The Discourse on Racism in Anti-Castro Publications, 2016-2017

Here we track issues of race and identity among the anti-Castro groups based primarily out of Miami and Spain as well as dissidents in Cuba. The term dissident is used to denote those who seek to overthrow the Cuban government and are generally paid from abroad, as opposed to the many critical voices in Cuba today who work within the system. Dissidents naturally tend to see only the negative in Cuba and have until recently little focus on the similarities with countries across the continent, an essential aspect of anti-racism work. Miami, Havana and Latin America in general all participate in the republicanismo ideology, which has its own obstacles to dealing with racism.

NED Funded

NED (National Endowment for Democracy) is a controversial US program which grew out of CIA efforts to fund dissidents around the world, at least in places whose government they wanted to modify or overthrow. After many revelations concerning covert funding, Ronald Reagan and Congress implemented NED where funding is transparent and known to all, at least for the initial recipients. What happens to federal funding in Miami is well known and a source of concern to the US government which has in the past few years tried to go around the more obvious embezzlers. NED's annual funding for 2017 is publicly available at www.ned.org/region/latin-america-and-caribbean/cuba-2017/ as part of their US Gorvernment's attemtps to achieve some transparency in the wake of the covert funding scandals of the 60's. Their 2016 funding is at www.ned.org/region/latin-america-and-caribbean/cuba-2015. We note:

* Afro-Cuban Alliance, Miami, NED funded from 2005 through 2013, no funding in 2014 -  2017 The Alliance published Islas, which has ceased operations.

* CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution Inc., Toronto, Canada. Promoting Independent Filmmaking in Cuba. NED funded in 2017:  $55,000. "To strengthen the capacity of independent filmmakers in Cuba to develop materials that raise awareness about untold or censored issues affecting Cuban society. The organization will provide a group of Cuban independent producers with intensive training to produce films on topics of human rights, equality and social justice. The authors of the best-prepared material will receive support to develop and distribute their work."  They received $49,843 in 2016.

* Cuban Soul Foundation, Inc., Democratic Ideas and Values, $75,000 in 2014 and $85,000 in 2015. Funding in 2017: $95,000. "Independent Cuban Artist's Freedom of Expression. To empower independent artists to produce and perform their work in uncensored community venues and events. CSF will also help organize a series of events to showcase the work of artists participating in this program." Dedicated to hip hop. Their web site, cubansoulfoundation.org, has intermittent access issues, They also have www.facebook.com/cubansoulfoundation/

* Human Rights, 2017:  $100,000. To document and report human rights violations in Cuba. Working with civil society groups on the island, human rights violations will be documented according to international standards. Violations will be reported to international organizations and governments and advocacy will be carried out in support of greater respect for human rights and protection to victims in Cuba.

* Plataforma de Integración Cubana, Freedom of Information, $100,892 in 2014 and $113,299 in 2015. No funding in 2017. "Promoting Racial Integration. To promote greater discussion of racial issues in Cuba. Working with academics and activists inside and outside the island, Plataforma will publish a journal on issues affecting the Afro-descendant population. In addition, Plataforma will conduct various public events to raise international awareness of the subject."

* International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights, $25,599 in 2015, the first time this appears. No funding in 2017. "To enhance the knowledge and advocacy skills of Cuban human rights defenders in the LGBT community."

* Asociacion Diario de Cuba, Freedom of Information, $280,002 in 2014, $283,869 in 2015. $220,000 in 2017. "Diario de Cuba. To strengthen the ability of Cuban civil society to articulate its concerns and to promote freedom of expression. Diario de Cuba will engage independent journalists, artists, intellectuals and academics in Cuba to promote greater analysis on social, political, economic and cultural developments in Cuba."  [The Diario, based in Spain, is prolific on the topic of race in Cuba. As for race in Miami, es invisible!]

* CubaNet News Inc., Miami, Freedom of Information. $208,000 in 2014, $224,562 in 2015. $225,000 in 2017. "Supporting Independent Journalists in Cuba. To support independent Cuban journalists as they produce objective media content about the situation in Cuba. CubaNet will also provide independent Cuban journalists with training on the use of new communication technologies." [Regularly prints articles on racism in Cuba, by CIR members and others.]

* Cuban Democratic Directorate, Freedom of Information, $650,000 in 2014, $650,000 in 2015. $650,000 in 2017. "Increasing Access to Uncensored Information. To promote greater freedom of information and civic activism in Cuba. Through its Radio Republic broadcasts, Directorio will provide programming that incorporates the views of Cuban pro-democratic activists and informs communities about local social, political, economic, and cultural developments. Directorio will also supply training and technical assistance to local grassroots activists to carry out civic and community-building initiatives throughout Cuba."  The Directorio Democrático Cubano supports the Basulto derived civil rights activists such as Jorge Luis García Pérez "Antúnez" as well as the Damas de Blanco and possibly the CIR.

* Editorial Hypermedia Inc., 2017:  $61,517. To promote greater freedom of expression and independent writing among Cuban intellectuals. Censored books produced by Cuban exiled writers will be compiled and distributed among intellectuals on the island. Additional activities will include encouraging independent writing among the target audience and presenting the best works at international literary events.

AfroCuban Dissidents in Cuba

Organizations

Citizens Committee for Racial Integration (CIR)
Havana, Cuba and Miami, US. 

Movimiento de Integración Racial Juan Gualberto Gómez (MIR)

Partido Arco Progresista (PARP)
Havana Cuba and Miami. Their website, Desde Cuba, is registered by Yoani Sanchez, a dissident manufactured via a new media paradigm.

Dissidents

Dr. Oscar Elías Biscet

Leonardo Calvo Cárdenas, Deputy Chairperson, PARP

Dimas Castellanos: Licenciado in Biblical Studies, former professor of Marxist Philosophy, member of the editorial board of Yoani Sanchez' DesdeCuba site, member of the board of the Instituto de Estudios Cubanos in Florida

Manuel Cuesta Morúa, a descendant of Martín Morúa Delgado, an Afrocuban leader after whom was named the Ley Morúa, which outlawed the Independents of Color.  Chairman, PARP, Member, CIR

Laritza Diversent: attorney specializing in civil rights cases, profiling

Pedro Dupre

Dr. Darsi Ferrer deceased.

Iván García

Juan Antonio Madrazo Luna, National Coordinator, Citizens Committee for Racial Integration

Jorge Luis García Pérez "Antúnez", who receives support from the Directorio Democrático Cubano

José Vélez Hernández, Coordinator, Movimiento de Integración Racial Juan Gualberto Gómez (MIR)

Dissidents in Miami

* Juan Benemelis

* Enrique Patterson

* Victoria Ruiz-Labrit, a federal contractor who has worked for Congresswoman Ileana Ros Lehtinen and also has the support of the Diaz-Balarts, a former slave owning family and now leaders of the exiled Plantocracy. Ruiz-Labrit is spokeswoman for the Citizens Committee for Racial Integration (CIR)

* Racismo en Cuba, a web site

Dissidents in South America

* Carlos Moore, Brazil

CIR Organs

Racismo en Cuba

Revista Isla

CubaNet

Diario de Cuba

Response from Cuba and elsewhere to the US/Miami campaign on racism in Cuba

Race & Identity in Cuba

AfroCuban  organizations and researchers not controlled by the Miami Plantocracy

See AfroCuban Blogs, News Sites, and Anti-racist Organizations