INTELLIGENCE REPORT FROM WASHINGTON 06-01192001

by Marcelo Fernández-Zayas

The trial in Florida of the Cuban spy ring is taking a curious twist. When these spies were arrested in September 1998, they were considered a threat to the national security of this country. They were collecting information about the buildings and personnel of a military base near Miami.

At that time I wrote an article giving the names and background of two of the suspects.
See: http://www.mundolatino.org/cuba/10uspias.htm

I was the first to publish that information which federal agents corroborated later. Now it seems that the trial is only about the downing of Brothers to the Rescue planes. Something strange is happening in this trial. Ernesto Betancourt, a very serious political analyst of Washington politics brings this contradiction to the surface. See Miami Herald, Opiniones, Viernes, 12 de enero de 2001. Why this new twist? To make it look that it was a matter between Cubans and not a threat to the national security of this country? Of course, if it were proven in court that Cuba was spying against U.S. military bases, Castro could be seen as a possible defendant in the case. I am informed that Cuban Americans will ask the new Attorney General to review this case, and to ask why the current prosecution seems to be gliding past important charges announced when the defendants were arrested.

Many readers ask the meaning of Castro's beard. Castro's face is very round since he has a short lower jaw and a double chin. He always disliked this moon-face family trait. A beard is more becoming and gives him more the appearance of a prophet. Castro without a beard would be like a tall Mao Zedong.

The Mexican guerrilla leader of the state of Chiapas, "sub comandante Marcos", was trained in Cuba where he learned "handling of explosives, weapons and urban and country guerrillas' tactics." His trainer was a survivor of the Che Guevara band in Bolivia, Dariel Alarcón Ramírez; Alarcón Ramírez (aka Comandante Benigno). Alarcón Ramírez defected in Paris, France, 1996, where he resides now.

See: http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/episodes/18/script.html

Q: Was Hillary Clinton a member of the Venceremos Brigade?
L.L.S. Silver Spring, MD

A: Some people say so, but I have not been able to verify this allegation.

Q: What do you make of Linda Chavez's withdrawal from the nomination as Secretary of Labor?
A.V.U. Springfield, VA

A: It seems that Chavez housed an illegal alien from Guatemala and paid her "pocket money" for household chores. At the same time, the lady worked part-time for a Chavez neighbor. During the routine investigation of Chavez's background, the FBI learned that she had talked with some of her neighbors to go over a "consistent" story. The withdrawal was the only way out.

Q: Is it true that George W. Bush traveled to Cuba at the beginning of the 90's?
A.F. Jersey City, NJ.

A: Up to now, there is no record of such a visit. Were that to be true, it must have been a very secret trip. However, I doubt that he visited Havana on behalf of his father or for any other reason. I will continue to investigate this issue.

Q: Some private airlines that travel to Cuba are rumored to carry illegal cargo. Is that a fact?
A.V.H. Hartford, CT.

A: This rumor has been floating around for some time, and it is possible that it might be true. There is a borderline question of whether an American plane loading cargo in Jamaica or the Bahamas might be violating US law. But it is always a good case for members of the Treasury Department if they decide to move against the alleged violators. The American executives of these companies are performing a high-wire act.

Q: How do you define the Clinton policy toward Cuba?
V.H.T. Las Cruces, NM.

A: The Clinton White House tried to get close to Cuba. It followed a policy of "People-to-People," for lack of a better term, encouraging athletes, artists, scholars and students to visit each others' country. Castro, who is his own worst enemy, shot down the planes of Brothers to the Rescue and the Clinton policy suffered a great deal. Later came the famous case of the boy, Elian Gonzalez. In the view of Cubans in this country, Clinton choose the wrong road to a solution. Vice President Al Gore can testify to that.

Vicki Huddleston, the Principal Officer, of the US Interests Section in Havana and former US Ambassador to Madagascar, has detractors in the Cuban-American community. Many observers perceive her as an able diplomat who follows the orders she receives from Washington. However, some Cuban exiles are angry at her for alleged negative comments about Cubans in Miami. It seems that these comments were made in private gatherings in Washington and reached Miami. There are calls for her transfer from Havana. However, Huddleston in public has been an open critic of Castro's regime.

See: http://usembassy.state.gov/posts/cu1/wwwhhud.html

Other anticipated diplomatic changes are the Ambassador to the OAS, Luis J. Lauredo, and Assistant Secretary of State, Lula Rodriguez.

Q: Who monitors clandestine communications between Cuba and the United States?
R.L.D. Boulder, CO.

A: The National Security Agency (NSA). This super-secret agency has the task of monitoring all secret communications to and from this country. They keep a close eye on Cuba. In turn, the agency provides the FBI with information needed to do its counter-intelligence work.

See: http://www.nsa.gov/

Q: Why did Cuban Minister of Defense, Raul Castro, and Foreign Minister, Felipe Perez Roque, speak openly about the need to normalize diplomatic relations now, while Castro is still alive? Is that a threat?
F.D.E. Columbus, OH

A: Of course it is a threat to the United States]. What the Cuban officials did was to repeat in public a similar message sent by diplomatic avenues. Castro has promised to "behave" if the economic embargo is lifted. But Washington does not believe that he would. Everybody knows that Castro is very sick, but the US holds out the temporary suspension of the embargo for his successors. Washington does not think that the situation in Cuba will deteriorate after Castro's departure.

Diplomatic sources in Washington inform me that Cuba has signaled Yasser Arafat and other Arab leaders that is ready to send Cuban doctors to Palestine as soon as he receives a request to do so. A diplomatic observer told me "Arafat would be out of his mind if he took any step that might involve Cubans in the present conflict with Israel."

END

Si usted no es miembro de nuestra lista de distribución y quiere agregarse favor de ir a:
http://lists.guaracabuya.org/mailman/listinfo/lista y favor de seguir las instrucciones.
If you are not a member of our mailing list and wish to be included, please go to the following link:
http://lists.guaracabuya.org/mailman/listinfo/lista and follow the instructions.



---