IT'S NOT ALL BLACK AND WHITE

C O N F I D E N T I A L HAVANA 000317 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/29/2014 TAGS: PREF ECON PREL CU SUBJECT: IT'S NOT ALL BLACK AND WHITE REF: A. 08 HAVANA 542 ¶B. 08 HAVANA 796 ¶C. HAVANA 196 Classified By: CHIEF OF MISSION JONATHAN FARRAR FOR REASON 1.4 B AND D. ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: A SURVEY BY USINT OF REFUGEE APPLICANTS REVEALS WIDESPREAD AGREEMENT AMONG RESPONDENTS THAT ALL RACES ARE NOT TREATED EQUALLY IN CUBA. THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS COULD NOT NAME AN AFRO-DESCENDENT LEADER, A REFLECTION OF THE DEARTH OF AFRO-CUBANS IN POSITIONS OF POWER AND THE LACK OF AWARENESS OF AFRO-CUBAN OPPOSITION FIGURES. MOST RESPONDENTS ALSO LEFT BLANK A QUESTION ASKING FOR WHOM THEY WOULD VOTE FOR PRESIDENT OF CUBA IF THEY COULD VOTE FOR ANYONE, SUGGESTING THAT THE CUBANS WE INTERVIEWED ARE REPRESSED, AFRAID, AND IGNORANT OF OPPOSITION FIGURES. THEIR SURVIVAL MECHANISM IS TO TUNE OUT ALL POLITICS AND TRY TO ESCAPE THE ISLAND. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) FROM APRIL 15-MAY 10, USINT'S REFUGEE UNIT CONDUCTED ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEWS OF 262 ADULT (OVER 21) APPLICANTS FOR REFUGEE STATUS TO COMPARE SOCIOECONOMIC DATA OF AFRO-DESCENDENT AND WHITE CUBAN FAMILIES AND TO ASSESS PERCEPTIONS ABOUT RACIAL EQUALITY IN CUBA. OF THE 262 RESPONDENTS, 154 WERE MEN AND 108 WOMEN; 219 WERE WHITE AND 43 WERE AFRO-DESCENDENT; 190 CAME FROM OUTSIDE HAVANA, AND 72 FROM HAVANA. THE SURVEY DID NOT CONTAIN A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF ALL CUBANS BUT RATHER WAS CONFINED TO THOSE CUBANS SEEKING TO LEAVE THE ISLAND AND CLAIMING PERSECUTION. THIS WAS THE FOURTH IN AN ONGOING SERIES OF SURVEYS (SEE REFTELS). AFTER THE RESULTS WERE TABULATED, USINT REFUGEE COORDINATOR AND USINT POLITICAL ASSISTANT DISCUSSED THE SURVEY FINDINGS WITH FORMER POLITICAL PRISONER AND ECONOMIST OSCAR ESPINOSA CHEPE, INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST JORGE OLIVERA, AND INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST MIRIAM LEYVA, WHO GAVE THEIR OWN INTERPRETATIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS OF THE SURVEY RESPONSES. CHEPE COMMENTED AT THE OUTSET THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF CUBA'S 2002 CENSUS INDICATES THAT 65 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION IS WHITE, TEN PERCENT AFRO-DESCENDENT, AND 25 PERCENT MESTIZO. CHEPE SCOFFED AT THESE FIGURES AND CLAIMED THAT IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT AT LEAST HALF OF CUBA'S POPULATION IS OF AFRO-CUBAN DESCENT. ¶3. (C) THE FIRST QUESTION ASKED RESPONDENTS TO INDICATE THEIR LEVEL OF EDUCATION. THE MAJORITY OF AFRO-CUBANS AND WHITE CUBANS IN OUR SURVEY HAVE BETWEEN 7-9 OR 10-12 YEARS OF SCHOOLING. FIVE PERCENT OF AFRO-CUBANS AND EIGHT PERCENT OF WHITE CUBANS CLAIMED UNIVERSITY EDUCATION. COMMENT: ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF CUBANS ARE ALLOWED TO ATTEND UNIVERSITY, AND GENERALLY PLACES ARE RESERVED FOR THOSE WITH SUFFICIENT REVOLUTIONARY CREDENTIALS. MOST OF OUR REFUGEE APPLICANTS DO NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND UNIVERSITY, BECAUSE THEY ARE CONSIDERED COUNTERREVOLUTIONARIES. