U.S.
Funding for Transition in Cuba
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page: Background | 2003 U.S.
AID Cuba grant recipients report
Articles
Background:
With the
Cuban government's March 2003 crackdown on dissidents in Cuba, the question
of U.S. intervention in Cuban affairs and funding of Cuban dissidents
is under renewed scrutiny. Cuba accuses the United States of seeking
to disrupt the constitutional order on the island by funding programs
that channel resources, an indirectly, funds to dissidents.
Cuba characterizes
the relationship between U.S. AID-funded NGO's in the U.S. and Cuban
recipients of that aid as a foreign power conspiring with Cuban citizens
to overthrow of the Cuban government. Cuban governmental spokepeople
have also pointed to the Bush administration's heightened 'regime change'
rhetoric and allegations of a possible Cuban bioweapons research "effort"
as evidence that the United States is actively involved in overthrowing
the Cuban government.
Within
the context of extremely hostile bilateral relations, then, the issue
of U.S. funding of dissidents is contentious. Though the Clinton administration
also funded dissident outreach through U.S. AID, the Castro government
appeared to tolerate contacts between the dissidents and the U.S. Interests
Section. Analysts debate whether the spring 2003 crackdown was a result
of Cuba viewing the dissidents or the U.S. government as the more real
threat.
U.S.
AID funding democracy/transition projects
Cuba claims that U.S. AID grants of over $20 million dollars to U.S-based
groups heading on transition or democracy-building efforts in Cuba
prove that the U.S. is funding the opposition in Cuba. Though it
is unclear whether Cuban claims of actual cash disbursements have taken
place, U.S. AID policy prohibits distribution of cash on the island.
For instance, Cuba claims to have found receipts of payment from Cubanet,
a US AID-funded project, to dissident journalist Raul Rivero. Cubanet
claims to have paid Rivero using funds other than those awarded by US
AID.
USAID, under the direction of Cuban exile Adolfo Franco, supports grantees'
efforts to study transition, to plan for a post-Castro Cuba, and to
distribute equipment and materials to Cuban dissidents. It is unclear
how U.S. AID grantees are able to get these materials to the dissidents,
or how much access grantees really have on the island given that Cuba
disapproves of the nature of the grantees' work and funding.
Anti-Castro
groups are biggest recipients
Many of the biggest recipients of U.S. AID grants have solid anti-Castro
credentials like Frank Calzon's Center for a Free Cuba (Calzon, who
was the first director of the Cuban American National Foundation 20
years ago, has received more than $3 million for his democracy-building
efforts), Professor Jaime Suchlicki's Cuba Transition Project at the
University of Miami, which has also received more than $1 million from
Bacardí, and the U.S. - Cuba Business Council, headed by Cuban
exile Otto Reich (a former Bacardí lobbyist who is currently
a special envoy to the Americas for President Bush).
A recent US AID report on program effectiveness and compliance states,
"One oft-expressed opinion is that Cuban American and explicitly
anti-Castro groups should predominate among the programs grantees because
of their intensity, commitment, contacts and knowledge of Cuba."
Ironically, these are the groups least likely to have current contacts
and access to the island precisely because they tend to be run by people
who emigrated years earlier and are blacklisted by Cuba.
Other groups, such as the National Policy Association, try to work on
issues such as workers' rights and maintain a relatively low profile
as a research center, rather than a political center.
Another grantee, the Sabre foundation, recently found its shipment of
books blocked when Cuba protested the State Department using the diplomatic
pouch to deliver the books to the island.
U.S.
diplomat pushing the envelope
Cuba also claims that the newly-arrived U.S. Interests Section chief,
James Cason, has embarked on a program of public provocation of the
Cuban government. Since his arrival in Havana, Cason has distributed
radios, fax machines and other equipment to dissidents, held press briefings
with dissidents in which he publicly calls the Cuban leadership fearful
and nearing its end, and most recently, hosted a journalism workshop
at his residence.
Cuba claims
that the dissidents are in the pay of Washington and taking their cues
from Cason. Though Cason has repeatedly denied claims of funding the
dissidents, saying he only offers "moral support," the Cuban
government insists the U.S. diplomat is violating diplomatic norms and
interfering in internal affairs.
Conspiring with a foreign power
It is the 1999 law 88 of the Cuban constitution--which prohibits
Cuban citizens from subversive collaboration with a foreign power--under
which the dissidents have been recently prosecuted and found guilty.
