CUBAN EMBASSY LAUNCHES ANOTHER PRO-CUBA GROUP IN

UNCLAS NASSAU 000294


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO PGOV PREL CU BF
SUBJECT: CUBAN EMBASSY LAUNCHES ANOTHER PRO-CUBA GROUP IN
NASSAU

REF: A. NASSAU 181

B. NASSAU 121



1. (U) The Cuban Ambassador in Nassau launched the
"Bahamas-Cuba Friendship Association" May 2 at a May Day
event at his residence, according to local media and the
Cuban Embassy's web site. Attendees included Cuban
diplomats, Cuban teachers working in The Bahamas, Bahamian
graduates of Cuban universities, Ministry of Education
officials, teachers, and -- in the words of a journalist
covering the event -- "other Bahamians with ties to Cuba and
who support the ending of the economic embargo imposed on
Cuba by the United States." Some local media covered the
event, without fanfare but uncritically, as usual.


2. (U) In addition to calling for the end of the embargo,
the Cuban Ambassador and Felix Bethel, associate professor at
the College of The Bahamas, called for the release of five
Cuban agents imprisoned in the U.S. Professor Bethel also
belongs to a Bahamian group which periodically agitates on
behalf of Cuba's "Five Spies". A third group uniting Cubans
residing in The Bahamas was founded in February 2008 (ref A).
The GCOB and Cuba signed a technical agreement in education,
health, and agriculture in March with a view to continuing
past programs (ref B).


3. (U) COMMENT: The founding of a "new" pro-Cuba,
anti-blockade group appears directly aimed at ending the
embargo.


ZUNIGA-BROWN