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT OUR SAMPLE WAS TOO SMALL TO REVEAL WHAT WE UNDERSTAND ANECDOTALLY IS THE ACTUAL CASE, THAT UNIVERSITY STUDENT BODIES ARE MAJORITY WHITE. MOREOVER, OLIVERA COMMENTED THAT AFRO-DESCENDENT UNIVERSITY STUDENTS TEND TO HAVE A HARDER TIME GETTING DECENT JOBS AFTER GRADUATING THAN DO THEIR WHITE COUNTERPARTS. CHEPE NOTED THAT AFRO-DESCENDENTS TEND TO BE POORER AND SURVIVE UNDER MORE DIFFICULT LIVING CONDITIONS THAN LIGHTER COMPLEXIONED CUBANS, WHICH IN TURN AFFECTS THEIR EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT LEVELS. MANY OF OUR POORER REFUGEE APPLICANTS HAVE TOLD US THEY LEFT SCHOOL AT AN EARLY AGE, FOR INSTANCE, BECAUSE THEY HAD TO WORK TO HELP THE FAMILY. END COMMENT. ¶4. (C) THE SECOND QUESTION ASKED RESPONDENTS TO INDICATE THEIR PROFESSION. AMONG THE AFRO-DESCENDENT RESPONDENTS, 44 PERCENT SAID THEY WORKED FOR THE STATE; 2 PERCENT SAID THEY HAD A LICENSE TO WORK PRIVATELY; 65 PERCENT SAID THEY WERE WORKING ON THE SIDE WITHOUT A LICENSE (ILLEGALLY); 2 PERCENT SAID THEY WERE PENSIONERS; AND 21 PERCENT CLAIMED TO BE HOUSEWIVES. NONE SAID THEY WERE UNEMPLOYED OR STUDENTS. NOTE: THE RESPONSES COLLECTIVELY TOTAL MORE THAN 100 PERCENT BECAUSE WE ALLOWED RESPONDENTS TO CHOOSE MORE THAN ONE CATEGORY. SOME RESPONDENTS, FOR INSTANCE, BOTH WORK FOR THE STATE AND ON THE SIDE. END NOTE. AMONG THE WHITE RESPONDENTS, 27 PERCENT REPORTED WORKING FOR THE STATE; 3 PERCENT REPORTED WORKING WITH A LICENSE; 67 PERCENT REPORTED WORKING ON THE SIDE (ILLEGALLY); 5 PERCENT WERE PENSIONERS; 13 PERCENT SAID THEY WERE HOUSEWIVES; AND 1 PERCENT REPORTED BEING STUDENTS. COMMENT: THE RESPONSES INDICATE THAT WHITES ARE SLIGHTLY MORE LIKELY THAN AFRO-DESCENDENTS TO BE GRANTED A LICENSE TO ENGAGE IN PRIVATE ENTERPRISE, BUT VERY FEW CUBANS ARE GRANTED THEIR LICENSE REQUESTS. FOR THIS REASON, AND BECAUSE STATE SALARIES ARE SO LOW, WE FIND THAT ABOUT 66 PERCENT OF THE CUBANS IN OUR SURVEY (BOTH AFRO-DESCENDENT AND WHITE) ARE WORKING ON THE SIDE ILLEGALLY TO TRY TO MAKE ENDS MEET. CHEPE COMMENTED THAT THE CUBAN ECONOMY IS IN A CRISIS AND IN HIS VIEW CUBA IS ENTERING ANOTHER "SPECIAL PERIOD" LIKE THE ONE THAT FOLLOWED THE END OF SOVIET SUBSIDIES, WHICH RESULTED IN SERIOUS ECONOMIC DISLOCATIONS, SCARCITIES OF FOOD AND CONSUMER PRODUCTS, AND HARDSHIPS FOR CUBAN FAMILIES. CORROBORATING CHEPE'S ANALYSIS ABOUT THE WEAK CUBAN ECONOMY, THE GOC PUBLISHED WARNINGS THIS WEEK