Bacardi is owned by about 600 members of the Bacardi family, making any merger complicated. A willingness to consider an initial public offering has given Allied new hope. The secretive and deeply divided Bacardi family, which established its rum business 141 years ago, has been accused of plotting to undermine the Castro regime in Cuba. Even though it agreed last Wednesday at a meeting in Bermuda to allow outside shareholders, it is looking at two classes of stock so the family can retain control."

Travel policy to halt alumni study in Cuba  5/12/03 Stanford Daily

Latin Grammys More than Just Entertainment  5/11/03 Voice of America: "Two years ago, Latin Grammy organizers moved the event from Miami to Los Angeles, after city commissioners granted Cuban-exiles permission to protest across the street from the arena where the festivities were to be held. This year, organizers say the event will go ahead as planned in Miami, with or without the city's full backing."

Gulf coast trade council eyeing Cuba to peddle products  5/9/03 AP: some people can still get licenses - "The Mississippi Coast Trade Council is focusing on Cuba as a place to export state products. The council, established to represent Mississippi companies interested in selling products to foreign countries, has obtained a travel license to visit Cuba. The license was granted by the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Controls."

Miami has message for Latin Grammys  5/9/03 Miami Herald: "In a largely symbolic move, Miami city commissioners on Thursday unanimously approved a proposal to withhold city money from the Latin Grammys if organizers invite Cuban artists to the international awards show. But Commissioner Tomás Regalado, the sponsor of the resolution, softened his position about providing police and fire protection -- the only support the Grammys wanted from the city. The city will still provide those services."

Top-court nominee advances  5/9/03 NJ Star Ledger: "However, Wallace's nomination drew controversy because it came after Gov. James E. McGreevey withdrew his support for Zulima Farber, an Afro-Cuban who was poised to become the first Hispanic to serve on the Supreme Court. Her nomination was scuttled when a background check found that a bench warrant had been issued for her arrest last October for failing to pay a speeding ticket. The move angered Hispanic leaders, who suggested McGreevey seized on Farber's driving record to drop the nomination in the face of pressure from black legislators seeking the appointment of an African-American to replace Coleman. The controversy was not mentioned during yesterday's committee hearing."

Cuba rejects its inclusion in U.S. list of countries that sponsor terrorism  5/8/03 AP: "Cuba said the presence of Basque separatists in Cuba stemmed from a 1984 agreement with the Spanish government, adding that the separatists have never used Cuban territory for terrorist activities. The statement also outlined Cuba's efforts to combat terrorism, emphasizing its swift condemnation of the Sept. 11 attacks and its timely response to U.S. requests for information regarding tourists in Cuba suspected of terrorist links."

Lieberman Urges Bush to Pressure Cuba  5/8/03 AP: "Cuban-Americans tend to vote Republican in state and national elections and have been active supporters of President Bush and his brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush." So why would a Democrat go after the Cuban vote, which is small to begin with? Could it be there are other rewards at stake?

Local ties to Cuba cut off by Bush  5/8/03 Capital Times, WI: "Especially troublesome to the Madison-Camaguey Sister City Association is the Bush administration's recent cancellation of U.S. "people to people" educational licenses for travel to Cuba, association members said Wednesday night. The Madison group had a people-to-people license - as well as a humanitarian license - until the cancellation, which came in the wake of a spring crackdown on dissidents by Fidel Castro and the summary execution of three people who tried to hijack a Havana ferry to the United States. The Madison group's humanitarian license also expired as its most recent mission concluded in mid-April, prompting many members to worry about whether it will ever be renewed."

Cuba has nothing to hide and nothing to be ashamed of  5/8/03 Granma: "LAST Wednesday, April 30, the U.S. government presented its annual report Patterns of Global Terrorism. In this document, Cuba is once again included on the list of states that allegedly sponsor terrorism at international level. The government of Cuba once again energetically rejects the infamous inclusion of our country in this unilateral and spurious list. The Bush administration is once again lying to the U.S. and international public in its desire to justify with false accusations the cruel and inhuman policy of blockade, hostility and aggression in the case of Cuba."

Cuba warns U.S. on Iraq-type war  5/8/03 Gulf News, Dubai: "Cuba doesn't expect to be attacked by the U.S. but if an Iraq-style American invasion takes place, the Cuban people will "fight 100 years" and will never surrender, the communist republic's foreign minister said on Tuesday."

Lieberman urges Bush to apply pressure on Cuba  5/8/03 Hartford Courant: Lieberman owes his Senate seat to funding from right wing, white supremacist Cuban groups - ""And what does that mean? Specific support for the dissidents, the freedom fighters in Cuba and not stepping back at all in our position that we will not rest until this regime falls and the Cuban people rise to enjoy their freedom," Lieberman said in a brief interview on the federally funded, pro-democracy broadcasting station that beams into Cuba."