Aiding
dissidents plays into Castro's hands?
In the past, many dissidents have refused U.S. funding. Elizardo Sanchez,
a veteran human rights activist on the island, has long argued that
U.S. financial aid only hurts activists in Cuba, making them appear
to be simply U.S. agents. Sanchez argues that U.S. aid in Poland played
a role in that country's transition over a decade ago, but that it was
key that the U.S. did not publicly promote its aid to dissidents in
that country. Most dissidents agree that heavy-handed U.S. efforts to
hasten a transition in Cuba play right into Castro's hands; they insist
that Castro likes nothing better than to portray his government as a
victim of U.S. aggression.
U.S.
Aid Grants to Promote Transition in Cuba-2003 Report
SOURCE: [http://www.usaid.gov/regions/lac/cu/upd-cub.htm]
GOAL: Promote Rapid, Peaceful Transition to Democracy in Cuba, Helping
Develop Civil Society
OBJECTIVE:
Increase Flow of Information on Democracy, Human Rights and Free Enterprise,
To, From, and Within Cuba
"As
a matter of policy, USAID grantees are not authorized to use grant funds
to provide cash assistance in Cuba"
A. BUILDING
SOLIDARITY WITH CUBA'S HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS
Freedom
House: Transitions ($500,000 - completed)
Center for a Free Cuba ($3,317,479)
The Institute for Democracy in Cuba ($1,000,000 - completed)
Cuban Dissidence Task Group ($250,000 - completed)
International Republican Institute ($2,174,462)
Freedom House: Cuban Democracy Project ($1,325,000)
Grupo de Apoyo a la Disidencia ($2,700,000)
Accion Democratica Cubana ($400,000)
B. GIVING
VOICE TO CUBA'S INDEPENDENT JOURNALISTS
Cuba Free
Press ($280,000 - completed)
Florida International University: Journalism Training ($890,000)
CubaNet ($833,000)
Carta de Cuba ($293,000)
C. HELPING
DEVELOP INDEPENDENT CUBAN NGOs
Partners
of the Americas ($172,000 - completed)
Pan American Development Foundation ($553,500)
ACDI-VOCA: Independent Agricultural Cooperatives ($265,000 - completed)
University of Miami: Developing Civil Society ($320,000 - completed)
Florida International University: NGO Development ($291,749)
D. DEFENDING
THE RIGHTS OF CUBAN WORKERS
American
Center for Int'l Labor Solidarity ($168,575 - completed)
National Policy Association ($424,000 - completed)
E. PROVIDING
DIRECT OUTREACH TO THE CUBAN PEOPLE
Cuba On-Line
($2,625,479)
Sabre Foundation ($85,000 - completed)
F. PLANNING
FOR TRANSITION
Rutgers University: Planning for Change ($99,000 - completed)
Int'l Foundation for Election Systems ($136,000 - completed)
U.S. - Cuba Business Council ($852,000 - completed)
University of Miami: Cuba Transition Planning ($1,545,000)
G. EVALUATING
PROGRAM IMPACT
Univ of
Florida: Measuring Public Opinion ($110,000 - completed)
PriceWaterhouseCoopers: Program Evaluation ($225,000 - completed)
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A. BUILDING
SOLIDARITY WITH CUBA'S HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS
Freedom
House: Transitions
Provided 40,000 Spanish language books, pamphlets and other materials
to the Cuban people on issues such as human rights, transition to democracy
and free market economics.
The Center
for a Free Cuba
Gathers and disseminates information concerning the human rights situation
in Cuba. Transmits the writings of Cuban human rights activists to non
governmental organizations worldwide. Sponsors travel to Cuba by representatives
of democratic societies. Distributes pro-democracy literature on the
island.
The Institute
for Democracy in Cuba
Assisted democratic activists in Cuba, informed the Cuban people, gathered
and disseminated information from inside Cuba on human rights. Provided
7,000 pounds of humanitarian assistance (food and medicine) to political
prisoners, their families, and other victims of oppression.
Cuban Dissidence
Task Group
Published and disseminated worldwide the written analysis of Cuban democratic
activists on the island. Provided humanitarian assistance (food and
medicine) to political prisoners and their families, and to other victims
of government oppression.
International
Republican Institute
Helps create and bolster international solidarity committees in Latin
America and Europe in order to provide material, moral and ideological
support for democratic activists in Cuba.
