Stepping back from previous assertions that Fidel Castro was near death, U.S. officials say that the image of an increasingly revitalized Castro is impeding the island's day-to-day leadership from making major changes.
Thomas Shannon, the top U.S. diplomat for Latin America and the Caribbean, told The Miami Herald in an interview Wednesday that Cuba was in a period of ''suspended animation'' as Castro exerted a ''controlling political presence'' on the island.
Thomas Shannon's "intelligence" assessments reveal that the US government is no better informed than local bloggers about Cuba.
His comments are irrelevant and baseless.
Posted by: Mambi Watch | March 23, 2007 at 02:00 PM
Since Castros operation things have been kept at a high level of secrecy..Since it probably disturbs the U.S. GOVT.that they are unable to gather any kind of factful info..they must come up with something..You mention local bloggers. Another source without facts..Confusing many non-cubans and cubans alike..When Cuba announced fidels illness,bloggers announced Fidels soon to be death...Party in calle ocho,and Fidel was able to see the reaction if indeed he had died..I think a lot of people would love to see the peoples reaction to their death. Incredible.The bloggers ate it up and put their own spin to it..Cuban govt. knew this would happened.It was something to see as it unfolded. Just about everything you read about Cuba,the U.S. and the anti-castro bloggers put it in spin dry. Miamis Cuban Nostalgia is soon upon us again.Blogger powered and spun..All put together by the "Great White Cuban Community". Last years event drew a total of about 6 blacks..mostly the music and the usual "santero".As we speak,they gather info,censor,add a few lines,and release.Oh, and they also gather the money for that upcoming 48th annual attack on Havana...But as we always say,this is the land of freedom and we can say what ever we want.Just dont confuse me with facts.
Posted by: victor | March 23, 2007 at 06:29 PM
We agree on one point.
The US government's intelligence on Cuba, or Bloggers on Cuba, but "another source without facts."
Posted by: Mambi Watch | March 23, 2007 at 07:12 PM
one point at a time.....I think we all want the same for Cuba.Its how we achive this that has many of us divided..So yes,one point at a time...Peace
Posted by: victor | March 26, 2007 at 12:00 AM
JESUS RAUL PEREZ MENDEZ, chief of the Department of the Community Abroad of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) and captain of the Cuban Directorate General of Intelligence (DGI) defected on July 13, 1983, and informed the following:
That the America Department of the Cuban Communist Party (DA), the ICAP, and the DGI control the ANTONIO MACEO BRIGADE (BAM), CASA DE LAS AMERICAS, CIRCULO DE CULTURA CUBANA, CENTER FOR CUBAN STUDIES, VENCEREMOS BRIGADE (VB), NATIONAL LAWYERS GUILD, NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF BLACK LAWYERS, PARTIDO SOCIALISTA PUERTORRIQUEÑO-NYC, AND THE COMMUNIST PARTY USA. They are all controlled by ALFREDO GARCIA ALMEIDA, chief of the North American Section of the Americas Department and former political counselor at the Cuban Mission to the United Nations in NYC, with the exception of CASA DE LAS AMERICAS, which is controlled by HECTOR MANUEL ZAYAS QUIALA, of the DGI, and second secretary of the Cuban Mission NYC.
The leaders of the BAM and the VB receive training of indoctrination in ideology, psychology, organization, propaganda techniques, interview techniques, and intelligence gathering. The groups are financed by illegal commercial activities of nartotics. The BAM serves for purposes of propaganda and intelligence. ANDRES GOMEZ, MARIANA GASTON ROCHE, ARMANDO D. GARCIA, and MANUEL R. GOMEZ CAINOS are controlled by the DGI. The ICAP considers ALBOR RUIZ SALAZAR unstable. ARMANDO D. GARCIA is a homosexual and MARIANA GASTON a prostitute.
The BAM is controlled by JESUS ARBOLEYA CERVERA, of the DGI in Cuba and former second secretary of the Cuban Mission in NYC, by way of FRANCISCO GONZALEZ ARUCA in Washington, D.C.; RAUL ALZAGA MANRESA in San Juan; MAURICIO
GASTON ROCHE and MIREM URIARTE in Boston; FELISA SOTO in Miami; ROSARIO MORENO in Los Angeles; ALICIA TORRES VIGIL in Chicago; and in New York with ARMANDO D. GARCIA, MARIANA GASTON ROCHE, ANDRES GOMEZ, AMELIA VICKIE MEDEROS, ELISEO PEREZ-STABLE and MARIFELI PEREZ-STABLE. When the BAM visits Cuba they are attended by JESUS ARBOLEYA CERVERA and NORMA PIÑEIRO, of the DGI.
