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DOCUMENT 0146b
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Radio Marti & C.A.N.F.
part 2 -- 1991-1994
Go to part 1...Broadcasting to Cuba 1960-1990
1/1/91 12/31/91 Odebrecht's civil construction subsidiary Constructora Norberto Odebrecht (CNO) teamed with Miami Construction firm Church & Tower, owned by Jorge Mas Canosa, to win a public contract to build an extension to Miami's metro system. The project, due to be completed in 1994, has led to four other contracts in Florida, including an $18 million overpass in Golden Glades and a $28 million bridge at Vero Beach. (Reuters 6/22/93)
1/1/91 The National Endowment for Democracy grants $100,000 to CANF to support the International Coalition for Human Rights in Cuba, including its work to prepare documentation for the March 1991 meeting of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights and other publications. (NED 1991 Annual Report)
1/1/91 12/31/91 The "Special Report by the Advisory Board for Cuba Broadcasting on TV Marti" is submitted to President Bush. (ABCB Special Report, 1991)
1/1/91 12/31/91 CANF helps raise money for the defense of Jose Dionisio Suarez, who triggered the bomb that killed former Chilean Ambassador Orlando Letelier in 1976. Dionisio Suarez, who had been a fugitive until 1991, pleads guilty. (Fonzi, p. 26)
1/1/91 12/31/91 Jorge Mas Canosa is one of 18 Miami Hispanic contributors donating $11,550 to the campaign of Rep. Robert Torricelli (D-NJ). (MH, 2/23/92)
1/1/91 1/1/92 Mas Canosa is received by 22 world leaders during this time period. (60 Minutes, 10/18/92)
1/10/91 Marilyn Kalusin $9,529 $0
1/10/91 Jonathan Slade (MMW) $6,000 $0
1/16/91 The "Fat Albert" aerostat blimp breaks loose and lies damaged in the Everglades, 40 miles northeast of its station. The breakaway is caused by a malfunction in old Air Force equipment used to reel in the balloon. TV Marti is off the air, broadcasting only by satellite, for about three months. The U.S. Coast Guard absorbs $35,000 in costs relating to the use of a helicopter search for the downed blimp and the use of a vessel for TV Marti broadcasts in the interim. (Alexandre, p. 524; GAO, 5/92, p. 7; ABCB, 1991)
1/30/91 Solarz, Stephen 5000 Free Cuba PAC
2/1/91 Solarz, Stephen 1000 Individual
2/1/91 2/10/91 Radio Marti begins conducting a series of 17 programming focus groups with 438 Cubans participating, most of whom have arrived in the past 30 days. The testing involves 30 pilot programs, nine commentators, and six current programs. A videotape and transcription of each discussion group is made, totaling 85 hours of videotape. (ABCB, 1991)
2/12/91 Specter, Arlen 3400 Free Cuba PAC
2/16/91 Graham, Bob 1500 Free Cuba PAC
2/19/91 Ros-Lehtinen 2000 Individuals Specter, Arlen 1600 Individuals
2/20/91 Ros-Lehtinen 1000 Individual
2/22/91 Graham 9000 Individuals Mrazek 500 Individuals
2/22/91 Jorge Mas Canosa contributes $1000 to the campaign of Sen. Bob Graham (R-FL). (NLMP)
3/1/91 3/31/91 Jorge Mas Canosa and some 20 other Hispanic leaders hold a news conference with Rep. Bill Richardson (D-NM) announcing their support of the North American Free Trade Agreement. The Washington Post reports other Cuban community sources as saying Mas Canosa and the CANF originally wanted to oppose the trade pact and embarrass Mexico because of that country's relatively good relations with Castro's government. (WP, 5/28/91)
3/6/91 Jeb Bush helps Cuban exiles in a political triumph as the UN Human Rights Commission (22 to 6 with 15 abstaining) adopts its most critical resolution against the Castro government. US diplomats around the world -- from Columbia to the Philippines to Madagascar -- paid visits to foreign ministries to obtain consensus on the UN resolution. (MH, 3/25/91)
3/19/91 Ros-Lehtinen 1000 Individuals
3/26/91 Torricelli 6650 Individuals
3/27/91 Torricelli 1000 Individual
3/27/91 In response to complaints of the Exodus program, investigators for the Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services release its report on the program, finding several flaws. The report found the Bermuda company, Winterthur International Ltd., providing the refugees' health insurance is operating illegally without a license in Florida, by renewing policies of refugees who have not established permanent residency. Also, the company issues policies for only one year, rather than the two years required by the State Department agreement. The high deductibles have caused many refugees to resort to government assistance, the report cited; charging $200 for each and every accident or illness, and $100 for prescription drugs, one family of three told investigators of being charged $3,000 in premiums for one year of coverage. Finding that "a large number are without health insurance and are anxiously waiting or applying for government assistance," the HRS report stated that, "Some have succeeded in accessing public assistance or Medicaid." (MH, 4/12/91)
3/27/91 The Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services issues a report criticizing CANF's refugee program, citing problems with health care and insurance. The Foundation responds a few weeks later, reaffirming its commitment to help Cuban refugees into the United States. (MH, 4/12/92)
4/1/91 4/30/91 Lazaro Dorta, a Cuban technician involved in efforts to jam Radio and TV Marti, defects to the United States. He characterizes the Cuban jamming effort as "excessively expensive," involving Czechoslovakian and Soviet equipment, ten jamming centers and a coordination facility in Havana, and 15 to 20 jammers in provinces next to Havana. (ABCB, 1991)
4/4/91 Ros-Lehtinen 1000 Individual
4/9/91 Kasten, Robert 1000 Individual
4/11/91 CANF calls a press conference after Nancy Wittenberg, director of Florida's refugee assistance program, accused CANF of supplying illegal health insurance and "atrocious" services to the Cuban refugees it resettles. Before the news conference, foundation director Domingo Moreira said, "It's a bunch of s---.... We're not going to let one bureaucrat do this kind of political hatchet job." Wittenberg defended she is only trying to protect thousands of dollars of expenses paid by refugees and their families, citing the story of a family with babies living in a car. Starting April 1, Wittenberg said, Exodus refugees will no longer be turned away from public assistance, despite the foundation's agreement with the federal government. (MH, 4/12/91)
4/16/91 Ros-Lehtinen 250 Individual
4/23/91 Ros-Lehtinen 6400 Individuals
4/24/91 Kennedy, Rosario 300 Individual
4/25/91 Lehman, William 1000 Free Cuba PAC
4/28/91 Berman, Howard 500 Free Cuba PAC Reid, Harry 500 Free Cuba PAC
5/1/91 5/31/91 The U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy reports that TV Marti is not cost-effective compared to other public diplomacy programs. (GAO, 5/92, p. 4)
5/3/91 Ros-Lehtinen 500 Individual
5/7/91 Gephardt, Richard 300 Individual
5/9/91 Ros-Lehtinen 500 Individual
5/10/91 Reid, Harry 4750 Individuals
5/20/91 Radio Marti announces new programming initiatives, including broadcasting telephone interviews with dissidents on the island. (MH, 9/23/92; RMPO)
5/21/91 Judge James Lawrence King rules in favor of the Cuban Museum of Art and Culture in its case against the City of Miami. King states that "the city appears to have fallen victim to the local community's intolerance for those who choose to provide a forum for controversial artists." (AA, 2/92)
5/30/91 Lehman, William 500 Individual
5/31/91 The House Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and State votes 6-5 to suspend TV Marti as an amendment to appropriations legislation for FY 1992. (CQWR, 6/1/91, p. 1451)
6/1/91 6/30/91 TV Marti broadcasts a "Castro Countdown," similar to ABC's 1981 "America Held Hostage" series, which noted each day the number of days that the U.S. embassy staff had been held hostage in Iran. TV Marti's in-house critic considers the program "Castro-bashing" and TV Marti later stops the broadcasts. (GAO, 5/92, p. 10)
6/5/91 Ackerman, Gary L. 500 Free Cuba PAC Engel, Eliot 500 Free Cuba PAC Feighan, Edward 500 Free Cuba PAC Levine, Mel 1000 Free Cuba PAC Miller, John R. 500 Free Cuba PAC Mrazek, Robert 2000 Free Cuba PAC Richardson, Bill 500 Free Cuba PAC
6/12/91 Hollings, Ernest 1000 Free Cuba PAC
6/19/91 Graham, Bob 1000 Individuals
6/20/91 Graham, Bob 500 Individual
6/21/91 Burton, Dan 500 Free Cuba PAC
6/21/91 Jorge Mas Canosa convinces the leading party in Hungary to sign a document that he helps write endorsing exile hopes of overthrowing the Cuban regime. Mas Canosa says the document constitutes official recognition by the government of Hungary of the Foundation as the opposition to Fidel Castro. (MH, 6/22/91)
6/23/91 Burton, Danny 2500 Individuals
6/30/91 McCarthy, Leo 2000 Individuals
7/11/91 Wofford, Harris 4000 Individuals
7/11/91 Gov. Lawton Chiles revives a commission investigating the impact on Florida of an end to Fidel Castro's reign in Cuba. The governor appoints 37 people to the rejuvenated Florida Commission on a Free Cuba, including Rafael Cabezas (president of Brigade 2506) and Mas Canosa. (MH, 7/11/90)
7/13/91 CANF signs the Unity Statement along with Alpha 66, the Cuban Patriotic Junta, and the Cumbre Patriotica. The Unidad Cubana (Cuban Unity) is headed by Jorge Mas Canosa. (MH, 7/13/91)
7/16/91 Ros-Lehtinen 668 Individuals
7/18/91 Sundquist, Donald 500 Individual
7/29/91 Abrams, Robert 250 Individual Hatch, Orrin 750 Free Cuba PAC
7/31/91 Testifying before the House Subcommittee on Western Hemispheric Affairs, Jorge Mas Canosa voices opposition to improved telephone service to Cuba if that means paying tolls to the Cuban government. "We are for modernizing and opening those communications as long as the Castro government does not get hold of any economic advantage," he states. (House Subcommittee on Western Hemispheric Affairs, 7/31/91)
8/1/91 8/30/91 TV Marti's in-house critic retires, after commenting repeatedly on coverage of CANF, the amount and type of entertainment programming, and deficiencies in TV Marti broadcasts. (GAO, 5/92, p. 8)
8/1/91 8/30/91 Jorge Mas Canosa testifies before the President's Commission on U.S. Government International Broadcasting. (ABCB, 1991)
8/7/91 Hatch, Orrin 5250 Individuals
8/27/91 CANF announces that it has brought six dissident organizations together into one organization called the Cuban Democratic Coalition. The creation of the Cuban Democratic Coalition marks the first time that the Foundation establishes formal ties with dissidents in Cuba. (MH, 9/16/91)
8/28/91 TV Marti broadcasts an interview with a psychiatrist who analyzes Fidel Castro's behavior and suggests Castro is cowardly and neurotic. (GAO, 5/92, p. 9)
8/29/91 McCurdy, Dave 4000 Free Cuba PAC
9/1/91 9/30/91 The GAO begins an investigation of TV Marti's costs and compliance with standards and international agreements at the request of Rep. Alexander. (GAO, 5/92)
9/1/91 9/30/91 Jorge Mas Canosa announces to Miami business leaders that CANF is negotiating with several Wall Street firms to arrange for access by a post-Castro government to hard currency. The announcement revives controversy over Mas Canosa's political ambitions after Castro's fall. (MH, 10/24/91)
9/5/91 Hollings 9000 Individuals
9/5/91 Jorge Mas Canosa again contributes $1000 to the campaign of Sen. Hollings. (NLMP)
9/6/91 Coverdell, Paul 1000 Individual
9/13/91 McCurdy, Dave 4250 Individuals
9/24/91 Ros-Lehtinen 300 Individual
9/27/91 Levine, Mel 4000 Free Cuba PAC
10/1/91 CANF begins to resettle refugees under the regular resettlement program for fiscal year 1992. Under this program, CANF receives payment from the Bureau of Refugee Affairs for each refugee that is sent to CANF to be resettled. This assistance is to function for an initial period, to meet immediate needs and advance the refugees into self-sufficiency and integration into American society as rapidly as possible. (Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration document, 10/19/94)
10/1/91 9/30/92 CANF resettled 853 Cuban refugees through the PSI Cuban Exodus Program. (Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration document, 10/19/94)
10/1/91 9/30/92 CANF resettled 186 refugees, at $588 per capita. (Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration document, 10/19/94)
