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