RAFAEL BETANCOURT ABIO and OSVALDO ESTIVIL belong to the BAM in Miami. JOSE ANTONIO HERNANDEZ FRIAS, leader of the BAM in USA, was sent to Spain to organize the BAM there. REGINA CASAL was sent to Venezuela to organize the BAM there.
The BAM is financed by travel agencies in NYC and receive from $100 to $400 for each exile that travels to Cuba. MARAZUL was established to finance the BAM, AREITO, and the CIRCULO DE CULTURA CUBANA, the BAM receiving the majority of the funds.
The daily activities of MARAZUL are controlled by FRANCISCO GONZALEZ ARUCA from Washington, D.C., who is controlled by JESUS ARBOLEYA CERVERA from Havana.
The CIRCULO DE CULTURA CUBANA, EDICIONES VITRAL, and AREITO, are controlled by the DGI. ISIDRO GOMEZ and JESUS ARBOLEYA CERVERA, of the ICAP and the DGI, placed MARIFELI PEREZ-STABLE in charge of the CIRCULO DE CULTURA CUBANA. She substituted the deceased LOURDES CASAL, who was DGI. The annual plans of MARIFELI are prepared by the DGI and ICAP. The CIRCULO DE CULTURA CUBANA and the BAM are maintained with funds generated by EDICIONES VITRAL, by way of the sale of books and records that are gifts of the Cuban Culture Ministry and are delivered by ICAP. MARIFELI receives $100 for each tourist that travels to Cuba with the CIRCULO DE
CULTURA CUBANA. MARIFELI was infiltrated in the INSTITUTE FOR CUBAN STUDIES of MARIA CRISTINA HERRERA, whose position was made more favorable toward Cuba.
In 1981 the leaders of AREITO met in Cuba with ISIDRO GOMEZ, FAUSTINO PELAEZ, and JORGE GALLARDO FERNANDEZ, of the ICAP and the DGI, and with CARLOS RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ, of the Communist Party, whom advised AREITO not to take positions so identical with those of the Cuban government.
ARNALDO ALONSO, president of CASA DE LAS AMERICAS, directs the BUREAU OF COMMUNITY SERVICES, with offices in the same locale as MARAZUL, who ship their packages to Cuba. ANDRES GOMEZ, who lived in Washington, D.C., was financed by MARAZUL. HAROLD MAYERSON, the lawyer for MARAZUL, and member of the NATIONAL LAWYERS GUILD, with MICHAEL RATNER, are controlled by the DGI.
ARNALDO ALONZO was involved in a power struggle with CARLOS GARCIA in CASA DE LAS AMERICAS, where other members are LUIS MIRANDA, who the DGI suspects of being a CIA operative; ANA MARIA GARCIA, former member of the BAM; and OSCAR RUBEN CICCONE and his wife, who also belong to the BAM, VB, and the COMMUNIST PARTY USA.
Those of the AMERICA DEPARTMENT in the Cuban Mission to the United Nations in NYC control the VECEREMOS BRIGADE. GRACIELA TABIO MEDINA, official of the DA and of the Ministry of Foreign Relations, selects the members of the VENCEREMOS BRIGADE, whose leaders are: the anthropologist JOHNNETTA COLE, DARA TORPE, EDDY DEMMINGS, MICHELLE FRANK, JACKIE RAMOS, and CAROLYN BOSCH. The first three are controlled by the AMERICA DEPARTMENT. NANI MARTINEZ, of the VB, works in the United Methodist Church in NYC. ROBERTO REGALADO ALVAREZ, of the DGI and
first secretary of the Cuban Interests Section in Washington, DC, controls the VENCEREMOS BRIGADE. SANDRA LEVINSON, of the VB and director of the CENTER FOR CUBAN STUDIES, is controlled by ICAP, although the DGI considers her a CIA operative.
MIGUEL FELIPE MARQUES is the secretary general of the ALIANCE OF COMMUNITY WORKERS in Newark, NJ, whose assistant is CARLOS ZALDIVAR ESCALONA, and both are controlled by JUSTO LUIS BETANCOURT and ISAIAS PEREZ, of the DGI.
The director of the Casa Cuba in Madrid, ROSENDO CANTO HERHANDEZ, receibes $1,000 monthly from ICAP from the sale of travel tickets of exiles to Cuba. The Casa Cuba is directed by: LIDIA ANDERSON in Canada; MARINES MEDERO in Mexico; and AQUINO in Caracas.
Posted by: Mambi Watch | March 30, 2007 at 10:54 AM