[A-List] Cuba Worried About New US Subversion Campaign

[Rick Rozoff <r_rozoff@xxxxxxxxx>]

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20040515T000000-0500_59893_OBS_CUBA_WORRIED_ABOUT_NEW_US_SANCTIONS.asp


Jamaica Observer
May 15, 2004

Cuba worried about new US sanctions
BALFORD HENRY, Observer writer


-The [Cuban] embassy accused the US of increasing
support to internal counter-revolutionary elements;
stepping up an international campaign against Cuba;
intensifying misinformation and subversive activities
against the country; and adopting new measures to
negatively affect Cuba's economy and undermine the
regime's succession strategy.



Cuban ambassador to Jamaica Jose Francisco Piedra
Rencurrell admitted yesterday that his government is
concerned about new sanctions announced by United
States last week, but insisted that Cuba had
introduced measures to address the situation as well
as prepare itself for any military intervention.

Among the telling blows from the new sanctions the
Cuban ambassador told reporters at his embassy
yesterday were the decision to limit remittances from
Cubans living in the United States to their relatives
and friends at home, and the threat to apply
provisions of the Helms-Burton Act which would
sanction foreign nationals investing in Cuba,
including restricting their access to the US.

The local press conference was called to coincide with
a demonstration planned for Havana in Cuba in tandem
with similar briefings at Cuban embassies around the
world to bring the issue to world attention. A small
number of Cubans also gathered with placards
supporting their government in a brief demonstration
in the yard of the embassy, after the press
conference.

Documents handed to journalists by the Cuban Embassy
said the government had concerns that the new
restrictions were being introduced at a time when the
price of food and transportation cost have almost
doubled on the world market while the price of sugar
barely covers its production costs. The Cuban
Government was also worried about the impact of rising
oil prices on its already fragile economy.

The documents accused the American Government of
trying to "deliver the heaviest blow possible" to the
Cuban tourism industry which Rencurrell said was once
again in a period of strong growth.

The embassy accused the US of increasing support to
internal counter-revolutionary elements; stepping up
an international campaign against Cuba; intensifying
misinformation and subversive activities against the
country; and adopting new measures to negatively
affect Cuba's economy and undermine the regime's
succession strategy.

The documents admitted that the new US measures would
bring about an increase in the prices of goods
available in hard currency shops and in gas stations.
But the Cuban Government is concerned that the
increases would still not be enough to offset the
"extremely high" imported food prices and their
transportation costs and the "almost inaccessible cost
of oil".

In the meantime, the ambassdor assured Jamaicans that
Cuba's policy since 1964 of offering scholarships to
Jamaicans to study there would not be affected by the
problems.

"All of them are safe and they don't have to have any
concern about the possibility of continuing the
interaction between Cuba and Jamaica," he said.

He said also that despite the increased intimidation
of potential investors, there was no need for foreign
investors, including Jamaicans, to be afraid of
investing in Cuba. He added that the country would
continue to provide the facility for these
investments.

Ambassador Piedra said that according to available
figures, the remittances from Cuban-Americans was
around US$100 milllion. However, he noted that this
was not an official figure because of the lack of
data, as well as the fact that Cuban-Americans often
use "informal" means of sending money to their
relatives because of restrictions that have been in
effect over the years.

"It is time that the Bush administration recognise
that the Cuban revolution exists because of the full
support of the majority of the Cuban people. There is
no doubt about that. All their intention to subvert
the socialist and economic order will be crushed with
the decision of the people to defend the real
achievements that they have reaped in all these years.

These are tough times, but the people and the country
are working to overcome them," the ambassador said.








	
		
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