Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08HAVANA518
2008-07-03 21:59:00
CONFIDENTIAL
US Interests Section Havana
Cable title:
GOC ROUNDS UP DISSIDENTS IN ADVANCE OF USINT 4TH
how-toVZCZCXRO9776 OO RUEHAG RUEHROV DE RUEHUB #0518 1852159 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 032159Z JUL 08 FM USINT HAVANA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3453 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS PRIORITY RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L HAVANA 000518
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/03/2013
TAGS: PGOV PHUM CU
SUBJECT: GOC ROUNDS UP DISSIDENTS IN ADVANCE OF USINT 4TH
OF JULY RECEPTION
REF: HAVANA 515 (NOTAL)
Classified By: COM Michael E Parmly for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L HAVANA 000518
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/03/2013
TAGS: PGOV PHUM CU
SUBJECT: GOC ROUNDS UP DISSIDENTS IN ADVANCE OF USINT 4TH
OF JULY RECEPTION
REF: HAVANA 515 (NOTAL)
Classified By: COM Michael E Parmly for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) SUMMARY: As feared following yesterday's attack on
USINT activities by MINREX (Reftel),the GOC has begun to
threaten, harass, and detain dissidents who planned to attend
the 4th of July reception tomorrow. USINT has gotten the
names of 7 individuals who have been detained, others are
reported to be under virtual house arrest, and still others
have been warned not to attend the reception. The only major
group that seems not to have been touched yet is the Damas de
Blanco. We do not expect the detentions to last much longer
than the end time for the reception.
2. (SBU) At approximately 0500, the first of several
dissidents, Leonardo Bruzon, was picked up by police at his
home. Later, at 0600, Liberal Party leader Franciso Chaviano
was taken from his home by three men dressed in olive drab
uniforms. At the same time, Jorge Luis Perez Garcia
(Antunez),his wife Iris, Alejandro Tur, and Carlos Cordero
were picked up at Cordero's home in the Vedado section of
Havana, and Rene Montes de Oca was picked up at his home.
The original information on these detentions was provided by
Martha Beatriz Roca (MBR),but her phones and those of almost
all of USINT's other dissident contacts have been cut off, so
we are unaware of their current whereabouts. Numerous
contacts from outside Havana have called to say that police
are preventing them from leaving their homes. An attempt to
visit dissident education leader Roberto de Miranda in his
home was turned away by police stationed there. P/E
Counselor spoke with one of the Damas de Blanco staying at
the house of leading Dama Laura Pollan and was told that none
of the Damas had been detained or harassed at this point.
Pollan herself was visiting husband Hector Maseda in prison.
3. (C) Meeting with COM and P/E Counselor last night, MBR and
Vladimiro Roca previewed today's events, arguing that the
MINREX statement threatening USINT (reftel) was actually
directed at them. They noted that what the statement really
said was that USINT should be held responsible for whatever
happened to the dissidents. This, they said, was the same
tactic the GOC had employed just before the March 2003 arrest
of 75 dissidents (55 of whom remain in prison) known as the
"Black Spring." Before contact with him was cut off, Roca
reportedly told the press tongue in cheek that the GOC action
was its way of thanking the EU for lifting sanctions against
Cuba. Roca and MBR were planning to host a meeting of their
"Agenda para la Transicion" on July 3, which they had no
intention of postponing. They also promised to be at the
USINT 4th of July reception on Friday. It will be a pleasant
surprise if they show up in the end.
4. (C) COMMENT: After the MINREX statement of July 2, this
round-up of dissidents is no surprise. The statement
contained a clear warning that the GOC was planning to stop
an alleged plot by USINT to launch dissidents into the
streets to protest as part of the 4th of July reception. The
parallels with March 2003 are strong, but we think the
reaction will be different this time. For one thing, in
March 2003 the commencement of the US invasion of Iraq
generated some real fear in the regime of then-President
Fidel Castro that Cuba would be next. Even more importantly,
however, arresting and sentencing to long prison terms 75
individuals whose only crime was speaking out against the GOC
was something more characteristic of Fidel himself. Current
President Raul Castro and his government evidently fears the
possible activities of the dissidents greatly, but we do not
believe that those detained today will be held much beyond
the ending time of the 4th of July reception. If they are
held longer it may indicate an even higher level of unease
about possible popular unrest on the part of the regime.
