COMSEC DISCUSSES FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY WITH CUBAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L HAVANA 000066 SIPDIS SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D COPY SECSTATE DELETED AS INFO ADDEE DEPT FOR WHA/CCA; NSC FOR DAN FISK E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/16/2017 TAGS: CU PGOV PHUM PINR PREL SUBJECT: COMSEC DISCUSSES FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY WITH CUBAN YOUTH Classified By: COM: Michael E. Parmly: For reasons 1.4 b/d ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: On 14 January Commerce Secretary Gutierrez spoke by video conference with 10 representatives of Cuban youth organizations. The participants discussed their desires for democracy and freedom. They also spoke about the prospects of achieving a democratic transition in Cuba and the image of the United States. Four current university students who were expected to participate in the conference never appeared at the US Interest Section in Havana for reasons that are yet to be discovered. One of the participants stated that after the event State Security officials questioned him about his participation in the conference. End Summary. ¶2. (C) SECCOM Gutierrez engaged in a dialogue with XXXXXXXXXXXX Four university students, whose participation was coordinated by Raul Capote Hernandez, never appeared. USINT is still trying to discover the reason why they did not show up. ¶3. (C) The participants spoke of their desire for freedom and democracy as well as the Cuban people's wish for improvements in their standard of living. XXXXXXXXXXXX described the farcical atmosphere of a meeting in his neighbourhood where government officials in the runup to the elections scheduled for January 20 instructed people that they could mark up the ballot in any way they choose and it would be counted unless they wrote something like "Down with Fidel" on it. The participants would like to have real options in a range of things from the candidates in elections to the food they can purchase. ¶4. (C) XXXXXXXXXXXX ,however, made it clear that dissidents can't speak for the entire Cuban people. In a subsequent discussion with POL officer, she elaborated that it would be a mistake to underestimate the effectiveness of GOC propaganda and the support the government has especially in poor communities and with some groups of University students. During the conference, XXXXXXXXXXXX described how it is clear that senior state security officials are well aware of how they are manipulating information, but many of the young security agents actually believe that dissidents are potential terrorists. XXXXXXXXXXXX told POL officer that many people, especially outside Havana,
are convinced that dissidents are being paid to plot terrorist acts and sabotage. Rodriguez del Toro, Sanchez and Juan Carlos Hernandez are from Santiago de Cuba. They were all involved in a widely publicized incident in December 2007 where police beat protesters on the grounds of a church in Santiago. ¶5. (C) In the conference, XXXXXXXXXXXX responded to questions about the attitude of the Cuban people toward the United States. She stated that years ago people tended to view both the government and the people of the United States as hostile towards Cuba. However, she now feels that even those who are suspicious of the Bush Administration, tend to have much more positive feelings toward the American people. She credits this to increased contact with actual Americans. Some participants mentioned the confusion over the role of the Committee for Assistance to a Free Cuba (CAFC). They alluded to the GOC's propaganda campaign and a notorious billboard that reads "Plan Bush: No More Morning Kiss" with a drawing of a mother not allowed to kiss her children as they head off for school. XXXXXXXXXXXX reiterated to Pol officer that even if GOC propaganda seems preposterous, it is effective with large segments of the population which have with little access to alternative information. ¶6. (C) XXXXXXXXXXXX also stated that often university students are afraid to speak to them although there is widespread support for the petition drive organized by E XXXXXXXXXXXX Frontiers to demand the opening of private universities. She said that now almost all of the organization's contact with university students is through third parties. She spoke of how after widespread protests in September, university students in Santiago de Cuba felt emboldened because they achieved some improvements in their living conditions. However, protest activity has died down because students are afraid of expulsion. She indicated that there is still widespread discontent on campus on account of the dilapidated dormitories, the poor food, and the presence of many unqualified professors. A particular sore spot is the considerably better food and lodging provided to the foreign students. She said that Cuban students are not even allowed to visit the dormitories of foreign students. XXXXXXXXXXXX often points out that the regime is well aware that all of the significant revolutions in Cuban history started with student movements and that the GOC keeps a close watch on what happens in the universities. ¶6. (C) XXXXXXXXXXXX stated that on 15 January two plainclothes agents from state security came to his Havana home and said that they knew he had participated in a video conference with SECCOM and wanted the names of the other participants. XXXXXXXXXXXX stated that he was told to appear in court on 21 January but will not do so unless he receives an official written citation. All of the other participants state that after the video conference they have not been contacted to the police or GOC officials. Rodriguez del Toro said that she expects that all the members of her group will be detained as soon as they arrive back in Santiago. PARMLY