LEADING DISSIDENT TELLS US NOT TO UNDERESTIMATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L HAVANA 000337

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR WHA/CCA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/22/2017
TAGS: CU PGOV PHUM PINR PREL
SUBJECT: LEADING DISSIDENT TELLS US NOT TO UNDERESTIMATE
CUBA'S PROPAGANDA MACHINE

REF: A. HAVANA 305


B. HAVANA 333

C. HAVANA 336

Classified By: COM: Michael E. Parmly : For reasons 1.4 b/d


1. (C) Summary: Prominent pro-democracy advocate, Martha
Beatriz Roque (MBR),carefully watched official Cuban news
coverage of the 4/21 police action to break up a
demonstration by the organization Damas de Blanco ("Ladies in
White"). She stated that while the coverage seems clumsy and
hastily slapped together, it is effective to many Cubans who
have limited access to information. She pointed out that
accusations that opposition organizations are being
manipulated by the US government may seem preposterous, but
cautioned that accusations such as ties to Luis Posada
Carriles, will have resonance with some segments of the Cuban
population. End summary
.

2. (C) Martha Beatriz Roque, one of Cuba's most outspoken
opposition figures and the only women arrested in the
crackdown against dissidents in 2003, spoke to Com and Poloff
on 22 April. She reviewed in great detail the coverage on
Cuba state media of the police on 4/21 forcefully breaking up
the demonstration of Damas de Blanco ("Ladies in White"). She
noted that the anchorman used the masculine form of
"counter-revolutionaries" to refer to the Damas, even though
all the participants were women. She also noted that they
showed one after another three women identified as a
"student", a "worker" and a "housewife" stating that they
spontaneously had to express their outrage when they happened
to observe the "counter-revolutionaries" and "agents of the
empire" desecrating the historic Revolution Square. MBR then
said that the coverage used voice-over of a tapped
conversation between Congressperson Ileana Ros-Lehtinen with
photographs of USINT COM Michael Parmly greeting dissidents
at various receptions. There was an insert of hands passing
large amounts of American dollars. When the anchormen spoke
of the "Miami mafia", there was footage of a para-military
group distributing rifles. The report ended with mention of
connections between Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and "known terrorist"
Luis Posada Carriles.


3. (C) MBR stated that the news report was hastily put
together and clearly just threw out a variety of images
without demonstrating any logical connection. However, she
advised that a wide range of Cubans are upset about the issue
of Posada Carriles and this propaganda campaign can damage
the image of the opposition and the US government in the
minds of some Cubans. She did say that offsetting this is
the fact that nearly all Cubans know about Damas de Blanco
and respect the organization.


4. (C) MBR's newly formed unity coalition, Agenda for
Transition (see reftel) swiftly sent out a statement
condemning the police action. She also remarked that she has
been invited to discuss the issue at the French Embassy. MBR
also has been invited to address the monthly meeting of the
missions of the EU countries to discuss human rights in Cuba.
MBR tries to communicate frequently with the representatives
of the EU because she views that they are in a difficult
position given Spain's push to engage the Cuban government.
She also related that she had heard from a source she did not
identify that the Vatican had promised the GOC that the Pope
would ask President Bush to end the economic embargo.


5. (C) MBR noted that during the press conference of April
10 to discuss the unity meeting of opposition groups, media
pressed her on the question of the embargo, a subject that
divides the opposition. MBR on such occasions always states
that the main objective is the end the GOC's fifty year old
embargo on the rights of the Cuban people.


6. (C) Comment: When MBR, one of the fiercest critics of
the GOC, advises that a seemingly absurd propaganda campaign
by the GOC, is being effective, she should be listened to.

PARMLY