THAT THE POPULATION WAS USING TOO MUCH ENERGY, MORE THAN THE COUNTRY COULD AFFORD, AND THAT POWER OUTAGES WOULD SOON OCCUR. END COMMENT. ¶5. (C) THE NEXT QUESTION ASKED RESPONDENTS TO STATE THEIR MONTHLY SALARY IN NATIONAL PESOS. ABOUT 24 NATIONAL PESOS EQUALS 1 USD. AMONG THE AFRO-DESCENDENT RESPONDENTS, 63 PERCENT SAID THEY EARNED 0-250 PESOS; 19 PERCENT SAID THEY EARNED BETWEEN 251-450 PESOS; 16 PERCENT SAID THEY EARNED 451-650 PESOS; NO RESPONDENTS EARNED BETWEEN 651-1000; AND ONE RESPONDENT (2 PERCENT) REPORTED EARNING OVER 1000 PESOS/MONTH. AMONG THE WHITE RESPONDENTS, 68 PERCENT REPORTED A SALARY OF 0-250 PESOS; 26 PERCENT REPORTED EARNING 251-450 PESOS; 4 PERCENT REPORTED EARNING 451-650 PESOS; 1 PERCENT REPORTED EARNING 651-1000 PESOS; AND 1 PERCENT REPORTED EARNING OVER 1000 PESOS PER MONTH. COMMENT: THE DATA SHOW SIMILAR SALARIES FOR AFRO-DESCENDENTS AND WHITES. THE MAJORITY OF CUBANS WE SURVEYED ARE EARNING 250 PESOS OR LESS PER MONTH, WHICH IS ONLY ABOUT 11 USD. CHEPE POINTED OUT THAT FOR THIS REASON, MOST CUBANS STEAL FROM THEIR EMPLOYER; THEFT HAS BECOME "THE NATIONAL SPORT" AND THERE HAS BEEN AN ACCOMPANYING AND LAMENTABLE LOSS OF MORAL VALUES IN THE SOCIETY. MIRIAM LEYVA NOTED THAT WHITES HAVE BETTER JOBS AND OFTEN HANDLE MONEY OR GOODS AND THUS HAVE OPPORTUNITITES TO SIPHON OFF FROM THEIR EMPLOYER DISCREETLY. IN CONTRAST, AFRO-DESCENDENTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE ENGAGED IN MANUAL LABOR, WITH NO CHANCE TO STEAL CASH OR GOODS FROM THE JOB. THUS, THEY ARE MORE PRONE TO ROB SOMEONE AND/OR TO USE VIOLENCE TO GET WHAT THEY NEED, AND FOR THIS REASON ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE JAILED, SHE SAID. OLIVERA NOTED THAT HIGH-PAYING TOURISM INDUSTRY JOBS ARE OCCUPIED ALMOST SOLELY BY WHITES, IN WHAT AMOUNTS TO BLATANT RACIAL DISCRIMINATION BY THE GOC. CHEPE CHIMED IN THAT WHEN HE WAS JAILED FOR POLITICAL REASONS, AN ESTIMATED 80 PERCENT OF HIS FELLOW INMATES WERE AFRO-DESCENDENTS. OLIVERA COMMENTED THAT A VERY HIGH PERCENTAGE OF AFRO-DESCENDENT CUBAN FAMILIES HAVE AT LEAST ONE FAMILY MEMBER IN JAIL. HE ADDED THAT ONCE ONE FAMILY MEMBER IS JAILED, THE LIKELIHOOD OF THAT PERSON'S BROTHER, FATHER, OR SON BEING JAILED RISES DRAMATICALLY. END COMMENT. ¶6. (C) ASKED WHETHER THEY HAD RELATIVES IN THE UNITED STATES, 67 PERCENT OF AFRO-DESCENDENT RESPONDENTS SAID YES AND 76 PERCENT OF WHITE RESPONDENTS SAID YES. COMMENT: BOTH CHEPE AND OLIVERA SAID THAT IN THE GENERAL POPULATION (VERSUS OUR REFUGEE APPLICANT SAMPLE FOR THIS SURVEY) A MUCH HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF WHITE CUBANS HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS IN THE UNITED STATES THAN AFRO-DESCENDENT CUBANS DO. THEY SAID THIS WAS BECAUSE AT THE BEGINNING OF CASTRO'S RULE 50 YEARS AGO, 95 PERCENT OF THOSE WHO FLED WERE WHITE, AND EVER SINCE THEN THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE GONE TO JOIN THOSE ALREADY IN THE UNITED STATES. THOSE CUBANS IN THE UNITED STATES IN TURN SEND REMITTANCES TO THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS STILL IN CUBA. BECAUSE MANY MORE WHITE CUBANS ARE IN THE UNITED STATES THAN AFRO-DESCENDENT CUBANS, WHITES IN CUBA ARE MORE LIKELY TO RECEIVE REMITTANCES THAN AFRO-DESCENDENTS IN CUBA, RESULTING IN DISPARITIES IN INCOME AMONG THE RACES. AGAIN, AS CHEPE POINTED OUT, THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING HARDER TO SURVIVE ARE MORE LIKELY TO UNDERTAKE ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES WHICH CAN LAND THEM IN JAIL. END COMMENT. ¶7. (C) RESPONDENTS WERE ASKED HOW MUCH THEY RECEIVED MONTHLY IN U.S. DOLLARS AS REMITTANCES. AMONG THE AFRO-DESCENDENT RESPONDENTS, 58 PERCENT SAID THEY RECEIVED NO MONEY; 35 PERCENT SAID THEY RECEIVED 1-25 USD; 2 PERCENT SAID THEY RECEIVED 26-50 USD; AND 5 PERCENT SAID THEY RECEIVED 51-100 USD MONTHLY. AMONG THE WHITE RESPONDENTS, 61 PERCENT SAID THEY RECEIVED NO MONEY; 29 PERCENT SAID THEY RECEIVED 1-25 USD; 5 PERCENT SAID THEY RECEIVED 26-50 USD; 4 PERCENT SAID THEY RECEIVED 51-100 USD; AND 1 PERCENT SAID THEY RECEIVED MORE THAN 100 USD MONTHLY. COMMENT: IN THE CASE OF BOTH OUR AFRO-DESCENDENT AND WHITE REFUGEE APPLICANTS, THE MAJORITY REPORT RECEIVING NO MONEY FROM THE UNITED STATES AND ANOTHER 30 PERCENT OR SO REPORT RECEIVING 25 USD OR LESS PER MONTH. ANECDOTALLY, SOME RESPONDENTS CLAIMED THAT DUE TO THE RECESSION IN THE UNITED STATES, THEY ARE RECEIVING LESS THAN IN THE PAST FROM THEIR RELATIVES. OUR SURVEY FINDINGS CONTRADICT WHAT CHEPE AND OLIVERA SAID ABOUT A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF WHITES THAN AFRO-DESCENDENTS RECEIVING REMITTANCES, BUT IT COULD BE THAT OUR SAMPLE OF REFUGEE APPLICANTS YIELDS A DIFFERENT RESULT THAN A SURVEY WITH A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF ALL CUBANS WOULD YIELD. END COMMENT. ¶8. (C) ASKED WHETHER THEIR INDIVIDUAL ECONOMIC SITUATION HAS IMPROVED, STAYED THE SAME, OR WORSENED IN THE PAST TWELVE MONTHS, OF THE AFRO-DESCENDENT RESPONDENTS 19 PERCENT SAID IMPROVED; 23 PERCENT SAID STAYED THE SAME; AND 58 PERCENT SAID WORSENED. OF THE WHITE RESPONDENTS,8 PERCENT SAID IMPROVED; 33 PERCENT SAID STAYED THE SAME; AND 59 PERCENT SAID WORSENED. COMMENT: A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF AFRO-DESCENDENTS THAN WHITES SAY THEIR INDIVIDUAL ECONOMIC SITUATION HAS IMPROVED IN THE PAST TWELVE MONTHS, BUT AROUND 85 PERCENT OF BOTH WHITES AND AFRO-DESCENDENTS REPORTED THEIR ECONOMIC SITUATION IS THE SAME OR WORSE THAN LAST YEAR. THIS SUPPORTS CHEPE'S CONTENTION THAT THE CUBAN ECONOMY IS FALTERING, AND THAT CUBANS ARE BECOMING MORE DESPERATE AS A RESULT. END COMMENT. ¶9. (C) ASKED WHETHER THEY EARNED ENOUGH TO BUY "THE BASICS," 81 PERCENT OF