10/1/91 10/31/91 Jorge Mas Canosa appoints a subcommittee of the Advisory Board for Cuba Broadcasting to study and make recommendations about the future of Radio and TV Marti in a post-Castro Cuba. The subcommittee reports that a sudden political crisis in Cuba would require programming flexibility and innovative approaches to news reporting. (ABCB, 1991)
10/8/91 Ros-Lehtinen 250 Individual
10/10/91 Smith, Neal 500 Individual
10/10/91 Jonathan Slade (MMW) $9,000 $242
10/11/91 Smith, Neal 500 Free Cuba PAC Smith, Neal 4050 Individuals
10/23/91 Torricelli 500 Individual
10/25/91 Gramm, William 2000 Individual
10/28/91 The Foreign Relations Authorization Act for FY 1992, including funding for Radio and TV Marti, is passed as PL 102-138. (CC, p. 10)
10/29/91 Mack, Connie 500 Individual
11/1/91 11/30/91 The President's Commission on U.S. Government International Broadcasting recommends that Radio and TV Marti be removed from USIA and placed under the Board for International Broadcasting. (ABCB, 1991)
11/4/91 Fowler, Wyche 5900 Individuals
11/13/91 Mack, Connie 500 Individual Wirth, Timothy 1000 Individuals
11/14/91 Breaux, John 5000 Free Cuba PAC
11/15/91 Pressler, Larry 2000 Individual
11/21/91 Hollings, Ernest 6250 Individuals
11/25/91 Lehman, William 500 Individual
11/26/91 Hollings, Ernest 1500 Individuals
11/29/91 Ros-Lehtinen 422 Individual
11/30/91 Daschle, Thomas 1000 Individual
12/1/91 Engel, Eliot 500 Individual
12/1/91 12/31/91 The President's Task Force on U.S. Government International Broadcasting recommends ending TV Marti unless broadcast hours can be changed and extended to reach a larger audience, noting efforts in the ITU to limit cross-border broadcasting. (GAO, 5/92, p. 12)
12/1/91 12/31/91 The State and Treasury Departments authorize AT&T to make partial payments to Cuba out of an escrow account for telephone tolls as a prelude to normalized telephone service to the island. The payments could include as much as $60 million in the account, accumulated over 26 years, plus $15 million a year. The authorization comes after the CANF drops opposition to a provision in the Cuban Democracy Act that would allow expanded modernized communications with Cuba by easing the embargo on payments for telephone service. (MH, 2/23/92)
12/3/91 Engel, Eliot 500 Individual
12/6/91 Dodd, Christopher 450 Individuals
12/9/91 Ray, Richard 250 Individual
12/10/91 Bacchus, Jim 250 Individual Packwood, Bob 1800 Free Cuba PAC Ros-Lehtinen 500 Individual
12/17/91 Hamilton, Lee 2500 Individuals
12/18/91 Ros-Lehtinen 1000 Individual
12/19/91 Shelby, Richard 3500 Individuals
12/24/91 Packwood, Robert 2750 Individuals
12/26/91 Graham, Bob 1000 Individual
12/27/91 Jorge Mas Canosa returns from his second visit to Moscow and announces that "from now on, Russia will enforce a policy toward Cuba to promote freedom and democracy in the island of Cuba." (BG, 12/28/91)
1/1/92 The National Endowment for Democracy grants CANF an additional $10,750 for its support of the International Coalition for Human Rights in Cuba. (Interview with Megan Connor of NED, 3/31/93)
1/1/92 12/31/92 The Advisory Board for Cuba Broadcasting publishes a pamphlet entitled "The Facts About TV Marti," in which it presents "misconceptions" answered with "facts." The pamphlet states that TV Marti's budget of $18 million will include entertainment programming, satellite feeds, the VHF aerostat transmission system, technical and administrative support, and an estimated $3.6 million for news programming; the fully staffed news division will employ 52 people. The pamphlet lists the Advisory Board membership as Clair Burgener, Jose Costa, Charles Tyroler, Christopher Coursen, Joseph Glennon, William Geoghegan, Salvador Lew, Marjorie Kampleman, and Jorge Mas Canosa, chair. (ABCB Pamphlet, undated)
1/1/92 3/31/92 The Advisory Board for Cuba Broadcasting submits to the President its Annual Report for 1991. The report states that five Advisory Board meetings were held in 1991, and that the board made the following recommendations to the President and the directors of VOA and USIA: that Radio Marti secure a second medium-wave frequency; that TV Marti be allowed to broadcast during prime time hours; that TV Marti's studios, personnel, and facilities be consolidated with those of Radio Marti; and that a USIA contracts officer be hired and funded by the Office of Cuba Broadcasting to expedite the processing of contracts for Radio and TV Marti. The report also notes Jorge Mas Canosa's two trips to the Soviet Union and his testimony before the President's Commission on U.S. Government International Broadcasting. (ABCB, 1991)
1/1/92 12/31/92 Mexican President Salinas meets with Jorge Mas Canosa, and reportedly pledges to minimize Mexico's business dealings with Cuba. (WP, 6/13/94; BW, 6/27/94)
1/8/92 TV Marti reports that a Cuban in Angola committed suicide and that it is rumored that he did so because he was told he had to return to Cuba. (GAO, 5/92, p. 9)
1/10/92 Jonathan Slade (MMW) $6,000 $168
1/13/92 Lewis, John 1000 Individual
1/15/92 Roemer, Timothy 500 Free Cuba PAC Torricelli 2000 Free Cuba PAC
1/17/92 Graham, Bob 500 Individuals
1/18/92 The Miami Herald publishes an editorial, "Bad Strategy on Cuba," opposing the CANF-backed Torricelli bill to tighten the embargo on Cuba. The editorial prompts a series of critical statements by Jorge Mas Canosa in subsequent radio commentaries and in letters to the Herald and its Spanish language edition, El Nuevo Herald. Among other activities against the papers, Mas Canosa creates the Cuban Anti-Defamation League and brings formal complaints of bias against Herald editors and executives. (MH, 1/18/92)
1/20/92 1/31/92 Jorge Mas Canosa and executives at the Miami Herald trade charges in the paper. In a published letter, Mas Canosa writes that the newspaper has shown "a marked insensitivity to the Cuban American community" and calls on Cuban American staff to resign in protest. In reply Herald publisher David Lawrence writes in a column that "when you make wild and angry accusations, like some of this 'pro-Castro' garbage, you stir up the less well-intentioned and the more misguided." Over the next several weeks, the Herald offices and Lawrence personally receive numerous bomb threats and newspaper vending machines are vandalized with feces and other materials. Mas Canosa subsequently goes on the radio to compare the Herald to Cuba's Communist party newspaper Granma, and to accuse Lawrence of "intellectual terrorism." (AW)
1/21/92 Dodd, Christopher 1000 Individual
1/25/92 TV Marti reports on a planned anti-Castro rally in New York, without noting that the rally was scheduled in response to a pro-Castro rally. (GAO, 5/92, p. 9)
1/27/92 TV Marti broadcasts a program with 20 minutes spent on the New York anti-Castro rally, and two minutes spent on the pro-Castro rally, virtually ignoring other news of the day. TV Marti officials defend the broadcast, stating that Cuban media had only covered the pro-Castro rally. (GAO, 5/92, p. 9-10)
1/29/92 Hollings, Ernest 500 Individual
1/31/92 In a signed column entitled "Slander is Painful, but I will not be Intimidated," Roberto Suarez, the Hispanic publisher of El Nuevo Herald, protests against Jorge Mas Canosa's attacks. "In our community," he writes, "to be wrongly accused of being pro-Castro, of wanting Castro to remain in power, constitutes an affront, slander and a lack of respect." (MH, 1/31/92)
2/1/92 2/29/92 President Bush writes an editorial in the Miami Herald to show his strong stance against Cuba, including support for Radio and TV Marti. (CC, p. 11)
2/1/92 2/28/92 CANF leases billboards and signs on the back of Dade county buses which read "I don't believe the Herald." Jorge Mas Canosa issues a call for a boycott of the paper. (***CITE***)
2/5/92 Robert Torricelli, chairman of the House Subcommittee on Western Hemispheric Affairs, introduces the Cuban Democracy Act, a bill that would tighten the embargo on Cuba. Citing the unwillingness of the Castro government to accept any significant concessions to democracy, the bill seeks to maintain and tighten existing sanctions against the Cuban government, with the stated purpose "to promote a peaceful transition to democracy in Cuba" and encourage the cooperation of other countries in this policy. Touted as "carrots and sticks" to encourage change in Cuba, the bill includes the following provisions: authorization for the President to impose sanctions on any government that provides assistance to Cuba; penalties for any domestic firm whose foreign subsidiaries conduct trade with Cuba; denial of port entry to ships that entered a Cuban port in the preceding 180 days; no restriction on the shipment of food or medicine to non governmental organizations; use of telecommunications services and direct mail between the United States and Cuba; Violations of the Act may result in fines of up to $50,000. However, any sanctions may be lifted, provided the President determines that Cuba has begun to implement democratic reform, promised to respect human rights, and ceased to provide assistance to any group seeking the violent overthrow of a foreign government. (HR 5323) On March 8, Jorge Mas Canosa and Rep. Stephen Solarz (D-NY) discuss the possibility of Presidential candidate Bill Clinton endorsing the Cuban Democracy Act. (MH, 4/26/92) Later that month, Irma Mas contributes $1000 to the campaign of Rep. Torricelli (NLMP). During the fall, Jorge Mas Canosa testifies for Senate and House hearings on the Cuban Democracy Act (CIS Index). Both houses later pass the bill. (JC, 10/2/92; WSJ 9/25/92; MH, 9/23/92)
2/7/92 Lehman, William 350 Free Cuba PAC
2/11/92 Lehman, William 950 Individuals
2/12/92 Lehman, William 1200 Individuals
2/14/92 Jorge Mas Canosa appears on the NBC's "Today" show. He tells viewers that the U.S. press put Castro in power and is keeping him there. (CJR, May/June, 1992)
2/17/92 Swett, Richard 3450 Free Cuba PAC
2/26/92 Mack, Connie 250 Individual
2/28/92 Swett, Richard 1550 Individuals
3/10/92 Gingrich, Newt 900 Individual
3/11/92 Diaz-Balart 250 Individual
3/11/92 The Inter-American Press Association decides to investigate "attacks, acts of vandalism, and boycott threats" against the Miami Herald. In a statement the IAPA notes a concern that "campaigns of denunciation and criticism based on emotions run the risk of inflaming some members of the community to the point of violence." (MH, 3/27/92)
3/12/92 Johnston, John 500 Individual
3/16/92 Russo, Martin 500 Individual
3/18/92 Diaz-Balart 1000 Individual
3/20/92 Torricelli 8000 Free Cuba PAC
3/23/92 Torricelli 8700 Individuals
3/24/92 Ray, Richard 5000 Individuals
3/27/92 Diaz-Balart 3000 Individuals
3/28/92 Solarz, Stephen 1500 Individuals
3/30/92 Diaz-Balart 1000 Individual Johnston, Harry 500 Free Cuba PAC Rangel, Charles 300 Individual Shelby, Richard 1000 Free Cuba PAC
3/31/92 Hollings, Ernest 1000 Individual Sanford, James 750 Individuals
4/1/92 Diaz-Balart 250 Individual Meek, Carrie 1000 Individual
4/1/92 TV Marti extends its daily broadcast hours to include a 30 minute to one-hour program aired during the weekdays at various times between noon and 2:00 pm, when the Cuban station on the same channel had not been on the air. The first program is a documentary on the fall of communism in Eastern Europe. The Cubans jam the broadcast. Cuba also responds by filing several complaints with the FCC and the IFRB, and by counter-broadcasting into the U.S. on several AM frequencies. (GAO, 5/92, p. 4; WP, 4/16/92)
4/1/92 4/30/92 Presidential candidate Bill Clinton appears at a CANF function in Miami. Commenting on the Cuban Democracy Act, Clinton says "I like it." The Foundation raises about $125,000 for the Clinton campaign at the event. (Robbins)
4/2/92 Torres, Esteban 1800 Individuals
4/7/92 Downey, Thomas 2000 Individual
4/8/92 Mack, Connie 1750 Individuals
4/9/92 Sundquist, Donald 1000 Individual
4/10/92 Fowler, Wyche 1000 Individual
4/10/92 Cuban American Foundation, Inc. $15,000 $18,974
4/10/92 Jonathan Slade (MMW) $6,000 $219
4/13/92 Mack, Connie 250 Individual
4/14/92 When Cuba begins running a test pattern from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm, TV Marti ceases broadcasting during these hours. (GAO, 5/92, p. 4)
