A change in US strategy on Cuba
US GOVERNMENT plans for funding organisations
working in Cuba indicate a significant change in strategy, with a move
away from its traditional reliance on Miami’s Cuban-American groups
towards building an international alliance.
As is well documented, the US has been obsessed with
Cuba ever since its revolution in 1959. Even its normally compliant
Western European allies have continued to trade with Cuba throughout
this period and have also voted in favour of Cuban-sponsored UN votes to
end the US embargo.
Miami-based organisations run by anti-Castro
Cuban-Americans have long been funded by State Department and US Agency
for International Development (USAID) grants to manufacture and support
an internal opposition in Cuba with the ultimate aim of overthrowing the
government.
This strategy has failed to effect any notable
changes in Cuba or on world opinion, with the US viewed as being
increasingly isolated on its stance.
This year, the State Department and USAID are to
award $45.7 million in ‘Cuba democracy’ grants, which is more than
triple the 2007 levels. This would suggest that the retirement of Fidel
Castro has given impetus to an invigorated effort by the US to bring
about a change of government.
Unlike in previous years, grants are to be awarded
by competitive bids and officials are urging Eastern European and Latin
American groups to apply.
Miami-based anti-Castro groups, which have benefited
for many years from generous US government funding are said to be deeply
concerned about this change of strategy, which is likely to restrict the
grants made available to them.
It would appear that the US is actively seeking
allies in its bid to overthrow the Cuban government. Developing,
supporting and financing a US-friendly internal opposition movement in
Cuba via a range of organisations based in Eastern Europe and Latin
America would help to build alliances with other nations and would
reduce the perception that the US is acting alone in its intervention in
Cuba’s affairs.
Indeed, funding provided to the Czech group People
In Need by US government agencies, Cuban-American groups (themselves
funded by US government agencies) and the Czech government has been used
to establish a network of around 20 European organisations working in
Cuba.
The Miami Herald reported that the Bush
administration is keen for Cuban activists to be provided with
communications technologies with a view to replicating the
anti-government movements in Tibet and Burma, which were propelled by
the use of the internet and mobile phones.
In a speech in Washington on 24 October 2007,
President George Bush made it clear that his administration was focused
on instigating the demise of the Cuban government and was not concerned
about the prospect of things becoming chaotic on the island. "The
operative word in our future dealings with Cuba is not stability", he
said, "the operative word is freedom".
The US is already preparing for such an eventuality
by starting to build a $16.5 million camp in Guantanamo Bay that could
house up to 10,000 people fleeing Cuba. Plans are also in place to build
a second camp there to accommodate a further 35,000 people at a cost of
$110 million.
Mark Lynch
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