AFRO-DESCENDENT RESPONDENTS AND 85 PERCENT OF WHITE RESPONDENTS SAID NO. ASKED WHETHER THEY HAD A TELEPHONE IN THEIR HOUSE, 84 PERCENT OF AFRO-DESCENDENT RESPONDENTS AND 90 PERCENT OF WHITE RESPONDENTS SAID NO. ASKED WHETHER THEY MAKE PURCHASES WITH CONVERTIBLE PESOS (NOTE: CUBANS ARE PAID IN NATIONAL PESOS, WHICH MUST BE CONVERTED AT 24 TO 1 CONVERTIBLE PESO TO PURCHASE ITEMS SOLD IN CERTAIN STORES),90 PERCENT OF AFRO-DESCENDENT RESPONDENTS AND 95 PERCENT OF WHITE RESPONDENTS SAID NO. ASKED WHETHER THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES TO BUY SUFFICIENT FOOD FOR THE FAMILY, 84 PERCENT OF AFRO-DESCENDENT RESPONDENTS AND 87 PERCENT OF WHITE RESPONDENTS SAID NO. ASKED WHETHER THEY COULD BUY MEDICINE NEEDED FOR THE FAMILY, 81 PERCENT OF AFRO-DESCENDENT RESPONDENTS AND 90 PERCENT OF WHITE RESPONDENTS SAID NO. COMMENT: THESE RESPONSES REINFORCE THAT ALL CUBANS, AFRO-DESCENDENT OR WHITE, ARE GENERALLY POOR AND STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET IN SPITE OF RECEIVING A VARIETY OF GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES ON FOOD, HEALTH CARE, AND HOUSING. END COMMENT. ¶10. (U) ASKED "HAVE YOU SUFFERED RACIAL DISCRIMINATION IN THE PAST TEN YEARS," 35 PERCENT OF AFRO-DESCENDENT RESPONDENTS AND 5 PERCENT OF WHITE RESPONDENTS SAID YES. ASKED "DO YOU THINK AFRO-DESCENDENTS AND WHITES HAVE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND UNIVERSITY IN CUBA," 81 PERCENT OF AFRO-DESCENDENTS AND 84 PERCENT OF WHITES SAID NO. ASKED WHETHER AFRO-DESCENDENTS AND WHITES HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES TO ADVANCE ECONOMICALLY, 90 PERCENT OF AFRO-DESCENDENT RESPONDENTS AND 85 PERCENT OF WHITE RESPONDENTS SAID NO. ASKED WHETHER AFRO-DESCENDENT AND WHITE CUBANS RECEIVE THE SAME HEALTHCARE FROM THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT, 86 PERCENT OF AFRO-DESCENDENT RESPONDENTS AND 83 PERCENT OF WHITE RESPONDENTS SAID NO. ASKED WHETHER THE POLICE TREAT AFRO-DESCENDENTS AND WHITES EQUALLY, 93 PERCENT OF AFRO-DESCENDENTS AND 86 PERCENT OF WHITES SAID NO. ASKED WHETHER THE JUSTICE SYSTEM TREATS AFRO-DESCENDENTS AND WHITES EQUALLY, 90 PERCENT OF AFRO-DESCENDENTS AND 86 PERCENT OF WHITES SAID NO. COMMENT: BOTH OUR AFRO-DESCENDENT AND WHITE RESPONDENTS OVERWHELMINGLY PERCEIVE THAT AFRO-DESCENDENTS AND WHITES ARE NOT TREATED EQUALLY IN CUBA, AND THAT AFRO-DESCENDENTS SUFFER FROM DISCRIMINATION BY THE GOVERNMENT. END COMMENT. ¶11. (C) ASKED WHETHER THE LIVES OF AFRO-DESCENDENT CUBANS HAD IMPROVED, STAYED THE SAME, OR WORSENED DURING THE CASTRO YEARS IN COMPARISON TO THE BATISTA ERA, AMONG AFRO-DESCENDENT RESPONDENTS 95 PERCENT SAID LIFE HAD WORSENED, AND FIVE PERCENT SAID IT HAD STAYED THE SAME. NONE SAID IT WAS BETTER. AMONG WHITE RESPONDENTS, 95 PERCENT SAID LIFE HAD WORSENED FOR AFRO-DESCENDENTS UNDER CASTRO; 3 PERCENT SAID IT WAS THE