4/16/92 Rep. George Miller (D-CA) circulates a letter in Congress calling for termination of TV Marti. "It is obvious that TV Marti is the most costly and ineffective U.S. intervention in Cuba since the Bay of Pigs," he writes. The U.S. taxpayer has paid $47 million "on a broadcast to nowhere," he notes. "What is next: TV Mars?" (Miller letter, 4/16/92)
4/21/92 Menendez, Robert 5000 Free Cuba PAC
4/22/92 Ray, Richard 900 Individual
4/23/92 Menendez, Robert 1000 Individual
4/24/92 Diaz-Balart 5000 Free Cuba PAC Bishop, Sanford 1000 Individual
4/24/92 Bishop, Sanford 2000 Individuals
4/27/92 Menendez, Robert 1000 Individual
4/28/92 Graham, Bob 2000 Individuals
4/28/92 The IFRB tells GAO investigators that it plans to meet soon regarding the Cuban and U.S. complaints. (GAO, 5/92, p. 4)
4/29/92 Fowler, Wyche 1000 Individual
4/30/92 Fowler, Wyche 2000 Individual Scheuer, James 500 Individuals Souto, Javier 200 Individual
5/1/92 5/31/92 CANF issues a warning to international business interests considering investments that contracts made with Castro's government will be repudiated by his successors. "Investments made in Cuba under the present circumstances should not benefit from any laws passed by a future Cuban government for the protection of private property. We feel that these investments should be considered as state property and disposed of accordingly." (Cuba Survey)
5/5/92 Glenn, John 500 Individual Oakar, Mary 250 Individual
5/6/92 Glenn, John 500 Individual
5/6/92 A GAO report titled "TV Marti: Costs and Compliance with Broadcast Standards and International Agreements" is released. Two of the three evaluating consultants felt the programs lacked balance and did not meet VOA standards, while the other thought the programs met the standards but that improvements were needed. The report also states that the IFRB found that TV Marti broadcasts did violate radio regulation 2666, which requires countries to broadcast only within their national boundaries. The consultants also said that news related to Cuba and the Cuban-American community were of lesser quality: "All three consultants expressed concern about the extent of TV Marti's coverage of CANF and believed that TV Marti needed to better portray the diversity of views within the Cuban-American community." (GAO, 5/92, p. 1, 8-9)
5/7/92 The Advisory Board for Cuba Broadcasting prints a list of its current membership, including chair Jorge Mas Canosa, Clair Burgener, Jose Costa, Christopher Coursen, William Geoghegan, Joseph Glennon, Marjorie Kampleman, Salvador Lew, and Charles Tyroler. The list notes that members continue to serve after their appointed terms expire unless they are replaced by confirmed presidential nominees. (ACBC List, 5/7/92)
5/13/92 Menendez, Robert 1000 Individual
5/14/92 Becerra, Xavier 250 Individual Gephardt, Richard 1000 Individual
5/15/92 Menendez, Robert 400 Individual
5/16/92 Menendez, Robert 200 Individual
5/17/92 Menendez, Robert 200 Individual
5/20/92 Menendez, Robert 300 Individual
5/21/92 Holtzman, Elizabeth 500 Individual
5/21/92 At an Easter Seal Fund-raiser attended by both Jorge Mas Canosa and Miami Herald publisher David Lawrence, the chairman of CANF calls off the anti-Herald campaign, claiming that the paper's coverage of Cuba and the Cuban American community had become "more objective" since the confrontation began. Lawrence responds that there has been no such change and that "the standards of the newspaper are exactly what they were before: we work like hell to tell the damn truth." (MH, 5/22/92)
5/28/92 Flores, Joan 500 Individual
6/3/92 Diaz-Balart 1000 Individual Graham, Bob 300 Individual
6/5/92 Sundquist, Donald 500 Individual
6/8/92 Colorado-Laguna, Anton 1000 Individual Diaz-Balart 1000 Individual
6/8/92 6/9/92 The financial magazine Euromoney holds a conference in Cancun, Mexico on trade and investment opportunities in Cuba. More than 80 corporate business representatives attend the meetings; some continue on to Havana for talks with Cuban officials. (***CITE***)
6/9/92 Graham, Bob 500 Individual
6/15/92 Diaz-Balart 500 Individual
6/16/92 Kasten, Robert 5000 Free Cuba PAC
6/17/92 Harkin, Tom 2750 Free Cuba PAC Ros-Lehtinen 1000 Individual
6/19/92 Bishop, Sanford 250 Individual
6/24/92 Ros-Lehtinen 500 Individual
6/26/92 Considine, Terrence 500 Individual Ros-Lehtinen 500 Individual
6/28/92 Goss, Porter 1000 Free Cuba PAC Menendez, Robert 1000 Individual Ray, Richard 2000 Individuals
6/29/92 Bacchus, Jim 2500 Free Cuba PAC Coats, Daniel 1000 Free Cuba PAC Diaz-Balart 1500 Individual Fowler, Wyche 2000 Free Cuba PAC Glenn, John 2500 Free Cuba PAC Grassley, Charle 5000 Free Cuba PAC McCain, John 10000 Free Cuba PAC Murkowski, Fran 1000 Free Cuba PAC Shelby, Richard 2500 Free Cuba PAC
6/30/92 Diaz-Balart 9800 Individuals Kasten, Robert 5000 Free Cuba PAC Kostmayer, Peter 1000 Free Cuba PAC McCloskey, Frank 1000 Free Cuba PAC Pollard, Ben 400 Individual
6/30/92 Jorge Mas Canosa contributes $1000 to the campaign of Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL). Lourdes A. Quirch of the Cuban American National Foundation also contributes $500. (NLMP)
7/1/92 Bishop, Sanford 1000 Individual Diaz-Balart 5000 Free Cuba PAC Johnston, Harry 250 Individual
7/1/92 7/31/92 Radio Marti prints a report titled, "Radio Marti Programming: An Overview." The report includes Radio Marti's mission, programs, programming development, focus group research, time-charts of broadcast content, and a programming schedule. (RMPO)
7/1/92 7/31/92 CANF issues a new newsletter, Cuba Survey. Cast as an economic and political intelligence report, the newsletter is aimed at organizing business interests for post-Castro investment on the island. It is "provided to promote discussion of Cuba and its potential economic impact in the hemisphere." The issue contains the announcement of a Blue Ribbon Commission on the Economic Reconstruction to of Cuba whose mission is to compile data on key industries and "assess options for promoting the economic revival of a new, democratic Cuba." Members of the Commission include economist Arthur Laffer and Sen. Graham. (Cuba Survey)
7/6/92 Ros-Lehtinen 1750 Individuals
7/10/92 Bumpers, Dale 1000 Free Cuba PAC Daschle, Thomas 1000 Free Cuba PAC Dorgan, Byron 2000 Free Cuba PAC McCollum, Bill 1000 Free Cuba PAC Smith, Neal 5000 Free Cuba PAC
7/10/92 Cuban American Foundation, Inc. $23,000 $17,324
7/10/92 Jonathan Slade (MMW) $9,000 $191
7/15/92 Meek, Carrie 250 Individual
7/19/92 Ray, Richard 250 Individual
7/20/92 Williamson, Richard 500 Individual
7/24/92 Mica, John 1000 Individual
7/30/92 The House of Representative votes to eliminate the entire $12.6 million in funding for TV Marti. Rep. Alexander leads the opposition and calls TV Marti a "cold war relic." His amendment passes 206-194. However, a few minutes later, a second vote is held and the amendment is defeated 181-215. The entire appropriations bill, including funding for TV Marti, then passes 242-153. (Broadcasting, 8/3/92)
8/1/92 Menendez, Robert 250 Individual
8/1/92 11/30/92 In a memo from Jorge Mas Canosa to USIA Director Henry Catto, the Advisory Board for Cuba Broadcasting recommends moving the operations of Radio and TV Marti to Miami. The union of Radio Marti employees objects to the proposed move. (NJ, 2/20/93)
8/1/92 8/31/92 Americas Watch publishes its first human rights report on a domestic U.S. situation--"the issue of freedom of expression in Miami's Cuban exile community." The report, "Dangerous Dialogue," documents the "violence and intimidation of dissident political voices in the Cuban American community in Miami. CANF is singled out for criticism for its efforts to suppress voices of dissent in Miami, through repeated efforts to close museums, and verbal assaults on newspapers, radio stations, and individuals with whom the Foundation disagrees. The report points out the U.S. government is supporting these activities by funding CANF through NED and Radio Marti. Among its recommendations are that "the National Endowment for Democracy should take steps to assure that its grant funds are not being used to support the suppression of freedom of expression," and that USIA "should take similar steps with respect to Radio Marti." (AW)
8/1/92 11/30/92 "Jorge has always had a well-established agenda of his own," warns Raul Masivdal, CANF co-creator and former friend of Mas Canosa. "He is on a quest to become the future dictator of Cuba. He is a monster in the making." (Time, 10/26/92)
8/3/92 Bishop, Sanford 1000 Individual Grossman, Nickie 1000 Free Cuba PAC Mica, John 2000 Free Cuba PAC Morsberger, Emory 300 Individual
8/3/92 The Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy recommends that TV Marti be shut down. Commission chair Tom Korologos calls the program "simply not cost-effective," and notes that suggesting the cut was "a tough political call...it's not a popular way to go, but we call it like it is." James Skinner, executive director of the Advisory Board for Cuba Broadcasting calls the Commission's suggestion "out of step with the vote of confidence Congress just granted TV Marti," and Antonio Navarro, USIA's Cuba Broadcasting director says that canceling TV Marti would send the wrong message to Castro. (WP, 8/3/92)
8/4/92 Fielding, Edward 250 Individual
8/5/92 Grossman Nicki 1250 Individuals Meek, Carrie 250 Individual
8/7/92 Graham, Bob 500 Individual Menendez, Robert 400 Individual Ros-Lehtinen 1890 Individuals
8/10/92 Colorado-Laguna, Anton 500 Individuals Lieberman, Joseph 1000 Individual Meek, Carrie 500 Individual
8/11/92 Grossman, Nicki 250 Individual Menendez, Robert 1000 Individual
8/12/92 Diaz-Balart 1000 Individuals
8/13/92 Mack, Connie 250 Individual Menendez, Robert 5000 Free Cuba PAC Menendez, Robert 500 Individuals
8/14/92 Diaz-Balart 4000 Individuals Flores, Joan 1000 Individual
8/18/92 Souto, Javier 500 Individual
8/21/92 Thomas, David 200 Individual
8/31/92 Graham, Bob 500 Individual Meek, Carrie 250 Individual
9/1/92 9/30/92 The National Endowment for Democracy Board of Directors decides to no longer fund CANF for its support of the International Coalition for Human Rights in Cuba, but instead to fund the Coalition directly with a grant of $100,000. (Interview with Megan Connor of NED, 3/31/93)
9/9/92 Coverdell, Paul 500 Individual
9/10/92 Ray, Richard 5000 Individuals
9/11/92 Deutsch, Peter 1000 Individual
9/16/92 Deutsch, Peter 1000 Individual Romero-Barcelo, Carlos 300 Individual
9/17/92 Brown, Corrine 1000 Free Cuba PAC
9/21/92 Brown, Corrine 1500 Free Cuba PAC
9/28/92 Hollings, Ernest 4000 Free Cuba PAC Hastings, Alcee 200 Individual Shaw, Eugene 1000 Individual
9/30/92 Considine, Terrence 1500 Individuals Pomeroy, Earl 1000 Individual Ray, Richard 200 Individual
10/1/92 Mica, John 500 Individual
10/1/92 9/30/93 CANF resettled 251 Cuban refugees through the PSI Cuban Exodus Program. (Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration document, 10/19/94)
10/1/92 9/30/93 CANF resettled 139 refugees, at $630 per capita. (Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration document, 10/19/94)
10/2/92 Ackerman, Gary L. 1000 Free Cuba PAC Andrews, Robert 500 Free Cuba PAC Burton, Dan 1000 Free Cuba PAC Coleman, Ronald 500 Free Cuba PAC D'Amato, Alfonse 5000 Free Cuba PAC Engel, Eliot 1000 Free Cuba PAC Gibbons, Sam 1000 Free Cuba PAC Hutto, Earl 500 Free Cuba PAC Levin, Sander 500 Free Cuba PAC Mica, John 1500 Free Cuba PAC Price, David 500 Free Cuba PAC Russo, Martin 500 Free Cuba PAC Shaw, Eugene Clay 1000 Free Cuba PAC Wilson, Charles 500 Free Cuba PAC
10/3/92 Toricelli 400 Individual
10/5/92 Ackerman, Gary 250 Individual
10/7/92 Colorado-Laguna, Anton 500 Individual Menendez, Robert 250 Individual
10/9/92 Colorado-Laguna, Anton 500 Individual Rowland, James 500 Individual
10/10/92 Cuban American Foundation, Inc. $25,000 $25,438
10/10/92 Fernando D. Rojas $5,436 $0
10/10/92 Jonathan Slade (MMW) $9,000 $165
10/13/92 Steinberg, Cathey 1000 Individual
10/14/92 Becerra, Xavier 1000 Individual Hollings, Ernest 500 Individual
10/15/92 Bacchus, Jim 500 Individual Les Aspin 1000 Free Cuba PAC Gejdenson, Sam 5000 Free Cuba PAC Glenn, John 500 Free Cuba PAC McCurdy, Dave 2000 Free Cuba PAC
10/18/92 CBS-TV's 60 Minutes does a critical television piece on Mas Canosa.