Freedom
House: Cuban Democracy Project
Promotes the formation of civic and political leadership in Cuba by
linking professional organizations in Cuba to one another and to those
in free democracies in Europe, North America and elsewhere.
Grupo de
Apoyo a la Disidencia
Provides humanitarian assistance and informational materials to political
prisoners and their families and other victims of repression.
Accion
Democratica Cubana
Provides humanitarian assistance and informational materials to political
prisoners and their families and other victims of repression.
B. GIVING
VOICE TO CUBA'S INDEPENDENT JOURNALISTS
Cuba Free
Press
Published the work of professional and independent writers and journalists
inside Cuba.
Florida International University
The FIU International Media Center (IMC) trains Cuba's independent journalists
to help improve their professional skills.
CubaNet
Expanding its comprehensive internet on-line coverage of Cuba's independent
journalists, and other national and international press reports on Cuban
human rights and economic issues.
Carta de
Cuba
Disseminates internationally and inside Cuba the writing of Cuba's independent
journalists.
C. HELPING DEVELOP INDEPENDENT CUBAN NGOs
Partners
of the Americas
Helped establish professional and institutional linkages between emerging
Cuban community grassroots and professional organizations, cooperatives
and other counterpart organizations around the world.
Pan American
Development Foundation
Establishes linkages between Cuban NGOs and counterpart NGOs operating
elsewhere in the Americas, to demonstrate how NGOs function within democratic
societies. Provides information and material assistance to Cuba's independent
libraries.
ACDI-VOCA
Independent Agricultural Cooperatives
Provided technical information on cooperative development, agriculture
and agro-business to independent NGOs in Cuba.
University
of Miami: Developing Civil Society
Facilitated access to information and training for Cuban NGOs and individuals.
Florida
International University: NGO Development
Trains Cuban NGO leaders in management and delivery of social services.
D. DEFENDING
THE RIGHTS OF CUBAN WORKERS
American
Center for International Labor Solidarity
Worked with trade union movements worldwide to persuade foreign firms
to respect the rights of Cuban workers in their operations inside Cuba.
National
Policy Association
Convened an international private sector working group to encourage
companies doing business in Cuba to respect the rights of Cuban workers
and to promote democracy.
E. PROVIDING
DIRECT OUTREACH TO THE CUBAN PEOPLE
Cuba On-Line
Transmits information on democracy, human rights and free market economics
directly to the Cuban people, through the international mail system,
and by electronic means.
Sabre Foundation
Donated new books and other informational materials on democratic transition,
free market economics and other issues to independent Cuban NGOs and
individuals in order to benefit the Cuban people.
F. PLANNING
FOR TRANSITION
Rutgers University: Planning for Change
Supported planning for future assistance to a Cuban transition government
and, eventually, to a democratically elected government in Cuba. Transmitted
planning results to the Cuban people.
International
Foundation for Election Systems
Analyzed assistance required to support transitional elections in Cuba.
Without discussing or considering the possible timing of elections,
the study established guidelines, costs, and options concerning international
assistance and the requirements or local administration of comprehensive
voter registration and conduct of free and fair presidential and congressional
elections in Cuba. USAID will disseminate its findings to the Cuban
people. Posted on USAID web page: http://www.usaid.gov/regions/lac/cu
U.S-Cuba
Business Council
Surveyed U.S. private sector resources and plans to assist the eventual
reconstruction of the Cuban economy. Conducted a conference series on
Cuba's democratic free market future.
University
of Miami: Cuba Transition Planning
Analyzes challenges that will face a future transition government in
Cuba, including: legal reform, political party formation, privatization
and foreign investment, combating corruption, education reform, economic
policy reform, international donor coordination.
G. EVALUATING
PROGRAM IMPACT
University
of Florida: Measuring Public Opinion
Estimated public opinion, knowledge and attitudes in Cuba through interviews
with recent Cuban migrants, helping to monitor USAID program impact.
Report posted on USAID web page: http://www.usaid.gov/regions/lac/cu
PriceWaterhouseCoopers,
Inc.
Under contract, assessed the effectiveness of the USAID Cuba program.
Examined progress and impediments to achieving the program objective.
Made recommendations for improving program effectiveness. Final report
submitted July 2000. Posted on USAID web page: http://www.usaid.gov/regions/lac/cu