SAME; AND 2 PERCENT SAID IT WAS BETTER. ASKED WHETHER THE LIVES OF WHITE CUBANS HAD IMPROVED, STAYED THE SAME, OR WORSENED DURING THE CASTRO YEARS IN COMPARISON TO THE BATISTA ERA, 97 PERCENT OF THE AFRO-DESCENDENT RESPONDENTS SAID LIFE HAD WORSENED FOR WHITES, WHILE 3 PERCENT SAID IT HAD STAYED THE SAME. NONE OF THE AFRO-DESCENDENT RESPONDENTS SAID LIFE HAD IMPROVED FOR WHITES UNDER CASTRO. AMONG WHITE RESPONDENTS, 98 PERCENT SAID LIFE HAD WORSENED FOR WHITES, AND 2 PERCENT SAID IT HAD STAYED THE SAME. NO WHITE RESPONDENTS SAID LIFE HAD IMPROVED FOR WHITES UNDER CASTRO. COMMENT: WHILE ALL OF THE SURVEY RESPONDENTS ARE REFUGEE APPLICANTS SEEKING TO LEAVE CUBA AND HAVE NOTHING GOOD TO SAY ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT, IT IS INTERESTING THAT VIRTUALLY NONE OF THEM BELIEVES THE CASTRO GOVERNMENT HAS IMPROVED THE LIVES OF AFRO-DESCENDENT CUBANS. THE REVOLUTION STATED SPECIFIC GOALS OF ERADICATING RACISM AND IMPROVING THE HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE OF AFRO-DESCENDENT CUBANS, GOALS WHICH THE REVOLUTION CLAIMS HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED. THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR RESPONDENTS WERE BORN AFTER THE REVOLUTION (1959) OR HAVE DIM MEMORIES OF THE BATISTA YEARS, SO THEIR RESPONSES COULD BE VIEWED MORE AS A VERDICT ON CASTRO'S RULE THAN A STRICT COMPARISON OF LIFE UNDER BATISTA AND CASTRO. END COMMENT. ¶12. (C) ASKED "WHO IS THE MOST IMPORTANT BLACK LEADER IN CUBA," 38 OF THE 43 AFRO-DESCENDENT RESPONDENTS GAVE NO ANSWER. OF THE REMAINING FIVE RESPONDENTS, FOUR SAID ESTEBAN LAZO (ONE OF CUBA'S EIGHT VICE PRESIDENTS). AMONG WHITE RESPONDENTS ASKED THE SAME QUESTION, 83 PERCENT GAVE NO ANSWER, AND THE REMAINING 17 PERCENT DIVIDED THEIR ANSWERS AMONG A NUMBER OF AFRO-DESCENDENT LEADERS, WITH THE MOST POPULAR RESPONSE BEING ESTEBAN LAZO (11 RESPONDENTS). COMMENT: THE FACT THAT OVER 83 PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS, AFRO-DESCENDENT AND WHITE, COULD NOT NAME A PROMINENT AFRO-DESCENDENT LEADER INDICATES THE DEARTH OF AFRO-DESCENDENT LEADERS IN CUBA'S GOVERNMENT AND THE IGNORANCE OF THE POPULATION ABOUT AFRO-DESCENDENT OPPOSITION FIGURES IN CUBA. THERE ARE VERY FEW AFRO-DESCENDENT MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OR AFRO-DESCENDENT MEMBERS OF CUBA'S CABINET. CHEPE OPINED THAT OUR SURVEY RESPONDENTS NAMED ESTEBAN LAZO BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY BLACK FACE THEY COULD THINK OF. HE ADDED THAT THERE ARE MANY CAPABLE, INTELLIGENT, AFRO-DESCENDENT CUBANS ABLE TO HOLD HIGH POSITIONS, BUT THAT FIDEL DID NOT AND NOW RAUL DOES NOT WANT THEM IN POSITIONS OF POWER. HE NOTED THAT FIDEL'S INNER CIRCLE AT THE START WAS COMPOSED OF WHITE MIDDLE CLASS STUDENTS, AND THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A WILLINGNESS BY FIDEL OR RAUL TO BRING