10/19/92 D'Amato, Alfonse 1000 Individual Menendez, Robert 500 Individual
10/20/92 Sundquist, Donald 1000 Individual
10/22/92 Ortiz, Solomon 500 Individual Ray, Richard 2000 Individuals
10/23/92 President Bush signs the Cuban Democracy Act at a ceremony in Miami. (***CITE***)
10/26/92 Aspin, Les 1000 Individual Gingrich, Newt 500 Individual Gillman, Benjamin 1000 Individual
10/27/92 Colorado-Laguna, Anton 1000 Individual Ros-Lehtinen 250 Individual
10/29/92 Emerson, Norvell 500 Individual
10/30/92 Colorado-Laguna, Anton 500 Individual Burton, Danny 1000 Individual Torricelli 2750 Individuals
11/2/92 Colorado-Laguna, Anton 500 Individual
11/3/92 Shays, Christopher 300 Individual
11/4/92 Vanwinkle, John 1000 Individual
11/9/92 Fowler, Wyche 1000 Individual
11/14/92 Coverdell, Paul 6000 Individuals
11/23/92 Collins, Michael 1000 Individual
12/21/92 CANF creates the Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba in order to publicize Cuban human rights abuses around the world. Other exile human rights groups applaud the new organization but complain that its primary purpose is the overthrow of Fidel Castro and not the protection of human rights. (MH, 12/24/92)
12/31/92 Romero-Barcelo, Carlos 400 Individual
1/8/93 Pressler, Larry 2000 Individual
1/10/93 Cuban American Foundation, Inc. $17,000 $23,483
1/10/93 Fernando D. Rojas $6,342 $0
1/10/93 Jonathan Slade (MMW) $9,000 $176
1/12/93 Mack, Connie 2000 Individuals
1/12/93 An article in the Miami Herald reports that many Cuban specialists do not see Cuba as a high priority for the Clinton administration. Jorge Dominguez of Harvard University states that Clinton "has his plate full and needs to concentrate on building political capital." Jose Cardenas, spokesperson for the Cuban American National Foundation agrees: "He doesn't need any side distractions or controversies, which he'll get if he tinkers with Cuba policy." (MH, 1/12/93)
1/17/93 Clinton Administration sources leak word that Cuban-American Mario Baeza will be nominated as Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs. An Ivy-league trained Wall Street lawyer, Baeza heads the Latin American Group at the firm Debevoise & Plimpton, specializing in mergers, acquisitions and privatization of state-owned businesses in Latin America. Promoted by Clinton advisors Vernon Jordon and Ron Brown as a highly qualified, pro-business, black/Hispanic candidate, transition team members assume that he will be supported by key constituencies: African-Americans, business interests, Latinos and, most importantly, the Cuban American community which raised considerable funds for Clinton during the 1992 campaign. (MH, 1/18/93)
1/19/93 Mario Baeza's name is crossed off a list of nominations released by the Clinton transition team, due to intense negative reaction by anti-Castro Cuban Americans led by Jorge Mas Canosa. Baeza critics object to the nomination on the grounds that Baeza is "soft" on Cuba policy, and not sufficiently committed to the overthrow of Fidel Castro. CANF is particularly angry that Baeza attended the Euromoney meetings on trade and investment in Cuba in June 1992 and traveled to Havana to meet with officials as part of that conference. "Most of his opinions on Cuba are antithetical to the Cuban community," states Jose Cardenas, a CANF spokesman. (MH, 1/20/93)
1/20/93 Considine, Terrence 250 Individual
1/21/93 Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) introduces deficit-reducing legislation to consolidate and reduce international broadcasting programs. His plan includes the elimination of TV Marti. The Senator notes, "unlike Radio Marti with its significant Cuban audience, its television cousin was simply not effective....The goal of opening up communications with the people of Cuba is commendable, but let us pursue more productive alternatives." (CR, v. 139, no. 5)
1/26/93 The Miami Herald reports that the Cuban-American lobby has derailed the nomination of Mario Baeza and that the Clinton administration will nominate Sally Shelton Colby as assistant secretary. CANF, sources say, is promoting a package: Shelton Colby as assistant secretary with Cuban-American political leader Simon Ferro and Richard Nuccio, a staff aide to Rep. Torricelli, as her deputies. (MH, 1/26/93)
2/17/93 Mitchell, George 3000 Individuals
2/26/93 Deutsch, Peter 3500 Free Cuba PAC
3/1/93 Deutsch, Peter 1500 Individuals
3/1/93 3/31/93 President Clinton meets with members of the Cuban American National Foundation. Foundation President Francisco "Pepe" Hernandez states that the Foundation supports the nomination of Alexander Watson for the position of Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs, as he "demonstrated a good understanding of the situation of the Cuban community, defended the U.S. commercial embargo against Cuba, and has criticized violations of human rights on the island." (NH, 5/11/93)
3/3/93 Mitchell, George 1000 Individual
3/4/93 The "Fat Albert" blimp breaks loose from its moorings and is grounded for repairs for several months. Without the blimp, TV Marti broadcasts by satellite, and is receivable only in households with a satellite dish. (NYT, 7/10/93; (WP, 1/18/93)
3/8/93 Neubauer, Jeff 1000 Individual
3/15/93 Bradley, Bill 500 Individual Mack, Connie 1000 Individual
3/18/93 The U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy again recommends cutting TV Marti, Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty as a way to cut government spending. Chair Tom Korologos states, "They are spending $25 million a year on [TV Marti] a program nobody is watching....We support Radio Marti, because that is working. But this doggone TV thing...we think it's a waste of taxpayers' money." Joseph O'Connell, spokesperson for VOA, replies, "TV Marti continues to enjoy support on Capitol Hill and the support of the administration....We think despite the jamming, it does get through." Fernando Rojas, CANF spokesperson, calls the Commission's report "dangerously short-sighted." (MH, 3/19/93)
3/21/93 Krueger, Robert 1000 Individual
3/24/93 Espy, Henry 1000 Individual Neubauer, Jeff 1000 Individual
3/25/93 Ackerman, Gary 250 Individual
3/31/93 CANF makes public a report on the Cuban economy it states was obtained from Castro's inner circle. CANF claims it shows that the Cuban economy has shrunk by nearly two-thirds and will collapse by July. The report indicates that Cuba's total foreign reserves have fallen, sugar exports have declined, and the gross national product has diminished. Jorge Mas Canosa states the report was prepared by the executive committee of Cuba's council of ministers for a meeting in November 1992. The Cuban government stops short of denying the facts in the report, and the State Department gives no comment. Jose Luis Ponce, an official in the Cuban Interest Section in Washington, says the report is probably untrue and is simply part of the "foundation's campaign against Cuba." The document is titled "Global Analysis of the Economy, January-September 1992" and reports on the downward trend in the Cuban economy. (CANF Report, 3/31/93)
4/1/93 Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA) and fourteen co-sponsors introduce HR 1579, the Free Trade in Ideas Act. The legislation seeks to restrict the President's authorities regarding information exchange, travel, and cultural exchanges with foreign countries. Berman notes that the bill does not change the status of assets in blocked Cuban accounts. (CR, 4/1/93)
4/1/93 4/30/93 Armando Valladares resigns from CANF's Blue Ribbon Commission, and sends this message to CANF: "Please do not use my name as a member of the Committee for any reception or activity affiliated to the Cuban American National Foundation." (Progressive, 7/93)
4/5/93 Ray, Richard 500 Individual Ros-Lehtinen 1000 Individual
4/6/93 Ros-Lehtinen 1400 Individuals
4/8/93 The Miami Herald reports that the U.S. Attorney's Office in Miami has drafted a proposed indictment that charges the Cuban government with racketeering and conspiracy to send tons of Colombian cocaine to the United States. The Cuban American National Foundation's spokeswoman, Ninoska Perez Castellon, states, "We are not surprised by the news. For years, the Foundation has been warning the world about the close links between the Castro regime and drug trafficking." Administration officials are surprised by reports of the draft indictment and offer no comments regarding its implications for Cuban-U.S. relations. (MH, 4/8/93 and 4/9/93)
4/10/93 Cuban American Foundation, Inc. $34000 ($1,600 Ladex loans) $31,210
4/10/93 Fernando D. Rojas $5,557 $0
4/10/93 Jonathan Slade (MMW) $9,000 $173
4/14/93 Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Ernesto Leal confirms newspaper reports that Jorge Mas Canosa has arranged with a secretary in the Nicaraguan foreign ministry for visas to be granted to Mas Canosa's relatives in Cuba. Under the CANF-INS Exodus Program, Mas Canosa's relatives will be able to immigrate to the United States from Nicaragua. It is not clear why Mas Canosa was unable to obtain US visas for his family. (CI, 4/30/93)
4/20/93 5/10/93 In a meeting with the editorial board of the Miami Herald, Vice President Gore comments on Cuba: "We've been paying a lot of attention to it. Castro's chickens are coming home to roost. His policies have been an utter failure, and always have been. Let us not forget that our principal policy for hastening the departure of Castro is to convince the Cuban people that his leadership is an abject failure. And our policy is to stay that course." Gore proposes "turning up the volume" on TV and Radio Marti, and in response to a question regarding the costs to taxpayers of a television program that no one actually sees, Gore replies, "Let's try to make it work." (CI, 5/21/93)
4/21/93 Torres, Esteban 1000 Individual
4/23/93 In an interview with Mexico's El Sol newspaper, Raul Castro denies drug smuggling accusations and calls for better relations with the United States. Castro states that the recent charges against him published in the Miami Herald are part of a right-wing exile campaign to discredit the regime. Castro also says he sees room for improvement in Cuban-U.S. relations with the Clinton Administration. "What I can say is that there is less verbal aggression this year in the White House than in the last 12 years." (MH, 4/24/93)
4/26/93 Menendez, Robert 2000 Free Cuba PAC
4/27/93 Menendez, Robert 500 Individual Mitchell, George 1000 Individual
4/27/93 Menendez, Robert 500 Individual
4/30/93 The Political Finance and Lobby Reporter releases figures on PAC money spent over the 1991-92 election cycle. During the two years, the Free Cuba PAC, associated with the Cuban American National Foundation had $159,000 in receipts, $158,000 in gifts and $166,940 in expenses; the PAC gave $79,250 to Democrats, and $79,000 to Republicans. (CI, 5/21/93; Political Finance and Lobby Reporter, 4/30/93)
5/1/93 5/31/93 The Clinton administration's 1993 budget includes a line item for TV Marti funding of $18.7 million. (CI, 5/21/93)
5/1/93 5/31/93 A delegation from the Cuban Ecumenical Council meets with members of Congress and their aids to argue against the embargo. The Cuban American National Foundation takes out a quarter-page ad in the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call, denouncing the Ecumenical Council as agents of Fidel Castro. (AP, 5/14/93; CI, 5/21/93)
5/3/93 Carr, Bob 500 Individual
5/5/93 Mack, Connie 12250 Individuals
5/6/93 Cuban National Assembly President and former Foreign Minister Ricardo Alarcon states that he wants to withhold judgment on U.S. Vice President Al Gore's statements on Cuba until he knows the "context" in which they were made. Regarding TV Marti, Alarcon comments, "Turning up and increasing the volume would be to carry on making the same mistake. Certainly the anti-Cuban TV [Gore] talks about can't exactly be considered a success....The only thing the U.S. should do is put a stop to it and simply stop wasting taxpayers' money on things that place the U.S. outside international norms." (CI, 5/21/93)
5/9/93 Collins, Michael 1000 Individuals
5/10/93 Ros-Lehtinen 250 Individual
5/10/93 5/20/93 CANF opposes the appointment of Elio E. Muller, a Tampa lawyer who chaired Clinton's Hispanic drive in Florida, as director of the U.S. Information Agency's Office on Cuban Broadcasting. In his place, the Foundation wants Antonio Navarro, who headed the office under the Bush Administration, to remain director. Observers speculate that the primary motive for favoring Navarro is to keep a "familiar face" in the USIA. One of CANF's principal Congressional allies, Rep. Torricelli, is reportedly planning to remain neutral on the issue. (NJ, 5/22/93; WT, 5/13/93)
5/11/93 Hutchinson, Kay 1000 Free Cuba PAC
5/12/93 Torricelli 1500 Individuals
5/15/93 Hutchison, Kay 1000 Individual
5/18/93 Burton, Dan 250 Free Cuba PAC
5/20/93 During a Cuban American National Foundation meeting, Gov. Lawton Chiles signs legislation prohibiting Florida state investment in companies that do business with Cuba. The law prohibits Florida from investing in domestic companies or their foreign subsidiaries that do business with Cuba and gives municipalities the authority to revoke or deny operating licenses to companies trading with Cuba. Also attending the meeting, which is held on the anniversary of Cuba's independence from Spain, is Rep. Torricelli, who sponsored the Cuban Democracy Act. (MH, 5/21/93)
5/20/93 President Clinton celebrates Cuban Independence Day on the White House lawn with Cuban American leaders from Florida, New Jersey, and New York. Praising them, Clinton states, "As I look out on you and I see the great community you represent, I see a real mirror of the American dream." Clinton also reiterates his commitment to firm stand on isolating Cuba. (MH, 5/21/93)
5/21/93 Deconcini, Dennis 3100 Free Cuba PAC Lieberman, Joseph 5000 Free Cuba PAC
5/24/93 Deconcini, Dennis 1000 Individual
5/24/93 A Miami Herald article reports that Cuban American "activists turn D.C. into a soapbox as fight over Cuba policy intensifies." Writer Christopher Marquis states, "Hard-liners, moderates and liberals are fighting for control of Radio Marti...CANF [is] trying to safeguard its position as the preeminent exile voice and lobby--and throwing some sharp elbows along the way...Meanwhile, critics say, the Foundation has moved to eclipse organizations it views as rivals, such as the Valladares Foundation." The Valladares Foundation's executive director Kristina Arriaga says that CANF officials have told lawmakers to avoid her group and have organized a competing group for human rights: "These people remind me of the Mafia." (MH, 5/24/93)
5/25/93 Deconcini, Dennis 2000 Individual Mack, Connie 500 Individual
5/25/93 Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina declares that the Clinton administration "has not continued to present itself in the aggressive manner that former administrations did when they referred to Cuba." However, Robaina attacks the continued radio and TV broadcasts from the United States into Cuba. Robaina cautions against "excessive enthusiasm" for improved relations with the United States as there was no foreseeable end to the embargo. (FBIS, 5/27/93)
5/25/93 More than 60 Radio Marti employees send a petition to USIA Director Joseph Duffey asking that the station "be maintained above any competing political factions existing within the Cuban exile community." The petition includes concerns about the appearance of conflict of interest within Radio Marti and problems with objectivity and impartiality. Rolando Bonachea, director of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, responding to the petition, says "The people of Cuba are entitled to know all viewpoints, so I am not going to exclude anyone from participating in a responsible fashion in the programming of Radio Marti." (NYT, 7/10/93) Radio Marti faces internal criticism from a group calling itself "Worried Employees of Radio Marti." Worried Employees characterizes many members of the station's staff as "incompetents" and alleges that Rolando Bonachea, editor of the station, does not know anything about the profession. Furthermore, the group maintains that a number of the station's employees are Castro-sympathizers. Bonachea promises a thorough investigation of the allegations. (WP, 6/1/93)
5/25/93 The Cuban American National Foundation hosts a conference in a Senate office building on "Cuba's Reconstruction: Prospects for the Future." The event is sponsored by the Foundation's Blue Ribbon Commission and features Malcolm Forbes, Arthur Laffer, and a variety of Cuba experts. The purpose of the conference is to assess the effects of a shift to market economy in Cuba. At the same time, Florida International University presents its State Department funded study on the growing crisis in Cuba in a closed-door session with State Department officials. The study presents policy options, not recommendations, in the event of change on the island. FIU was given $500,000 for the project. (MH, 5/24/93 and 5/26/93) Conservative anti-Castro allies gather for "A Night For Free Cuba" party in Washington. Among those attending are Jorge Mas Canosa, Arthur Laffer, Sen. Mack, Jeanne Kirkpatrick, and Richard Allen. Mas Canosa, when asked at the dinner about his presidential ambitions in a post-Castro Cuba, insists that "It's unlikely... There's a big difference between a patriot and a politician, and I prefer to be a patriot." (WT, 5/26/93)
