Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07HAVANA1094
2007-11-23 23:13:00
CONFIDENTIAL
US Interests Section Havana
Cable title:
CUBAN DISSIDENT LEADER ANTUNEZ RECEIVING
how-toVZCZCXRO4275 OO RUEHAO RUEHCD RUEHGA RUEHGD RUEHHA RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHQU RUEHRD RUEHRG RUEHRS RUEHTM RUEHVC DE RUEHUB #1094 3272313 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 232313Z NOV 07 FM USINT HAVANA TO RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID IMMEDIATE 0110 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA IMMEDIATE 0026 RUEHDG/AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO IMMEDIATE 0015 RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2528 INFO RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS IMMEDIATE RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL IMMEDIATE RUCOGCA/COMNAVBASE GUANTANAMO BAY CU IMMEDIATE RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RUCOWCV/CCGDSEVEN MIAMI FL IMMEDIATE RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2529
C O N F I D E N T I A L HAVANA 001094
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR WHA/CCA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/24/2017
TAGS: CU PGOV PHUM PINR PREL
SUBJECT: CUBAN DISSIDENT LEADER ANTUNEZ RECEIVING
COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL TESTING
REF: A. HAVANA 1081
B. HAVANA 1087
Classified By: COM: Michael E. Parmly: For reasons 1.4 b/d
C O N F I D E N T I A L HAVANA 001094
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR WHA/CCA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/24/2017
TAGS: CU PGOV PHUM PINR PREL
SUBJECT: CUBAN DISSIDENT LEADER ANTUNEZ RECEIVING
COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL TESTING
REF: A. HAVANA 1081
B. HAVANA 1087
Classified By: COM: Michael E. Parmly: For reasons 1.4 b/d
1. (C) SUMMARY: Further to Reftel, dissident figure Jorge
Luis Garcia Perez ("Antunez") on 22 November entered the
intensive care unit of Hospital Nacional in Havana.
Opposition leader Martha Beatriz Roque (MBR) believes that he
is receiving quality care and a thorough battery of medical
tests. Antunez has not decided whether to seek further
treatment abroad. End Summary.
2. (C) On 22 November MBR notified COM that Antunez had
entered the Hospital Nacional that day. She stated the
doctors gave him an electro-cardiogram, MRI, nuclear medical
test, ultra-sound of his digestive tract and various blood
tests. She reported these results as inconclusive. On
November 23, at a time COM was scheduled to visit Antunez,
the attending physicians sent him to Havana's Cardiac
Institute for further testing. Doctors told MBR that his
blood circulation was slow and that they were concerned that
an inadequate supply of blood was going to the brain. The
medical staff there performed several cardiac and cerebral
tests. The doctors are still analyzing the results. Antunez
then returned to Hospital Nacional. MBR believes that
Antunez will be in the hospital at least another week.
3. (C) MBR stated she was satisfied that the hospital was
very clean and that Antunez is in a private room with a
private bathroom. The hospital director asked MBR to remove
from Antunez's room a radio, a cell phone and a laptop
stating that these things could interfere with hospital
equipment and that Antunez should be in a stress free
environment. MBR complied with this request.
4. (C) MBR expressed confidence in the treatment that
Antunez is receiving. She stated that the Hospital Director
Dr. Carrido stated in front of Antunez, MBR and his staff
that the entire medical team was "against the revolution."
5. (C) MBR said that a representative for the Embassy of
the Netherlands would visit Antunez on Monday. She also
stated that she had spoken to the Spanish DCM and that the
Spanish were interested in the case. Antunez is still
weighing whether he wants to pursue further medical care in
the Dominican Republic, the US or Spain. We will try to
visit Antunez this weekend, and will continue to monitor
Antunez's progress.
6. (C) Comment: To be admitted into one of the better
hospitals, and be given a private room and bath, without
being a regime insider, is indeed a rarity in Cuba,
especially for a well-known dissident like Antunez. We are
confident that this was only possible by orders from the
upper echelons of the GOC.
PARMLY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR WHA/CCA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/24/2017
TAGS: CU PGOV PHUM PINR PREL
SUBJECT: CUBAN DISSIDENT LEADER ANTUNEZ RECEIVING
COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL TESTING
REF: A. HAVANA 1081
B. HAVANA 1087
Classified By: COM: Michael E. Parmly: For reasons 1.4 b/d
1. (C) SUMMARY: Further to Reftel, dissident figure Jorge
Luis Garcia Perez ("Antunez") on 22 November entered the
intensive care unit of Hospital Nacional in Havana.
Opposition leader Martha Beatriz Roque (MBR) believes that he
is receiving quality care and a thorough battery of medical
tests. Antunez has not decided whether to seek further
treatment abroad. End Summary.
2. (C) On 22 November MBR notified COM that Antunez had
entered the Hospital Nacional that day. She stated the
doctors gave him an electro-cardiogram, MRI, nuclear medical
test, ultra-sound of his digestive tract and various blood
tests. She reported these results as inconclusive. On
November 23, at a time COM was scheduled to visit Antunez,
the attending physicians sent him to Havana's Cardiac
Institute for further testing. Doctors told MBR that his
blood circulation was slow and that they were concerned that
an inadequate supply of blood was going to the brain. The
medical staff there performed several cardiac and cerebral
tests. The doctors are still analyzing the results. Antunez
then returned to Hospital Nacional. MBR believes that
Antunez will be in the hospital at least another week.
3. (C) MBR stated she was satisfied that the hospital was
very clean and that Antunez is in a private room with a
private bathroom. The hospital director asked MBR to remove
from Antunez's room a radio, a cell phone and a laptop
stating that these things could interfere with hospital
equipment and that Antunez should be in a stress free
environment. MBR complied with this request.
4. (C) MBR expressed confidence in the treatment that
Antunez is receiving. She stated that the Hospital Director
Dr. Carrido stated in front of Antunez, MBR and his staff
that the entire medical team was "against the revolution."
5. (C) MBR said that a representative for the Embassy of
the Netherlands would visit Antunez on Monday. She also
stated that she had spoken to the Spanish DCM and that the
Spanish were interested in the case. Antunez is still
weighing whether he wants to pursue further medical care in
the Dominican Republic, the US or Spain. We will try to
visit Antunez this weekend, and will continue to monitor
Antunez's progress.
6. (C) Comment: To be admitted into one of the better
hospitals, and be given a private room and bath, without
being a regime insider, is indeed a rarity in Cuba,
especially for a well-known dissident like Antunez. We are
confident that this was only possible by orders from the
upper echelons of the GOC.
PARMLY