IN AFRO-DESCENDENT LEADERS. END COMMENT. ¶13. (C) THE LAST QUESTION OF THE SURVEY WAS "IF YOU COULD VOTE FOR ANY PERSON FOR PRESIDENT OF CUBA, FOR WHOM WOULD YOU VOTE?" AMONG THE 43 AFRO-DESCENDENT RESPONDENTS, 3 SAID THE OPPOSITION LEADER OSWALDO PAYA, 1 SAID OPPOSITION LEADER ELIZARDO SANCHEZ, AND 1 SAID JOSE DIAZ SILVA. THE OTHER 38 RESPONDENTS HAD NO ANSWER. AMONG WHITE RESPONDENTS, THE MOST POPULAR ANSWER (10 RESPONDENTS) WAS "A CUBAN-AMERICAN" (NOT FURTHER IDENTIFIED); THEN "OBAMA" (8 RESPONDENTS). COMMENT: MIRIMA LEYVA POINTED OUT THAT IN 2003, THE OPPOSITION WAS GAINING STRENGTH, SO THE GOC ARRESTED 75 OPPOSITION FIGURES AND SENTENCED THEM TO LONG PRISON TERMS. ITS INTENT WAS NOT ONLY TO NEUTRALIZE A GROWING THREAT POSED BY OPPOSITION LEADERS, SHE SAID, BUT EQUALLY IMPORTANT, TO SOW FEAR IN ALL THOSE WHO SUPPORTED THEM. THE OPPOSITION "STILL HAS NOT RECOVERED" FROM THAT BLOW, SHE SAID, AND INDICATED THAT THIS EXPLAINS WHY FEW OF OUR SURVEY RESPONDENTS SEEMED CAPABLE OF ENVISIONING A CUBAN OPPOSITION LEADER IN POWER. OLIVERA AGREED THAT THE OPPOSITION IS SO HEAVILY REPRESSED THAT IT IS UNABLE TO DEVELOP AND PRESENT ITSELF AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE GOVERNMENT. HE ADDED THAT CUBANS HAVE BECOME SO TIRED OF POOR GOVERNANCE, SO AFRAID TO OPPOSE THE GOVERNMENT DUE TO THE UNENDING REPRESSION, AND SO PREOCCUPIED WITH TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET THAT THEY HAVE TUNED OUT ALL POLITICS. END COMMENT. ¶14. (C) CHEPE NOTED THAT CUBA WAS THE LAST LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRY TO GAIN INDEPENDENCE FROM SPAIN (1898),AND THE LAST TO END SLAVERY (1886). HE NOTED THAT CULTURAL CHANGE IS A VERY SLOW PROCESS. IN HIS LIFETIME, AFRO-DESCENDENTS WERE NOT ALLOWED TO GO TO THE BEACHES ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF HAVANA, FOR INSTANCE. ON A MORE POSITIVE NOTE, MIRIAM LEYVA SAID THERE HAD BEEN AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF INTERRACIAL COUPLES IN CUBA, AND NOTED THAT THERE WERE EFFORTS BY SOME CUBANS OUTSIDE OF THE GOVERNMENT TO IMPROVE RACE RELATIONS. OLIVERA NOTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT ALLOW FREEDOM OF SPEECH OR PRESS, CARRIES OUT NO STUDIES WHICH WOULD ALLOW COMPARISONS OF DATA ABOUT AFRO-DESCENDENTS AND WHITES, AND GENERALLY TRIES TO PREVENT DISCUSSIONS ABOUT RACE BECAUSE IT IS UNWILLING TO ADMIT THAT CUBA IN FACT HAS RACE PROBLEMS OR THAT THERE ARE DISPARITIES IN THE WAY RACES ARE TREATED BY THE GOVERNMENT. OUR SURVEY ALSO INDICATES THAT CUBANS ADMIRE PRESIDENT OBAMA, AND THE FACT THAT AMERICANS HAVE ELECTED HIM IS A BLOW TO GOC PROPAGANDA THAT THE UNITED STATES IS A RACIST SOCIETY. INDEED, THE ELECTION OF PRESIDENT OBAMA MUST HAVE CUBANS WONDERING WHY CUBA HAS SO FEW AFRO-DESCENDENT LEADERS DESPITE THE LARGE PERCENTAGE OF AFRO-CUBANS IN THE POPULATION. FARRAR