5/29/93 Ortiz, Solomon 500 Individual
6/1/93 An article in the Washington Post reveals that an organization calling itself the "Worried Employees of Radio Marti" has released a statement criticizing Radio Marti programs and staff. The statement claims that the analysts' department, which "has an annual budget of more than $350,000 and doesn't do anything positive for the station," supports "Marxist and Socialist" Cubans and "constantly" gives air time to leftist dissidents. (WP, 6/1/93)
6/2/93 Ros-Lehtinen 500 Individual
6/3/93 Burton, Danny 250 Individual
6/7/93 Coverdell, Paul 2000 Individual
6/8/93 Mack, Connie 1000 Individual
6/10/93 Jorge Mas Canosa telephones Carlos Lage, the vice president of Cuba's Council of State, while Lage is visiting Chile. Mas Canosa informs Lage that he is impressed by Lage's prudent and moderate attitude and urges Lage to cooperate with the opposition on the island and in exile. Mas says Lage listened and said, "Thank you very much" before hanging up. (MH, 6/11/93)
6/14/93 Florida's 1993 Free Cuba Act, signed into law a month ago by Florida Gov. Lawton Chiles during a Cuban American National Foundation meeting, comes under legal attack as six companies sue to block the law's implementation. The companies, including Marazul Charters and ABC Charters, insist the new state and local laws are unconstitutional attempts to regulate foreign trade. Florida attorneys contend that the new laws will not affect companies, like Marazul, that have federal licenses. However, Jorge Mas Canosa, who helped desi
gn the legislation, recently stated in a radio interview that Florida should use the new law to put Marazul out of business. (MH, 6/15/93)
6/15/93 President Clinton announces his proposal to restructure U.S. international broadcasting. The plan creates a new, independent board of governors for USIA; the board will supervise Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty, VOA, Radio and TV Marti, and other foreign broadcasts. USIA Director Joseph Duffey states that unlike the other operations, Radio and TV Marti will retain their own Advisory Board for Cuba Broadcasting: "There's no change in this plan at all that affects the structure of Radio Marti broadcasting," nor are changes imminent at TV Marti, despite "technical problems" with transmissions. Duffey also states that Clinton plans "no imminent movement" to appoint a Democratic majority to the Advisory Board, or to replace Mas Canosa as its chairman: "That will continue just as it has in the past," Duffey says, noting that the leadership remains "bipartisan." Ernesto Betancourt, former Radio Marti director, comments to the Miami Herald that "the Democratic administration is going to continue its servitude to the Cuban American National Foundation." (MH, 6/16/93)
6/15/93 Ernesto Melendez, head of the Cuban State Committee on Economic Cooperation, states in an interview with a Cuban trade magazine (which is later picked up by the Associated Press) that Cuba is ready to negotiate with the U.S. regarding compensation for nationalized property in the broader context of talks to normalize relations. The following day the State Department responds saying, "The Cuban government has not approached us through official channels to discuss this subject. However, our long-standing position is that Americans are entitled to compensation for their expropriated properties, and that such compensation should be paid unconditionally. If the Cubans have a proposal in this regard, we would be interested in it." Jorge Mas Canosa states that the Cuban American National Foundation has no intentions of talking with Castro or his government: "This means the Torricelli bill is working...This means the embargo is working. This reflects the desperation of the Cuban government." (MH, 6/15/93 and 6/16/93)
6/16/93 In a closed mark-up session the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State, and Judiciary deletes all funding for Radio and TV Marti. (CAC, 6/22/93; CM, 6/25/93)
6/21/93 Diaz-Balart 250 Free Cuba PAC
6/22/93 Kennedy, Edward 2000 Individual Ros-Lehtinen 500 Individual
6/22/93 The Miami Herald publishes an article describing dissension, bitterness, and frequent skirmishes at Radio Marti. The most recent cause for tension at the station is a complaint filed by Gene Bigler, an official for the U.S. Information Agency in Havana, that Radio Marti researchers were favoring the hard-line rhetoric of the Cuban American right-wing. The article also cites a study presented by Unidad Cubana to Rolando Bonachea, the acting director of the Office of Cuban Broadcasting, which claimed Radio Marti was controlled by leftists who oppose the U.S. embargo and who favor dialogue with Fidel Castro. Disputes also continue to erupt over who will be appointed to head the Office of Cuban Broadcasting which has been directed by Rolando Bonachea since Antonio Navarro retired in January. CANF favors reinstating Navarro, but Elio Muller appears to be the leading contender. (MH, 6/22/93 and 7/8/93)
6/23/93 Andrews, Robert 500 Individual
6/24/93 Rep. Carrie Meek (D-FL) introduces an amendment in the House Appropriations Committee to re-insert $8.75 million in funding for Radio Marti by taking $17.5 million in funds from the NED. Rep. Meek states that Radio Marti is a "very valuable investment in peaceful change in Cuba." the subcommittee's ranking Republican Representative Harold Rogers of Kentucky argues against it: "Just because it's nice to broadcast to Cuba...it seems to me it is in dreamland....And I don't think that we can afford to dream today." The full House Appropriations Committee votes 26 to 21 to approve the amendment and restore funding for Radio Marti. (CM, 6/25/93)
6/25/93 Bennett, Robert 1000 Individual
6/28/93 Diaz-Balart 200 Individual
6/28/93 In an editorial, the Miami Herald describes TV Marti as a failure but recommends that Radio Marti be kept on the air. "If TV Marti's technical and audience prospects were better, continuing it might be worthwhile. But neither prospect merits optimism or, therefore, more money." (MH, 6/28/93)
6/29/93 Bishop, Sanford 2000 Individuals
7/1/93 After having funds for Radio and TV Marti deleted in a closed mark-up session, the House Appropriations Committee restores funds for Radio Marti but not TV Marti (CAC, 6/22/93; CM, 6/25/93; MH, 6/25/93). Rep. Diaz-Balart succeeds in cutting $23 million from the National Institute of Standards and Technology in an effort to repay Rep. David Skaggs (D-CO) for cutting $17.5 million from Radio and TV Marti. Rep. Skaggs complains, "I was greatly disturbed and saddened that the normal business of this House was subject to these retributive tactics. This is an example of how difficult it is to pull the plug on a program, even one as ineffective as this one." Skaggs believes the programs are unnecessary because Cubans are able to view commercial broadcasts from Florida. (MH, 7/3/93) Another Cuban American Member of Congress, first-term Representative Robert Menendez (D-NJ), tells the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call that he intends to monitor projects in the districts of Members who are "obviously on a mission" to oppose the "peaceful diplomacy" programs of Radio and TV Marti: "It could be anyone...For every action, there's a reaction." (CAC, 7/23/92; RC, 7/5/93)
7/1/93 7/31/93 "The Foundation has gone beyond an international policy toward Cuba," says Abel Holtz, the Cuban American chairman of Capital Bank. "They have used their ability to raise money to participate in the local politics, in terms of appointments of judges and so on; and, in terms of radio and television, to be the censor of public opinion." For example, "the Latin Builders Association is actually controlled by the Foundation, and it's very strong," says Holtz. "If you have a local election, [the Foundation] would go to the Builders Association and say you have to support this one for mayor and this one for councilman. So they are involved in every aspect of the community." (Town and Country, 7/93)
7/2/93 Following the conflict between Rep. Skaggs, who cut TV and Radio Marti funding, and Rep. Diaz-Balart, who cut funding for Boulder-based federal programs, CANF sends out a press release announcing "Opposition to Cuba initiative costs Boulder rep pet project," sending Colorado papers to press with news of the Boulder-Miami feud. (MH, 10/13/93)
7/10/93 Cuban American Foundation, Inc. $47000 ($4,250 Ladex loans) $46,619
7/10/93 Fernando D. Rojas $7,779 $0
7/10/93 The New York Times publishes an article regarding the deletion of funds for TV Marti and new concerns over the impartiality of Radio and TV Marti. The article quotes Francisco Hernandez, president of the Cuban American Foundation, who asserts that neither Jorge Mas Canosa nor any other CANF official dictates news coverage at Radio Marti. However, Hernandez argues, "Isn't it fair that if we produce 80 percent of the news related to Cuba in this community, we should get 80 percent of the air time?" The article also cites recent interviews with Radio Marti employees who claim they have been forced to lobby for CANF during working hours. (NYT, 7/10/93)
7/20/93 Andrews, Robert 500 Free Cuba PAC
7/20/93 Rep. Skaggs successfully raises a point of order on the House floor to delete $8 million in funding for Radio Marti from the State Department Appropriations bill. (CAC, 7/23/93)
7/21/93 The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, States and the Judiciary, chaired by Sen. Hollings (D-SC) approves in full the administration's request of $28 million for Radio and TV Marti. Sen. Hollings also successfully raises a point of order to delete $3 million for a Boulder-based project under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to retaliate for Rep. Skaggs' earlier actions against Radio and TV Marti. (CAC, 7/23/93; MH, 10/3/93)
7/21/93 The Miami Herald publishes an article by Domingo Moreira, a director of the Cuban American National Foundation, defending the U.S. embargo. Moreira contends that weakening or lifting the embargo would simply prolong the Castro regime. (MH, 7/21/93)
7/29/93 In a rare open meeting of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, several experts and administration officials comment on the situation in Cuba and U.S. policy. The hearing was convened at the initiative of Sen. Bob Graham (D-FL). Among the witnesses are Brian Latell, CIA's National Intelligence Officer for Latin America, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs Robert S. Gelbard. Gelbard states, "We do not wish to see the Cuban people isolated," citing the importance of the Radio and TV Marti programs among other initiatives. ("Statement of Robert S. Gelbard," 7/29/93; CI, 8/6/93; MH, 7/30/93)
7/31/93 Ackerman, Gary 500 Free Cuba PAC Braun, Carol Moseley 1000 Free Cuba PAC Coleman, Ronald 1000 Free Cuba PAC Gordon, Barton 500 Free Cuba PAC Wilson, Charles 500 Free Cuba PAC
8/1/93 8/31/93 Eight Cubans are picked up by the Mexican Navy off the Yucatan Peninsula after seven others died when their boat sank. Mexico deports the survivors, leading to protests by Cuban Americans in Miami. Within a week, the decision is reversed and the Cubans are returned to Mexico and given visas. The Cuban government does not object to the departure of the eleven Cubans, they later leave for Miami. The Mexican consul in Miami, Bulmaro Pacheco, joins the Cuban American National Foundation in making the announcement in a news conference. (NYT, 9/21/93)
8/6/93 The United States resumes TV Marti broadcasts for the first time since March 4 when the balloon tethered on Cudjoe Key broke loose during a storm. The broadcasts are jammed immediately, and Cuban radio promises that "any new transmission at any hour of the day or night will be rebuffed." (MH, 8/7/93)
8/10/93 Gilman, Benjamin 1000 Free Cuba PAC
8/12/93 In a Miami Herald article, Christopher Marquis argues, "Despite strong denials by the Clinton administration, U.S. policy toward Cuba has turned softer, whether by drift or design." Marquis notes that the Clinton administration has "reiterated a Bush administration policy that Washington has no hostile intentions toward Cuba; advised Cubans in advance of military maneuvers in the region on two occasions; pledged to crack down on anti-Castro terrorism originating in the United States; characterized a peaceful transition in Cuba as `vital to U.S. interests,' and refrained from insisting that Castro must leave power for such a transition to occur." Marquis also comments that administration officials have not offered strong support of Radio and TV Marti programs and have lowered their attacks on Cuba in the international arena. (MH, 8/12/93)
9/2/93 Metro inspectors found that MBL Paving Inc., which was being awarded black contracts, was actually controlled by Canosa's company, Church and Tower, whose employees, including its president, Paul Banks, worked for MBL, The Herald reported. On Aug. 20, Metro removed MBL from a $1,458 paving and drainage job on a West Dade jail. Church and Tower, since 1984, used MBL to secure contracts, to the tune of $61 million, county records show, according to The Herald. Mas Canosa has denied all allegations of impropriety. Banks has declined to comment on his company's business practices. (MT 9/2/93)
9/3/93 An unidentified official at the U.S. Interests Section in Havana begins a series of reports on the effectiveness of TV Marti. The official, using a battery-powered Sony "Watchman" portable television while traveling to various locations in Cuba, reports that for "a minute or two before the jamming starts" TV Marti can be viewed, but "once the jammers come on, however, the TV becomes hash [sic] and noise." (U.S. Interests Section, [TV Marti Report One], 9/3/93)
9/8/93 At a National Press Club function, Reps. Ros-Lehtinen and Diaz-Balart, along with Cuban exiles, discuss opposition to a new immigration accord between Cuba and the United States. (Reuters, 9/5/93; CI, 9/24/93)
9/10/93 The U.S. Interests Section reports that the "window for TV Marti broadcasts is tiny: [deleted] the TV Marti program was received on three occasions in a small area about 35 kilometers west of Havana," where it appears that "a small gap of from five to ten kilometers in length exists between Cuban jamming west of Havana and just to the east of the Port Town of Mariel." On the morning of September 3, "the TV Marti signal was completely overshadowed by Channel 13, TVT, the CBS affiliate station in Tampa, Florida." On the morning of September 6, the official "finally detected clear audio with poor picture at 5:45 a.m. to hear an excellent report on the commemoration of Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech." (U.S. Interests Section, [TV Marti Report Two], 9/10/93)
9/14/93 After monitoring the del Rio area eleven times, the U.S. Interests Section reports that "on three occasions TV Marti programs were received at least faintly in a small area...this reception area is very sparsely populated and extends no more than a few kilometers south of the coast road and for about ten kilometers from east to west." On September 14, amidst "poor atmospheric conditions," the official reports "only noise and snow on TV, while Radio Marti faded in and out on short-wave." (U.S. Interests Section, [TV Marti Report Three], 9/14/93)
9/16/93 Seventy-two Cubans creep under a garden wall into the Mexican embassy in the Dominican Republic, refusing to leave unless Mexico helps them get to Miami. The Mexican government refuses, saying it will not act as a consular intermediary. (NYT, 9/21/93) The New York Times reports that Cuban American leaders have been pressuring Mexico to work on behalf of the 72 Cubans. Rep. Diaz-Balart says at least a few legislators already plan to vote against NAFTA due to Mexico's relations with Cuba. Mexican officials fear that the refugee problem will further endanger the free trade accord: "We do not need any explosive issue to come up which is going to interfere with what is already a very difficult process," a senior Mexican official is quoted as saying; bending to Cuban American groups "is a relatively small price to pay." (NYT, 9/21/93)
9/24/93 Miami (Fla.) Cuban exile leader Jorge Mas Canosa negotiates to merge his family-run contracting business Church & Tower with cable-laying company Burnup & Sims Inc. (MH 9/24/93)
9/29/93 The U.S. Interests Section reports after two additional days of monitoring TV Marti broadcasts east of Havana that a "very poor signal was detected briefly on September 28. But much better reception was detected over a broad area on September 29." On the 29th, TV Marti programming was "heard fairly clearly," but "a clear video signal was received only intermittently, probably due to poor atmospheric conditions." (U.S. Interests Section, [TV Marti Report Four], 9/29/93)
9/30/93 CANF discontinued its participation in the PSI refugee resettlement program.
