FOR CUBANS, A NOT-SO-MERRY CHRISTMAS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HAVANA 000008

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE DEPT FOR WHA/CCA; ALSO FOR H

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/04/2017
TAGS: PHUM KDEM SOCI OREP CU
SUBJECT: FOR CUBANS, A NOT-SO-MERRY CHRISTMAS

REF: A. HAVANA 23616


B. HAVANA 00005

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Classified By: COM Michael Parmly for Reason 1.4(d).


1. (C) Summary: At year's end, USINT delivered a letter from
U.S. Congress members to Cuban human rights activists, and in
the process learned about the subdued holiday season in
Havana. The letter, a reply from December CODEL leaders
Reps. Jeff Flake and William Delahunt to a message from
activists Elizardo Sanchez, Vladimiro Roca and Martha Beatriz
Roque, underlines the Representatives' opposition to "U.S.
travel restrictions and other aspects of the embargo (that)
block contacts that we should be encouraging between our two
countries." The activists, who hoped for but did not receive
a visit from the Representatives during their December 15-17
stay in Havana, expressed gratitude for the prompt reply.
But at least one, Roque, reiterated that she does not support
any easing of travel restrictions. The activists expressed
regret over what they viewed as Havana's quietest Christmas
in years, and blamed a mix of frustration, depression and
lack of cash. That said, restaurants were packed, as were
churches. End Summary.


2. (C) On December 29, USINT delivered a letter (text sent to
WHA) from Representatives Jeff Flake and William Delahunt to
Elizardo Sanchez (of the Cuban Commission for Human Rights
and National Reconciliation),Vladimiro Roca (All United) and
Martha Beatriz Roque (Assembly to Promote Civil Society).
The fourth intended recipient, Gisela Delgado Sablon of the
Independent Libraries Project, was unavailable. In a
previous letter delivered December 17 to Reps. Flake and
Delahunt, the four activists stressed the importance of U.S.
assistance to Cuba's opposition, the flow of which seemed to
the activists to have slowed in the wake of the recently
released GAO report.


3. (C) In reply, Reps Flake and Delahunt thanked the
activists for their information on the reduced flow of aid,
and said they expected USAID's management of the Cuba program
to be improved. The Representatives also referred to a
November 23 public statement issued by the four activists,
"in which you call for an end to the restrictions that the
United States imposes on travel and the sending of aid to
Cuba. We agree that the elimination of those restrictions
would provide humanitarian and many other benefits to the
peoples of both our countries."


4. (C) The November 23 statement, which lacked precision and
sparked controversy among some Cuban exiles, was followed by
a press conference from Roque (Reftel A),who said that the
statement should not be misconstrued as an appeal to relax
overall travel restrictions, only such restrictions that
interfere with aid deliveries.

NOT-SO-MERRY CHRISTMAS
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5. (C) Sanchez, Roca and Roque described with sadness what
they saw as Havana's most low-energy Christmas in years.
Sanchez told us December 29 that celebrations in the Havana
area were noticeably subdued. He said many residents were
depressed, had little to celebrate and no money to spend on
festivities. He said divorce and migrations have divided
many Cuban families, and that at his home, where 14 family
members once lived, now live four people, the other 10 having
emigrated. Roca told us December 29 that Christmas
festivities were few and far between in his neighborhood of
New Vedado, and blamed widespread frustration, as well as the
breakdown of the family unit.

BUT NOT ALL WAS DREARY
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6. (SBU) Not all was dreary, however. Martha Beatriz Roque
used exile donations to prepare hundreds of gift packages for
neighbors and for families of political prisoners. Leading
Havana restaurants were packed with Cuban elites and the
families of visiting Cuban-Americans. (Israeli actress
Natalie Portman dined inconspicuously at La Guarida on
December 26.) Many Cubans of lesser means, but who could
nevertheless afford to purchase pork ($1 per pound),held a
traditional Christmas dinner at home. Others, including
those reliant entirely on the GOC for their income, made do
with such ration-card staples as rice, beans and roots
(yucca, sweet potatoes or, if lucky, regular potatoes).


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GOC HAILS "GREAT ODE TO HAPPINESS"
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7. (SBU) The GOC trumpeted the scattered News Years Eve
festivities, gushing in a January 2 article in Granma: "At
plazas and parks, esplanades and streets, a new and great ode
to happiness multiplied its echo across the length and width
of the country." This ode presumably referred to a number of
public concerts held over the holidays, including at the
"Anti-Imperialist Tribune" outside USINT. The GOC's other
tribute to the January 1 holiday - the 48th anniversary of
the triumph of the Cuban Revolution -- was the flying of
Cuban flags in front of USINT. By January 3 these were
replaced with the customary black flags with white stars.

CHURCHES THRONGED
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8. (C) Church services were well attended over the holidays.
Roque said the Christmas-Eve mass at her church was standing
room only. She observed: "When people don't have money to
celebrate, they tend to take refuge at church." At Havana's
Cathedral, Cardinal Ortega delivered a January 1 homily
(septel) that raised eyebrows with its repeated references to
human rights, a theme usually put forward with considerable
nuance, so as to preserve the Church's modus operandi in
communist Cuba.

COMMENT
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9. (C) General frustration among Cubans is prevalent and
pervasive, thanks to crumbling housing, inadequate
transportation systems, unrewarding work and the perpetual
hunt for food. Adding to this frustration was Fidel Castro's
New Years message (reftel B),which has the effect of
prolonging the indecision over Cuba's future that has
characterized the island since Raul Castro assumed control
last July 31.
PARMLY