Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08HAVANA391
2008-05-19 21:30:00
CONFIDENTIAL
US Interests Section Havana
Cable title:
CUBAN GOVERNMENT HEATS UP PROPAGANDA WAR
how-toVZCZCXRO8055 OO RUEHAO RUEHCD RUEHGA RUEHGD RUEHHA RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHQU RUEHRD RUEHRG RUEHRS RUEHTM RUEHVC DE RUEHUB #0391 1402130 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 192130Z MAY 08 FM USINT HAVANA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3248 INFO RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS IMMEDIATE RUCOGCA/NAVSTA GUANTANAMO BAY CU 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 RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RUCOWCV/CCGDSEVEN MIAMI FL IMMEDIATE RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3249
C O N F I D E N T I A L HAVANA 000391
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR WHA/CCA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/18/2017
TAGS: CU PGOV PHUM PINR PREL
SUBJECT: CUBAN GOVERNMENT HEATS UP PROPAGANDA WAR
Classified By: A/COM: James L. Williams: For reasons 1.4 b/d
C O N F I D E N T I A L HAVANA 000391
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR WHA/CCA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/18/2017
TAGS: CU PGOV PHUM PINR PREL
SUBJECT: CUBAN GOVERNMENT HEATS UP PROPAGANDA WAR
Classified By: A/COM: James L. Williams: For reasons 1.4 b/d
1. (C) Summary: On May 19 the Cuban government held a press
conference to make accusations that USINT employees are
involved in directly distributing funds from private
organizations, including some with alleged terrorist ties, to
"counter-revolutionaries" in Cuba. Documents obtained
clandestinely as well as photographs and excerpts of
surreptitiously taped telephone conversations were presented.
Noted pro-democracy activist, Martha Beatriz Roque (MBR),
the subject of many of these accusations, stated that she
could not access her e-mail accounts and that her cell phone
was not working. Believing that many of these documents were
obtainted from the USINT IRC she frequents, MBR stated that
she intends to have no further contact with USINT. End
Summary.
2. (C) During the press conference officials of both the
Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
presented a series of documents -- most of them intercepted
e-mails -- in an effort to demonstrate a link between funds
provided by a "terrorist" currently serving time in a Florida
prison for arms possession, Santiago Alvarez
Fernandez-Marina, and several Cuban dissidents, including
MBR, Jorge Luis Garcia Perez ("Antunez"),and Laura Pollan,
spokesperson for the "Ladies in White" (Damas de Blanco).
Alvarez allegedly helped smuggle suspected terrorist Luis
Posada Carriles into the US and operates a private charity
with tax-exempt status in Florida called the Fundacion
Rescate Juridico.
3. (C) Although the alleged connections seemed tenuous, the
officials accused USINT Chief of Mission Michael Parmly of
carrying funds from Fundacion Rescate Juridico and giving the
money to MBR. They also played excerpts of telephone
conversations between MBR and USINT officials Paula Mendez,
POL/ECON Political Assistant, and Economic Officer Ramon
"Chico" Negron. The GOC officials cited both employees by
name, and showed a picture of Negron. Mendez and Negron were
heard speaking briefly with MBR about some of her recent
activities.
4. (C) The documents showed MBR acknowledging the receipt of
some kind of assistance, although not clearly cash, from the
organization in question. There was also a letter from MBR
to the lawyers of Alvarez expressing support. The GOC
officials also showed video of MBR calmly walking up the
stairs of a police bus juxtaposed with audio of her
describing to Radio Marti that she was thrown inside "like a
sack of potatoes".
5. (C) MBR told Charge that at least one of the documents
presented was one that had gone missing after MBR asked a
local employee in USINT's Internet center to copy or scan it.
She identified two other documents as having been scanned at
USINT and sent from USINT's Internet center. MBR stated to
charge that she would end contact with USINT as the result of
these events. She however plans to attend an event on May 21
at the home of the Public Affairs Officer to view a live
broadcast of White House activities in honor of "Cuban
Solidarity Day."
6. (C) On May 19 and 20 the GOC plans to devote its nightly
"Mesa Redonda" newscasts to this issue. USINT will monitor
the situation.
WILLIAMS
PARMLY
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR WHA/CCA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/18/2017
TAGS: CU PGOV PHUM PINR PREL
SUBJECT: CUBAN GOVERNMENT HEATS UP PROPAGANDA WAR
Classified By: A/COM: James L. Williams: For reasons 1.4 b/d
1. (C) Summary: On May 19 the Cuban government held a press
conference to make accusations that USINT employees are
involved in directly distributing funds from private
organizations, including some with alleged terrorist ties, to
"counter-revolutionaries" in Cuba. Documents obtained
clandestinely as well as photographs and excerpts of
surreptitiously taped telephone conversations were presented.
Noted pro-democracy activist, Martha Beatriz Roque (MBR),
the subject of many of these accusations, stated that she
could not access her e-mail accounts and that her cell phone
was not working. Believing that many of these documents were
obtainted from the USINT IRC she frequents, MBR stated that
she intends to have no further contact with USINT. End
Summary.
2. (C) During the press conference officials of both the
Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
presented a series of documents -- most of them intercepted
e-mails -- in an effort to demonstrate a link between funds
provided by a "terrorist" currently serving time in a Florida
prison for arms possession, Santiago Alvarez
Fernandez-Marina, and several Cuban dissidents, including
MBR, Jorge Luis Garcia Perez ("Antunez"),and Laura Pollan,
spokesperson for the "Ladies in White" (Damas de Blanco).
Alvarez allegedly helped smuggle suspected terrorist Luis
Posada Carriles into the US and operates a private charity
with tax-exempt status in Florida called the Fundacion
Rescate Juridico.
3. (C) Although the alleged connections seemed tenuous, the
officials accused USINT Chief of Mission Michael Parmly of
carrying funds from Fundacion Rescate Juridico and giving the
money to MBR. They also played excerpts of telephone
conversations between MBR and USINT officials Paula Mendez,
POL/ECON Political Assistant, and Economic Officer Ramon
"Chico" Negron. The GOC officials cited both employees by
name, and showed a picture of Negron. Mendez and Negron were
heard speaking briefly with MBR about some of her recent
activities.
4. (C) The documents showed MBR acknowledging the receipt of
some kind of assistance, although not clearly cash, from the
organization in question. There was also a letter from MBR
to the lawyers of Alvarez expressing support. The GOC
officials also showed video of MBR calmly walking up the
stairs of a police bus juxtaposed with audio of her
describing to Radio Marti that she was thrown inside "like a
sack of potatoes".
5. (C) MBR told Charge that at least one of the documents
presented was one that had gone missing after MBR asked a
local employee in USINT's Internet center to copy or scan it.
She identified two other documents as having been scanned at
USINT and sent from USINT's Internet center. MBR stated to
charge that she would end contact with USINT as the result of
these events. She however plans to attend an event on May 21
at the home of the Public Affairs Officer to view a live
broadcast of White House activities in honor of "Cuban
Solidarity Day."
6. (C) On May 19 and 20 the GOC plans to devote its nightly
"Mesa Redonda" newscasts to this issue. USINT will monitor
the situation.
WILLIAMS
PARMLY