10/1/93 9/30/94 CANF resettled 111 refugees at $655 per capita.
10/1/93 The New York Times publishes an editorial critical of TV Marti and the Presidential Advisory Board headed by Jorge Mas Canosa but supportive of Radio Marti. The article suggests that Mas Canosa is too divisive a figure to be a central character in both stations. The Times recommends that Congress delete funding for TV Marti and eliminate the advisory board but maintain the budget for Radio Marti. (NYT, 10/1/93)
10/7/93 Rep. Skaggs releases a just-declassified report showing that TV Marti broadcasts are consistently jammed in Cuba despite redirection of the transmitting signal. The report, prepared by U.S. personnel in Cuba, was declassified at Rep. Skaggs' request and tracks TV Marti reception in September in various Cuban locations. (Skaggs Press Release, 10/7/93)
10/10/93 Cuban American Foundation, Inc. $32,000 $25,038
10/10/93 Fernando D. Rojas $8,890 $0
10/10/93 An article by David Rivera, special assistant to the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, appears in the Miami Herald on Cuba. The article compares conditions in Cuba at the time of independence with the present situation. (MH, 10/10/93)
10/10/93 An anti-Castro rally in Miami draws an estimated 100,000 Cuban exiles to the streets, including members of Florida's congressional delegation and Jorge Mas Canosa, who states, "Now more than ever all Cubans must be united. It's time to unite the Cubans with everybody that loves democracy in order to conquer democracy in Cuba, so that step by step we could reach that glorious day in which Cubans in the island and the people in exile will be reunited again." (CI, 10/15/93)
10/11/93 Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina announces that Cuba will host a conference between Cuban exiles and Cuban government officials during the first half of next year to discuss key issues in mutual relations. This will be the first such meeting since the "dialogue" in 1978. (MH, 10/13/93)
10/13/93 House and Senate conferees meet to resolve fiscal year 1993 appropriations, including funds for broadcasting to Cuba. Of a total Clinton administration request for $28 million, Congress appropriates $21 million, with $14 million for Radio Marti and $7 million for TV Marti. Of the TV Marti funds, $2.5 million will remain in escrow until July 1993, by which time the USIA director is to determine "whether TV Marti broadcasting is technically sound and effective and is consistently being received by a sufficient Cuban audience to warrant its continuation and whether the interests of the United States are better served by maintaining television broadcasting to Cuba, by terminating television broadcasting to Cuba, or by funding other activities related to promoting democracy in Cuba authorized by law." The amendment also states that unless USIA Director Joseph Duffey, with the help of an advisory panel, finds that TV Marti is technically sound and effective, the funds in escrow will only be made available for termination of the program. Rep. Skaggs says he expects the USIA advisory panel to recommend cutting TV Marti, but comments, "The battle to pull the plug on TV Marti is a good example of just how difficult it is to kill a federal program...I can't imagine that the panel could conclude anything but what so many objective observers and reports have been saying all along, that TV Marti just isn't working." However, Jose Cardenas, spokesperson for CANF, remarks, "We're ecstatic that we have another year to try to make TV Marti work." (House Report 293, Conference Report, 10/14/93; MH, 10/14/93)
10/13/93 An editorial in the Miami Herald advocates keeping Radio Marti, saying it "clearly deserves to remain on the air. But TV Marti can be safely retired to the place where other failed government programs rest." (MH, 10/13/93)
10/15/93 Deutsch, Peter 2000 Free Cuba PAC
10/15/93 Defying federal rules and parole conditions aimed at curbing violent political activities, Cuban exile leader Orlando Bosch announces that he is opening the headquarters of his new political party, Protagonist Party of the People, in Miami. The party's goal is to collect money for support of an anti-Castro rebellion in Cuba. Bosch states that he is aware his activities could violate federal restrictions, but that he doesn't care: "That's the problem of the authorities...I consider those restrictions to have expired." Andres Rivero, spokesperson for the U.S. attorney's office, declines to comment. (MH, 10/16/93)
10/26/93 Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs Alexander Watson delivers a speech at a luncheon sponsored by the Cuban American National Foundation. Watson reiterates the administration's commitment to the Cuban Democracy Act and announces that "our relations will not improve and the embargo will not be lifted until such time as there are democratic reforms and respect for human rights in Cuba." In addition, Watson praises Radio and TV Marti, saying that "now more than ever the Cuban people need the kind of information that Radio and TV Marti provide." Watson also insists that U.S. policy toward Cuba will not change despite the "charm offensive" launched by the Castro regime. (WT, 10/27/93)
11/22/93 Carla Anne Robbins of the Wall Street Journal reports on a classified National Intelligence Estimate on Cuba issued by the CIA in August, warning the president of a potential major crisis as conditions worsen in Cuba. The article notes that despite the Agency's grim predictions, President Clinton seems unlikely to change current U.S. policy on Cuba "at the cost of infuriating the powerful Cuba lobby. 'The political climate right now is: Don't take any chances,' says one frustrated U.S. official." (WSJ, 11/22/93)
11/27/93 Burnup & Sims board of directors approves acquisition of Church & Tower under which family of Cuban exile leader Jorge Mas Canosa will gain control of Burnup & Sims for stocks valued at $58 million; board approves agreement with National Beverage Corp. to eliminate its 36 percent stake in Burnup; announces filing of shareholder suit challenging the transactions (MH 11/27/93)
11/30/93 Hamilton, Lee 1000 Free Cuba PAC
11/30/93 An article by Radio Marti analyst Richard Planas appears in the Miami Herald, comparing Cuba's period of independence to its current situation. Planas concludes by commenting that "Santayana's quote, `those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,' might be of extreme value today, although not to Castro, but to Washington as well as Cubans, both on the island and in exile." (MH, 11/30/93)
12/2/93 The New York Times reports that the Cuban American National Foundation will attempt to accelerate the naturalization process to grant citizenship to the Cuban athletes who defected during the Puerto Rican games. Normally U.S. citizenship can be obtained after five years of residency, which would preclude the Cubans' participation on the US team in the 1996 Olympics. Francisco Hernandez, president of the Foundation, says, "We understand it would have to be an act of Congress, but it has been done in the past." INS spokesperson Duke Austin says it would be unusual: "The reason Congress doesn't do it is that it would be beset with all kinds of requests from others, some more meritorious than participating in an athletic event." (NYT, 12/2/93)
12/21/93 USIA Director Joseph Duffey announces the appointment of a three-member advisory panel to evaluate Radio and TV Marti. Peter Straus, named as chairperson, will report along with William Doherty and Sydnee Guyer Lipset to Duffey and Congress within 90 days. Straus is a former director of VOA, Doherty is the executive director of the American Institute for Free Labor Development, and Guyer Lipset is a media consultant with 17 years experience in television and radio production. In announcing the appointments, Duffey states that the panel will "assist me in reviewing the purposes, policies and practices of our broadcasting to Cuba. I am confident that the three individuals that I have chosen will help me and the Congress appraise the informational value of these broadcasting efforts which have served us so well over the last ten years. Dealing with Cuba in the post-Soviet age calls for a fresh look at Cuban realities and a new cost-benefit analysis." Duffey also announces that Robert Leiken will serve as executive director of the advisory panel. Leiken's appointment stirs some controversy due to his past involvement in the Reagan administration's Contra war effort. Iran-contra documents record Leiken meeting with Lt. Col. Oliver North at least twice. A now declassified secret National Security Council memo titled "Central America Strategies" indicates that Leiken also met with veteran CIA propaganda specialist Walter Raymond. Reporting on their meeting to National Security Advisor Robert McFarlane, Raymond discussed the "Bob Leiken Approach": "I had a long talk with Bob Leiken who, as you know, is a rock-ribbed liberal who works for the Carnegie Endowment. Two months ago Leiken wrote a major piece supporting our policies, and it was a significant breakthrough. He approached me on 15 January at a face-to-face dinner and suggested that he would like to help. He plans to take some soundings and will confirm his willingness to help about 1 February. If Leiken is prepared to help he will be particularly useful in lobbying the political liberals in this city. He believes we have a fairly good chance of winning the Contras fight on the Hill if we play our cards right. I think at some point it will be useful for you to talk directly to him." (USIA Press Release, 12/21/93; Oliver North, Schedule for 5/3/85 and 10/25/85; Walter Raymond, NSC Memorandum for Robert McFarlane, "Central America Strategies," 1/19/85)
12/23/93 Engel, Eliot 2000 Free Cuba PAC Lautenberk, Frank 1000 Free Cuba PAC
12/28/93 Mack, Connie 5000 Free Cuba PAC Price, David 500 Free Cuba PAC Swett, Richard 2000 Free Cuba PAC
1/6/94 A real estate investment company controlled by the family of Miami businessman and Cuban exile leader Jorge Mas Canosa has purchased two distressed West Dade shopping centers for $ 26 million, averting a scheduled Jan. 13 foreclosure auction. Mas' company, US Development Corp., bought the property, equity and debt with the help of $ 29 million in financing from First Union National Bank. Former majority owners are Luis and Maria Cruz; Luis is a CANF board member. (Miami Daily Business Review 1/6/94)
1/7/94 Smith, Neal 5000 Free Cuba PAC
1/10/94 Cuban American Foundation, Inc. $24000 ($7,250 Ladex loans) $29,601
1/10/94 Fernando D. Rojas $5,557 $0
1/13/94 The Advisory Panel on Radio Marti and TV Marti holds its first public meeting. Statements are made by Dr. Rolando Bonachea, Deputy Dir. of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, Antonio Dieguez, Dir. of TV Marti, William Haratunian, International Communications Consultant for the National Association of Broadcasters, Paul Cejas, Chairman of the Free Cuban Commission, Ernesto Diaz, International Representative of the Coordinadora Obrera Cubana and Union Sindical de Trabajadores de Cuba, Joseph Bruns, Acting Dir. of Voice of America, Ernesto Betancourt, former Dir. of Radio Marti, Antonio Navarro, former Dir. of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, Gillian Gunn, Dir. of the Georgetown University Cuba Project, Dr. Mark Falcoff, Resident Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, Frank Calzon, Washington Representative for Freedom House, and George Gedda of the Associated Press. In his statement to the panel, TV Marti Director Antonio Dieguez speaks of the role he envisions for TV Marti in the event of a Cuban upheaval: "Apart from the short-term objective of contributing to the flow of information within Cuba, my strategy since joining TV Marti has been to make the station ready for the inevitable day of Cuba's liberation, and not to disband the army on the eve of the main battle. TV Marti can not only contribute to expedite its coming, but also to shaping events during the dangerous initial days of Cuba's transition. TV Marti would then play a role unprecedented in broadcasting history. And, frankly, all of us at TV Marti want to be a part of that moment." (Advisory Panel Agenda, 1/13/94; statement of Antonio Dieguez)
1/20/94 Meek, Carrie 5000 Free Cuba PAC