Local Cubans blast Castro  5/8/03 Times Picayune: "As the fight to free Cuba continues, New Orleans should forgo a publicized opportunity to establish a sister city relationship with Cuba's Port of Mariel, said Salvador Longoria."

Farmers-Cuba  5/8/03 WHSV, Virgina: "Virginia farmers can count Cuba out as a possible place to sell their products, again. Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Carlton Courter says state officials have decided to cancel an agricultural trade mission to Cuba set for this spring. Courter said the political climate is not conducive to furthering trade right now." Nothing prevents Virginia farmers from dealing directly.

WRKS hosts unite to back Danny Glover  5/5/03 NY Daily News: "WRKS (98.7 FM) morning cohost Jeff Foxx yesterday said his show will actively join in defending actor Danny Glover, who is under fire for his criticism of the Iraqi war and President George W. Bush. Foxx spoke to the WRKS Sunday "Open Line" team of Bob Pickett, James Mtume and Bob Slade, who is also the newsman on the daily "Wake-Up Club" with Foxx and Shaila. Pickett, Mtume and Slade charged there are "echoes of McCarthyism" in the attacks on Glover, who has been a target of MSNBC commentator and former GOP Rep. Joe Scarborough."

TO THE CONSCIENCE OF THE WORLD  5/5/03 Por Cuba: Noam Chomsky added to list of signers.

An Examination of U.S. Criticism of Cuba  5/5/03 Radio Progresso: "U.S. criticism, in this case, is part of a previously conceived plan. The function of these groups is precisely to create tensions that place the Cuban government in a position that leads to repression and thus to unleash the mechanisms of public condemnation. U.S. condemnation is conducted through a well-articulated media system, aimed at controlling the news and imposing a system of values to determine the good and the bad in any part of the world. Once people's way of thinking has been controlled, one doesn't have to lie to be deceitful."

Cuba economy flat as tourism booms and sugar crashes  5/5/03 Reuters: "Cuba's economy has stagnated so far this year, despite a surge in tourism that has helped to compensate for the near collapse of the Communist-run Caribbean island's sugar industry, government sources said Monday."

WEEKLY FARM: Cuba crackdown may not decrease U.S. farm trade  5/3/03 AP

Cuba's Crackdown on Government Opponents Triggered by Washington's Funding of Dissident Groups  5/3/03 Between the lines: includes audio interview of Phillip Agee in Havana.

100 Years of Terror - Cuba and Puerto Rico in the News  5/3/03 Counterpunch: "The fact that Vieques registers a 73 percent higher incidence of cancer than Puerto Rico as a whole has environmentalists and health experts wondering about the effects of so much bombingSespecially the use of depleted uranium (DU), which is considered by many to be a factor in the Gulf War Syndrome. "Depleted uranium burns on contact," says Helen Caldicott, "creating tiny aerosolized particles less than fice microns in diameter, small enough to be inhaled." These minute particles can travel "long distances when airborne," Caldicott explains."

New regulations impacting Cuban travel  5/3/03 OFAC: originally posted on 3/24/03

USCSCA: CALL TO ACTION/ADVOCACY: FREEDOM TO TRAVEL  5/3/03 USCSCA

What Should Progressives Think & Do? The Cuba Conundrum  5/2/03 Counterpunch: by Saul Landau - "Yes, in accordance with Cuban law, the "dissidents" received summary trials. But this does not automatically deprive them of their procedural rights. The Cuban defense lawyers work with the prosecutors on the indictment and if there are holes, the defense lawyers inform the judges, who should then dismiss the cases. The Napoleonic-Spanish system! The government had airtight cases that the accused had taken money, goods and services from the arch enemy of Cuba and had performed anti government acts writing, speaking and publishing--that the US government promoted."

Richardson won’t travel to Cuba with goodwill group  5/2/03 KOBTV, NM: "(Santa Fe-AP) -- Governor Richardson says he won’t be traveling to Cuba on Sunday with a group that promotes the state."

The coming crisis in Cuba  5/2/03 Washington Times: from the mouths of those in the Beltway right wing who are prepared to arrange it.

Statement to the World by Many Authors  5/2/03 Znet: "We only possess our moral authority, with which we appeal to world conscience in order to avoid a new violation of the principles, which inform and guide the global community of nations. At this very moment, a strong campaign of destabilization against a Latin American nation has been unleashed. The harassment against Cuba could serve as a pretext for an invasion. Therefore, we call upon citizens and policy makers to uphold the universal principles of national sovereignity, respect of territorial integrity and self-determination, essential to just and peaceful co-existence among nations." Signed by 4 nobel prize winners and many others.