Nevertheless, the sweep is a reminder to an increasingly
restive population that the GOC can muzzle opposition members
in short order anytime it pleases.
PARMLY
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/03/2013
TAGS: PGOV PHUM CU
SUBJECT: GOC ROUNDS UP DISSIDENTS IN ADVANCE OF USINT 4TH
OF JULY RECEPTION
REF: HAVANA 515 (NOTAL)
Classified By: COM Michael E Parmly for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) SUMMARY: As feared following yesterday's attack on
USINT activities by MINREX (Reftel),the GOC has begun to
threaten, harass, and detain dissidents who planned to attend
the 4th of July reception tomorrow. USINT has gotten the
names of 7 individuals who have been detained, others are
reported to be under virtual house arrest, and still others
have been warned not to attend the reception. The only major
group that seems not to have been touched yet is the Damas de
Blanco. We do not expect the detentions to last much longer
than the end time for the reception.
2. (SBU) At approximately 0500, the first of several
dissidents, Leonardo Bruzon, was picked up by police at his
home. Later, at 0600, Liberal Party leader Franciso Chaviano
was taken from his home by three men dressed in olive drab
uniforms. At the same time, Jorge Luis Perez Garcia
(Antunez),his wife Iris, Alejandro Tur, and Carlos Cordero
were picked up at Cordero's home in the Vedado section of
Havana, and Rene Montes de Oca was picked up at his home.
The original information on these detentions was provided by
Martha Beatriz Roca (MBR),but her phones and those of almost
all of USINT's other dissident contacts have been cut off, so
we are unaware of their current whereabouts. Numerous
contacts from outside Havana have called to say that police
are preventing them from leaving their homes. An attempt to
visit dissident education leader Roberto de Miranda in his
home was turned away by police stationed there. P/E
Counselor spoke with one of the Damas de Blanco staying at
the house of leading Dama Laura Pollan and was told that none
of the Damas had been detained or harassed at this point.
Pollan herself was visiting husband Hector Maseda in prison.
3. (C) Meeting with COM and P/E Counselor last night, MBR and
Vladimiro Roca previewed today's events, arguing that the
MINREX statement threatening USINT (reftel) was actually
directed at them. They noted that what the statement really
said was that USINT should be held responsible for whatever
happened to the dissidents. This, they said, was the same
tactic the GOC had employed just before the March 2003 arrest
of 75 dissidents (55 of whom remain in prison) known as the
"Black Spring." Before contact with him was cut off, Roca
reportedly told the press tongue in cheek that the GOC action
was its way of thanking the EU for lifting sanctions against
Cuba. Roca and MBR were planning to host a meeting of their
"Agenda para la Transicion" on July 3, which they had no
intention of postponing. They also promised to be at the
USINT 4th of July reception on Friday. It will be a pleasant
surprise if they show up in the end.
4. (C) COMMENT: After the MINREX statement of July 2, this
round-up of dissidents is no surprise. The statement
contained a clear warning that the GOC was planning to stop
an alleged plot by USINT to launch dissidents into the
streets to protest as part of the 4th of July reception. The
parallels with March 2003 are strong, but we think the
reaction will be different this time. For one thing, in
March 2003 the commencement of the US invasion of Iraq
generated some real fear in the regime of then-President
Fidel Castro that Cuba would be next. Even more importantly,
however, arresting and sentencing to long prison terms 75
individuals whose only crime was speaking out against the GOC
was something more characteristic of Fidel himself. Current
President Raul Castro and his government evidently fears the
possible activities of the dissidents greatly, but we do not
believe that those detained today will be held much beyond
the ending time of the 4th of July reception. If they are
held longer it may indicate an even higher level of unease
about possible popular unrest on the part of the regime.
Nevertheless, the sweep is a reminder to an increasingly
restive population that the GOC can muzzle opposition members
in short order anytime it pleases.
PARMLY