2/1/94 The Advisory Panel on Radio Marti and TV Marti holds its second public meeting. Those testifying include Alexander Watson, Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs, Don Hamilton, Dir. of USIA's Office of American Republics Affairs, Dr. Elizabeth Fox, Manager of Strategic Planning at USIA's Bureau of Broadcasting, Jorge Mas Canosa, Chairman of the CANF and of the ABCB, and Carlos Alberto Montaner, President of Union Liberal Cubana. (Advisory Panel Agenda, 2/1/94)
2/1/94 Elizabeth Fox of the USIA's Office of Research issues a report titled "U.S. Government Broadcasting to Cuba: An Assessment from Within." The report consists primarily of the results of "a study of foreign and domestic media habits of Cubans applying for a visa in the U.S. Interests Section," and is based on a survey of 763 Cubans seeking to visit the U.S. between December 13 and 18, 1993. Fox notes that the survey sample "cannot be assumed to represent the Cuban population," because "those who seek to visit the U.S. differ from the general Cuban population." Survey participants responded to a written questionnaire, which initially asked "unprompted" questions, listing no options for response; later in the survey, similar questions were offered in "prompted" form, listing answer options to choose from. Respondents were instructed to list or mark broadcasts viewed or listened to at least once a week. Regarding radio broadcasts, the survey found "an unprompted listening rate for Radio Marti of 31 percent and a prompted listening rate of 54 percent." Regarding television broadcasts, the survey found "no unprompted viewing rate for TV Marti and a prompted viewing rate of 4 percent." (USIA, "U.S. Government Broadcasting to Cuba: An Assessment from Within," 2/1/94)
2/7/94 The Advisory Panel on Radio Marti and TV Marti holds its third public meeting. The panel hears from Dr. Jorge Salazar Carrillo of Florida International University, Dr. Mark Rosenberg, Dir. of the Latin American and Caribbean Center at Florida International University, Dr. Alejandro Portes of the Johns Hopkins University's Cuban Committee for Democracy, Jaime Suchlicki of the University of Miami, Ricardo Bofill, Oscar Pena, Oscar Alvarez, Modesto Castaner, President of Unidad Cubana, and Eloy Gutierrez Menoyo of Cambio Cubano. (Advisory Panel Agenda, 2/7/94)
2/8/94 The Advisory Panel on Radio Marti and TV Marti holds its fourth public meeting, this one held in Coral Gables, Florida to hear the views of Cuban exile organizations. Statements are made by Sebastian Arcos Cazabon, Ariel Hidalgo, Julio Estorino of Municipios de Cuba en el Exilo, Roberto Rodriguez Aragon of Junta Patriotica, Orlando Gutierrez, Dir. of Revolucionaro Democratico Cubano, Dr. Enrique Baloyra of the University of Miami's Cuban Committee for Democracy, Uva Clavijo of Florida International University, and Dr. Juan Clark of Miami-Dade Community College, Kendall Campus. Orlando Gutierrez argues for increased support for radio broadcasts to Cuba: "The U.S. government should cease to provide the Castro regime with a cheap victory and invest the valuable resources now in place for TV Marti in Radio Marti." Enrique Baloyra characterizes TV Marti as "a U.S. policy failure," which "presently falls within the range of those U.S. foreign policy initiatives -- including poisoned cigars, exploding toilets and the like -- that have helped make Mr. Castro a legend in his own mind." (Advisory Panel Agenda, 2/8/94; MH, 2/9/94)
2/10/94 President Clinton announces the appointment of Richard M. Lobo to head the USIA's Office of Cuba Broadcasting. Lobo recently worked as president and general manager of the NBC affiliate in Miami. He says after his appointment, "I promise my full support for Radio and TV Marti's vital mission. As the grandson of Cubans, I am extremely proud to help bring democracy and freedom to Cuba." (CI, 2/18/94)
2/14/94 Bryan, Richard 3100 Free Cuba PAC
2/14/94 Irma Mas Canosa, Jorge Mas Canosa's wife, is slightly injured by cross-fire during a shoot-out between two unidentified men in Florida; police express doubt that the shooting was politically motivated or aimed at Mas Canosa. (MH, 2/14/94 )
2/17/94 Lautenberg, Frank 2600 Free Cuba PAC
2/18/94 The family engineering business owned by Jorge Mas Canosa has discussed investing nearly $ 200 million in hydroelectric power plant construction projects and purchasing a majority stake in Chengdu Machinery. Canosa is chairman of the company, Church and Tower Inc. and president of the Cuban American National Foundation, an anti-Castro organization. Church and Tower would have partners in companies controlled by the municipal government of Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, according to Jorge Mas Canosa Jr. But on Friday, a spokesman for the Mas family said nothing is final. Mas Jr., Church and Tower's president, acknowledged that the family would be in for political criticism. But he defended the discussions, saying the Chinese and Cuban governments are ''totally different.'' He cited economic freedom and increasing political democracy in China, but said Cuba languishes as a totalitarian state. Mas Jr. said he, not his father who opposes trade with Cuba, made the decision to discuss investing in China. (AP 2/18/94)
2/18/94 After a ninety-minute closed session with RAND Corporation analysts which reportedly focuses on alternative means of transmitting television signals to Cuba, the Advisory Panel on Radio Marti and TV Marti holds its final public meeting. The meeting begins with a "Panel on Impact of TV in Crisis," which postulates the role TV Marti might play in a future Cuban upheaval. Participants on this panel include Michael Schneider of the State Department, Elemer Hankiss, visiting professor at Georgetown University, Sherwood Demitz, Chief of USIA's Communications Media Branch, and John Lennon, Chief of VOA's South European Branch. Later others testify, including Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Rep. Robert Menendez, Rep. David Skaggs, Ralph Thomas of the Justice Department's Immigration and Naturalization Service, Dr. Jorge Dominguez of Harvard University and Inter-American Dialogue, Dr. Irving Louis Horowitz of Rutgers University, and Radio and TV Marti staff members. In his statement, Rep. Skaggs reminds the advisory panel that Congress directed the panel to "examine whether TV Marti is technically sound and effective and is consistently being received by a sufficient Cuban audience to warrant its continuation." He states that "I realize that you may be tempted -- or encouraged -- to stray into policy areas beyond the scope of the panel's mission, but I would caution against this." He then makes the following arguments about the TV Marti program: "In reviewing the statements of those who have testified before the panel-to-date, I've been struck by the fact that supporters of TV Marti are now acknowledging -- after having disputed the fact for years -- that the program fails to reach its intended audience in Cuba due to successful jamming by Castro....In addition, whether we're using VHF or UHF, it's still a violation of international law for the United States either to broadcast outside its national boundaries without prior consent of the receiving country, or to operate on a channel duly registered for use by Cubans only. The United States, which is heavily dependent on the global telecommunications system, should not lightly disregard the consequences of the bad precedent we're setting." On the issue of Radio Marti, Skaggs suggests that the program has been plagued by "(t)roubling questions about undue influence and conflict of interest (financial and political)" with respect to Jorge Mas Canosa. With regard to these problems, Skaggs concludes that either they should end, "or Radio Marti should end." (Advisory Panel Agenda, 2/18/94; Statement of Congressman David E. Skaggs, 2/18/94)
2/19/94 Mas Canosa denies negotiating with Communist China. (MH 2/19/94)
2/21/94 Gejdenson, Sam 5000 Free Cuba PAC
2/24/94 Jorge Mas Jr. admits signing a letter of intent to do business with China, despite Mas senior's denials. (MH 2/24/94)
3/10/94 The class action suite brought on by Burnup and Sims shareholder Albert Kahn (and his lawyer Pamela Tikellis of Chimicles, Jacobsen, and Tikellis) was thrown out by a Delaware judge, preventing shareholders from the blocking the merger. Shareholders felt that they were losing money in the venture. (MH 3/11/94)
3/10/94 3/20/94 Mas Canosa announces that his movement is pulling out of the Miami coalition Cuban Unity. "We don't think the armed struggle is the most effective method right now," explains the Foundation's deputy director, Francisco "Pepe" Hernandez. "Every community unquestionably has the right to rise up in arms, but armed confrontation would only lead to more bloodletting, and among innocent people." (Guardian, 4/10/94)
3/12/94 Church and Tower acquires Burnup and Sims in exchange for stock, and renames the combined company MasTec, Inc. Jorge Jr. will be the executive director. (NYT 3/12/94)
3/15/94 Church and Tower scraps plans to invest in Chengdu, China for moral and political reasons. (NYT 3/15/94)
3/17/94 Jorge Mas Canosa testifies before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures and Subcommittee on Trade Committee on Ways and Means on H.R. 2229, the "Free Trade with Cuba Act." Former CANF executive Jose Sorzano, (Chairman, The Austin Group, Inc., and Former Senior Director for Latin America, National Security Council) also testifies. Members of the committee include Dan Rostentowski, chairman, Bob Graham, Michael Kopetski, George Miller, Esteban Torres, Robert Torricelli, Donald Payne, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Jose Serrano, Bernard Sanders, Peter Deutsch, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, and Robert Menendez. (Federal Document Clearing House, 3/17/94)
3/20/94 Old political foes Rev. Jesse Jackson and Jorge Mas Canosa meet for two hours and discuss their interest in bringing democracy to Haiti and Cuba and in easing relations between South Florida's black and Hispanic communities. Mas Canosa had vehemently criticized Jackson's anti-embargo stance only days before. (MH, 3/20/94)
3/26/94 Torricelli 5000 Free Cuba PAC
4/1/94 The Advisory Panel on Radio Marti and TV Marti issues its report. In its three month study of U.S. Cuba broadcasting, the Panel found that while there is room for improvement, the stations "meet established standards for objectivity" and provide "important information not otherwise available to the Cuban people." The report recommends that membership on the President's Advisory Board for Cuba broadcasting be rotated every three years and that USIA take steps to ensure the "editorial integrity" of news broadcasts and the "editorial freedom" of employees. The report also suggests that "the Advisory Board should be a consultative body and not involve itself in day-to-day broadcasting operations or in the recruitment or promotion of personnel." In regard to TV Marti, the report argues that though "by the usual economic criteria, TV Marti cannot now be considered cost-effective," discontinuing the broadcasts would be "unjust" and "imprudent." Acknowledging that "at present TV Marti's broadcasts are not consistently received by a substantial number of Cubans," the panel recommends that TV Marti's transmissions be converted from VHF (Very-high Frequency) to UHF (Ultra-high Frequency), a move they suggest will increase TV Marti's viewability. The panel reports that in the event of a "major crisis" in Cuba, State Department contingency plans "envision a major role for Radio and TV Marti." (IPS, 6/10/94; Report of the Advisory Panel on Radio Marti and TV Marti)
4/7/94 After a recent meeting in the presidential palace in Bogota, foundation Chairman Jorge Mas Canosa said Mr. Gaviria promised that Colombia has no plans to subsidize oil sales to Cuba. (WT 4/12/94)
4/10/94 Cuban American Foundation, Inc. $24500 ($1,500 Ladex loans) $23,655
4/10/94 Fernando D. Rojas $6,599 $0
4/10/94 4/20/94 Castro hosts a conference in Havana, to which he invited 204 Cubans from as far away as Angola and Jordan as well as the United States. Cuban-Americans from moderate, pro-dialogue groups were invited. (***CITE***)
4/21/94 Jorge Mas Canosa broadcasts a 15-minute statement outlining his group's plans to form a transitional government composed of both exiles and Cubans, and to move quickly to convert the country's Communist system into a market economy. (NYT, 4/23/94; Times Picayune, 5/3/94).