Agricultural trade continues with Cuba—for now  5/1/03 Agriculture News

Enzi cosponsors bill to reduce Cuba travel restrictions  5/1/03 AP

What About Guantanamo? About Cuba  5/1/03 Counterpunch: "Fidel Castro has committed the terrible impurity of managing to keep a left government in power for forty-four years. To be pure, he should have kept to the standards of the "democratic left"... following the example of the democratically elected Guatemalan reformist Jacobo Arbenz, forced to resign after three years in office by a U.S.-backed putsch, or Salvador Allende, murdered by a U.S.-backed putsch. The "democratic left" was unable to save those leaders, but it still has the self-confidence to condemn the survivor for displaying such tenacity. Surrender, Castro! Then perhaps you may gain the approval of the "democratic left"."

Cubans in the U.S. / Americans in Cuba - The Voice of America  5/1/03 Radio Progresso: "On March 24, part of this momentum to normalize relations with the island was lost. Under the new travel guidelines, all future requests for new licenses or renewals will be denied. For all practical purposes, all future “people-to-people” exchange programs will be completely nonexistent by 2004. Interestingly enough, the U.S. Department of Treasury is welcoming feedback on the new travel regulations until May 23, 2003. While I doubt that an organized march in midtown Manhattan opposing the new travel regulations would ever prevent me from reaching my destination, Americans do have an opportunity to voice their opinions by contacting their state representatives and the U.S. Department of Treasury at the following address."

Intellectuals Launch Campaign to Defend Cuba  5/1/03 Reuters: "More than 160 foreign artists and intellectuals, including Nobel Prize winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez, have come out in defense of Cuba even as many of their peers condemn recent repression on the Communist-run island, one of the campaigners said on Thursday. Latin American Nobel laureates Garcia Marquez, Rigoberta Menchu, Aldolfo Perez Esquivel and South African writer Nadine Gordimer, also a Nobel prize winner, have signed a declaration of support, Mexican sociologist Pablo Gonzalez said. U.S. singer Harry Belafonte and U.S. actor Danny Glover are also among the personalities who have signed the two-paragraph declaration "To the Conscience of the World" so far, Gonzalez announced to a May Day rally in Havana."

Cuba's Castro Says U.S. Is Provoking War  5/1/03 Washington Post

Stop Playing Into Castro's Hands  5/1/03 Washington Post: "The most important motivation, I believe, is that Castro wants and needs to keep the United States as his enemy -- in order to divert attention from Cuba's moribund economy and to justify the repression that keeps him in power. Indeed, those convicted of subversion were accused of conspiring with the head of the U.S. Interests Section, James Cason, who in fact was merely carrying out a policy developed in Eastern Europe of providing information and moral support to dissident intellectuals." Merely? If a sworn enemy of the US, such as Saddam, had done the same, the sentences would have been 10 years + whatever other charges the imaginitive US justice system could pile on.

Guerrillero»	«Pinar del Río
El Habanero»	«La Habana
Tribuna de La Habana»	«Ciudad de La Habana
Girón»	«Matanzas
Vanguardia»	«Villa Clara
5 de Septiembre»	«Cienfuegos
Escambray»	«Sancti Spíritus
Invasor»	«Ciego de Ávila
Adelante»	«Camagüey
26»	«Las Tunas
La Demajagua»	«Granma
Ahora»	«Holguín
Sierra Maestra»	«Santiago de Cuba
Venceremos»	«Guantánamo
Victoria»	«Isla de la Juventud

Radio Ciudad de La Habana	Radio Metropolitana
Tiempo 21	Radio Cadena Habana
Radio Sancti Spíritus	CMHW Villa Clara
Radio Victoria	Radio Ciudad del Mar

Bohemia	Habanera
Giga	Temas
Prisma	Negocios en Cuba
Alma Mater	Caimán Barbudo
Mujeres	La Jiribilla
La Gaceta de Cuba	Zunzún
Avances Médicos de Cuba	Travel Trade Cuba
Somos Jóvenes	Opus Habana
Tricontinental	Cine Cubano
Revolución y Cultura	Cuba Internacional
Ciencias de la Información	Salsa Cubana
Juventud Técnica	Pionero
Opciones	El economista
Notinet	El Fénix
Orbe	Senderos

Ceniai	IslaGrande
Infocom	Cubaweb
Infomed	Citmatel
Archivo Nacional	Cubaciencia
Cubanic	Cubarte
Cienfuegos	UPEC
Redsolar	Gobierno cubano
Sitio de Elián	Cuba demanda
Cuba contra el bloqueo	CubAhora
Sitio del Ajedrez en Cuba	Marinas Puertosol
Directorio Turístico de Cuba	Ballet Nacional de Cuba
Casa de las Américas	NO al ALCA

Cuba in the News
Archive: 5/1/03 - 5/15/03

List of Cuban provincial papers and other sites

Contacting AfroCubaWeb

Copyright © 1997 AfroCubaWeb, S.A.

Cuba in the News Archive: 5/1/03 - 5/15/03

List of Cuban provincial papers and other sites

Contacting AfroCubaWeb

Copyright © 1997 AfroCubaWeb, S.A.

Cuba in the News
Archive: 5/1/03 - 5/15/03