4/24/94 Hyatt vies for a 900 room hotel on Miami beach. Hyatt's team includes Jorge L. Mas-Canosa, a Cuban exile who is head of the Mas Group of Companies, which includes a construction firm. (Chicago Tribune 4/24/94)
4/26/94 Castro releases a video tape filmed at the reception of his Havana conference which is aired on both local English and Spanish news broadcasts in Miami. The video, in which Montiel Davis kisses Castro's cheek, leads to criticism and threats directed at the conference's attendees. (Times Picayune 5/3/94)
4/26/94 Former Rep. Smith (D-Fl) gave $1,000 to Torricelli - just days after Smith had filed as a lobbyist for the Cuban American National Foundation, chaired by the controversial Jorge Mas Canosa, who counts Torricelli among his staunchest allies in Congress. Smith retired in 1992 under a legal cloud and spent three months last year in a federal prison after pleading guilty to two felony counts. The Kamber Group(TKG) heralded Smith's hiring as a "senior consultant." The statement touted Smith's service on the Foreign Affairs, Judiciary, and Appropriations Committees, as a Deputy Whip, and as a vice chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. (Roll Call, 7/25/94)
5/31/94 Kyl, Jon 1000 Free Cuba PAC
6/2/94 Cubans occupying the Belgian Embassy in Havana said they would not negotiate with their government, declaring themselves members of the political opposition and standing by their decision to leave the country with diplomatic assistance. According to the documents, there are 124 people who entered the residence on May 28 in an action which was planned "by several leaders of opposition and human rights groups." However, of all of the names signed under the title "Union of Cubans for Freedom," none is an individual known to participate in opposition activity. The aspiring émigrés sent messages to Cuban-American U.S. Congress members Ileana Ross and Lincoln Diaz-Balart, and Jorge Mas Canosa, president of the anti-Castro Cuban-American National Foundation, based in Miami.(IPS 7/2/94)
6/7/94 Berman, Howard 1000 Free Cuba PAC Kolbe, James 500 Free Cuba PAC Young, C. W. Bill 1000 Free Cuba PAC
6/9/94 Jude Wanniski, an economic adviser to President Reagan and now a close adviser to Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole, comes under criticism for traveling to Cuba to advise Cuban leaders on "a successful transition to a market economy." Wanniski's trip infuriates some Cuban Americans, including Reps. Ileana Ross-Lehtinen and Lincoln Diaz-Balart, both Florida Republicans born in Havana. Dole sits down with Jorge Mas Canosa to discuss Cuban-American concerns about the Wanniski trip. (WT, 6/10/94)
6/10/94 Rep. John Conyers, chair of the House Subcommittee on Governmental Operations, announces that alleged irregularities at Radio Marti, particularly political bias, chronyism in hiring and employee harassment, will be examined in an in-depth investigation. Conyers tells USIA Director Joseph Duffey that he intends to investigate the accusations. He also expresses his concern over the lack of official USIA reports on the influence Mas Canosa yields over the radio station, although the allegations have already been given wide coverage by the press. (IPS, 6/10/94; WP, 6/10/94)
6/18/94 Foley, Mark 1000 Free Cuba PAC
7/1/94 7/31/94 The Miami Herald reprints an interview with Jorge Mas Canosa from the Spanish newspaper El Pais. Mas Canosa was asked by El Pais whether he believed Americans would take over Cuba if Fidel Castro fell. The Herald quoted Mas Canosa as saying, in part, "They haven't even been able to take over Miami! If we have kicked them out of here, how could they possibly take over our own country?" (MH, 7/28/94; WP, 7/28/94)
7/1/94 7/31/94 In a recent survey of Cuban-born people living in the United States, 77% had a positive opinion of Jorge Mas Canosa. (The Plain Dealer, 7/20/94)
7/10/94 Lawrence J. Smith $6,500 $461
7/10/94 Cuban American Foundation, Inc. $23,000 $35,153
7/10/94 Fernando D. Rojas $6,530 $0
7/20/94 Legendary PR man Robert Keith Gray has closed up shop in Washington. Gray and Co. II, formed in 1992, will operate exclusively out of its Miami base, where chief clients include the Cuban-American National Foundation, the conservative anti-Castro group run by Jorge Mas Canosa. Gray has other connections to Mas Canosa: He represents MasTec, a telecommunications firm that Mas Canosa acquired earlier this year. He is handling some PR for LandAir, a Tennessee-based trucking company on whose board he and Mas Canosa serve. And one of the four consultants assisting Gray and Co. II is Tony Navarro, who used to head Radio Marti, a broadcast service aimed at Cuba that Mas Canosa's group has strongly supported. (WT 7/20/94; National Journal 7/16/94)
7/20/94 The Washington Times reports that legendary PR man Robert Keith Gray has closed up shop in Washington. Gray and Co. II, formed in 1992, will operate exclusively out of its Miami base, where chief clients include the Cuban American National Foundation. Gray has other connections to Mas Canosa: he represents MasTec, a telecommunications firm that Mas Canosa acquired earlier this year. He is also handling some PR for LandAir, a Tennessee-based trucking company on whose board he and Mas Canosa serve. One of the four consultants assisting Gray and Co. II is Tony Navarro, who formerly Director of Cuba Broadcasting at USIA. (WT, 7/20/94; National Journal, 7/16/94)
7/28/94 Rep. Bob Torricelli (D-NJ) said this week he will give a $1,000 contribution from Smith to charity. Torricelli, a high-ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and staunch opponent of the Castro regime in Cuba, received the Smith contribution days after Smith registered as a lobbyist for the Cuban American Foundation, headed by Castro foe Jorge Mas Canosa. (Roll Call, 7/28/94)
7/28/94 An advertisement from Cuban American National Foundation accuses the Miami Herald and its publisher, David Lawrence, of allegedly attacking the foundation and its chairman, Jorge Mas Canosa. Viewpoints article by Miami Herald publisher David Lawrence Jr. responds to July 28 advertisement from Cuban American National Foundation containing strong statements against Herald and himself; defends paper's coverage of interview in Spanish newspaper El Pais in which Mas Canosa disparaged Americans, which he has not yet denied; defends Herald's handling of matter. (MH 7/28/94)
8/1/94 The new Broadcasting Board of Governors, created during consolidation of U.S. government civilian international broadcasting, will replace the old Board for International Broadcasting. The Washington Post reports that the new nine-member board -- four Democrats, four Republicans and USIA Director Joseph Duffey -- may include AFL-CIO Chairman Lane Kirkland, outgoing House Minority Leader Robert H. Michel (R-Ill.), author Betty Bao Lord, Oklahoma Gazette editor Pam Fleishacker and Jorge Mas Canosa. (WP, 8/1/94)
8/6/94 Fidel Castro reacts to the largest anti-government riots in 35 years by threatening to open his ports. In a radio address, Castro blames the United States for the recent rash of ship hijackings and threatens to throw open his ports unless the United States stops encouraging refugees to flee illegally. "Either they (the U.S.) take serious measures to guard their coasts, or we will stop putting obstacles in the way of people who want to leave the country." In Miami, City Manager Cesar Odio goes on the radio minutes after Castro's speech and warns Cuban-Americans against sailing to Havana to pick up relatives. The Cuban American National Foundation echoes Odio's call for calm. "Let's not dance to Castro's tune," says Jorge Mas Canosa, who urges Cubans on the island to keep pressuring Castro with more demonstrations. (Orlando Sentinel, 8/6/94)
8/7/94 "The United States has stated repeatedly that we will not permit Fidel Castro to dictate our immigration policy or to create a replay of the Mariel boat lift, a cynical move on the part of Castro in 1980," the State Department says. Meanwhile, Jorge Mas Canosa argues that "The solution to the Cuban crisis is not the migration of thousands of Cubans, but the removal of one man--Fidel Castro." (St. Petersburg Times, 8/7/94; WP, 8/7/94)
8/9/94 In Miami, Gov. Lawton Chiles says Florida is ready for another wave of Cuban refugees but expresses confidence that the Cuban exile community here is discouraging a mass exodus. A group of exile leaders holds a news conference in Miami to publicize their desire to avoid another exodus. "This is a political issue -- the need for freedom and human rights for the Cuban people -- not an immigration issue," states Jorge Mas Canosa. (Orlando Sentinel, 8/9/94; Reuters, 8/10/94)
8/11/94 A New York Times editorial argues that "America's Cuban policy has been frozen in the past, kept there by Presidents pandering to the most fanatical faction of the exile community in Florida." (NYT, 8/11/94)
8/11/94 In the first sign of a crackdown on smuggling of Cuban refugees, authorities in Florida seize a speedboat carrying 20 Cuban refugees. "If federal law enforcement officers find probable cause to believe a vessel is being used in an attempt to bring undocumented migrants to the US in violation of US law, the vessel will be seized," Attorney General Janet Reno states. The position is endorsed by Jorge Mas Canosa: "It is in the best interest of the Cuban community." (Agence France Press, 8/12/94)
8/16/94 "Someone with experience in broadcasting should be considered for a seat on the board of governors that will oversee international broadcasting under USIA umbrella," National Association of Broadcasters President Edward Fritts says in a letter to USIA Director Joseph Duffey. The letter cites a Washington Post article listing candidates for the board including Jorge Mas Canosa. Fritts calls each board candidate "distinguished" but says "none of their experience translates into an ability to oversee broadcasting operations ... I am simply dumbfounded that the Administration would intentionally exclude potential nominees with broadcasting experience." (Communications Daily, 8/16/94)
8/19/94 The Clinton Administration announces a new Cuban immigration policy. Cuban boat people will be picked up by the Coast Guard and taken to Guantanamo Bay instead of being allowed to become U.S. residents under the 1966 Cuban Adjustment Act. (WP, 8/19/94)
8/19/94 At the urging of White House aides, Florida Governor Lawton Chiles selects a group of individuals from Miami to travel to the White House and brief President Clinton on their recommendations for the Cuban situation. The group, which travels to Washington aboard Jorge Mas Canosa's private jet, includes Mas Canosa, Governor Chiles, Miami Metro Commission Chairman Arthur Teele, City Manager Cesar Odio, Democratic lobbyist Maria Elena Torano, and Luis Lauredo, Director of the upcoming Hemispheric Summit. The group decides to recommend that the U.S. bar private transfers of dollars to Cuba, sharply reduce charter flights to the island, increase radio and TV broadcasting directed Cuba, and impose a naval blockade. President Clinton meets with the group for 75 minutes, along with Vice President Gore, Attorney General Reno, and deputy National Security Council advisor Sandy Berger. Mas Canosa argues for a U.S. "stranglehold" on Cuba. Though Clinton rejects an immediate U.S. blockade, he says that the option is "on the table." The President agrees to severely cut the legal amount for remittances sent by exiles in the U.S. to their relatives in Cuba. He also plans to limit charter flights to Cuba and increase U.S. broadcasting over Radio and TV Marti. (MH, 8/24/94; UPI, 8/19/94)
8/20/94 During a press conference held to announce new U.S. measures against Cuba, President Clinton is asked "What do you say to Cuban-Americans, especially in Florida, who feel betrayed by this change in policy?" He states "I believe that most Cuban-Americans that I know, without regard to their party, supported the Cuban Democracy Act, and they remember how awful it was for the United States when the Mariel boat lift occurred." (NYT, 8/20/94) Jorge Mas Canosa states that "I don't think the Cuban people are going to be deprived of anything by stopping those remittances." However, Ramon Mestre, a Cuban American columnist at the Miami Herald, argues that "For the 50,000 or 100,000 Cuban Americans who regularly send remittance, I can't imagine that they are pleased with this new policy." (WP, 8/24/94)
8/21/94 Mas Canosa reports that as a result of the Cuban immigration crisis, the Clinton Administration has decided to restore funding for the Exodus program, and that it might be used to resettle the Cubans at Guantanamo. Clara Maria del Valle, a CANF director who works with Exodus, states the program can get underway as soon as the INS and State Department choose cites in developing countries to interview Cubans. (MH, 9/5/94)
8/21/94 White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta, appearing on ABC-TV's "This Week With David Brinkley," states that a naval blockade of Cuba is one of the options being considered by the Clinton administration. Jorge Mas Canosa states that Panetta's comment is "probably the most important news about Cuba in the last few years." He adds that "I think this shows that the administration really means business regarding Castro, and they have finally turned this into what it was from the beginning: a political crisis, not an immigration crisis." White House officials, however, state that there is currently no plan to impose a blockade against Cuba. (WT, 8/22/94)
8/25/94 In an interview with the New York Times, Jorge Mas Canosa comments on President Clinton's recent shift in policy toward Cuba: "He's a man who stands for democracy and freedom. What the President did has nothing to do with politics; it came out of his own convictions. He took the initiative on a policy based on principle." When asked about a possible U.S. blockade of Cuba, Mas Canosa states that "It's a very viable option that I think the President has close to his heart. He gave us all encouragement and it is being seriously considered. But first we must see how the new restrictions on travel and cash transfers works out." (NYT, 8/26/94) Representatives of the Clinton administration conduct meetings in Miami with prominent Cuban-Americans and local officials. The U.S officials present include Raymundo Ruga, director of the Defense Department's Cuba task force, and Richard Nuccio, senior policy advisor to the assistant secretary of state for inter-American affairs. The government delegation consults with elected officials, Cuban-American leaders of the Democratic party, civic groups, and the Governor's Commission for a Free Cuba. Jeff Eller, a White House spokesman, later reports that no one advocating dialogue with Cuba participated in the sessions with Clinton administration officials. (MH, 8/26/94, NYT 8/31/94)
9/2/94 Richard Nuccio, a senior policy advisor at the State Department's bureau of inter-American affairs, visits Miami, saying the Clinton Administration is reviewing restarting the Exodus program. Stating that, "It has not been approved, but it's under review," Nuccio would not comment whether the program would be used to bring refugees at Guantanamo to the US. He stated that the Administration policy "is not to process any of the Cubans in Guantanamo for entry into the United States." (MH, 9/5/94)
9/5/94 Time suggests that Jorge Mas Canosa's influence in the exile community is waning: "Increasingly, Mr. Mas Canosa's right to speak on behalf of Cuban Americans is being challenged. Francisco Aruca, who ran shuttle flights to Havana, says the exiles used to have the appearance of homogeneity, always backing the conservative right. Now, he believes, 'a lot of Cuban Americans are questioning not only Clinton's policy but are getting mad at the leadership of the community that is linked with that policy.'" (Time, 9/5/94)
9/25/94 In an interview published in the Orlando Sentinel Tribune, Jorge Mas Canosa is asked "What do you say to critics who say the dread of exiles returning to Cuba gives Castro his strength? " He answers, "You know something? The only way I would accept becoming a politician is if I could have a crack at that son of a bitch in an election. Then I could prove everyone wrong. I am certain that the exile community is much more popular than Castro. We interview a lot of Cubans, and it's amazing. You ask a child what he wants to be when he grows up, and he says, 'An exile.'" (Orlando Sentinel Tribune, 9/25/94)
10/10/94 Jorge Mas Canosa, a prominent Cuban-American contractor, wants to run PCS systems across the US but will probably focus "on licenses in the Sunbelt region such as Texas, Arizona, and California." He plans to bid through his MasTec Inc., a construction company that lays phone cables and erects phone poles. (Business Week, 10/10/94)
10/10/94 Church & Tower of El Salvador, a subsidiary of Miami's MasTec Inc, has been awarded a $1.5 million contract to build 35,000 telephone lines in San Salvador, the company said Thursday. The 18- month project will include installing main trunks and laying conduit. (MH 10/14/94)
part 1...Broadcasting to Cuba 1960-1990
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