<HTML> From: Comrade Proyect Subject: How the USA financed the Cuban opposition (from CubaNews on yahoo groups) These are links to a gallery of documents that prove US and foreign assistance to the so-called “dissidents” (follow by US AID Cuba program, which is PART of the OPEN funding for building the internal “opposition): You can open the first and then follow the links on each page to see each of the documents. http://www.lajiribilla.cu/2003/n101_04/pruebas/pruebas01.html http://www.lajiribilla.cu/2003/n101_04/pruebas/pruebas02.html http://www.lajiribilla.cu/2003/n101_04/pruebas/pruebas03.html http://www.lajiribilla.cu/2003/n101_04/pruebas/pruebas07.html http://www.lajiribilla.cu/2003/n101_04/pruebas/pruebas06.html http://www.lajiribilla.cu/2003/n101_04/pruebas/pruebas05.html http://www.lajiribilla.cu/2003/n101_04/pruebas/pruebas04.html In light of the Bush Administration's recent attacks on Cuba, I thought this should be forwarded widely. http://www.usaid.gov/regions/lac/cu/upd-cub.htm US Agency For International Development (USAID) FUNDING FOR CUBA PROGRAMS 21 May 2002 Following is the text of a press release from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), providing a May 2002 update on the agency's Cuba program spending. USAID/Cuba Program May 2002 A. BUILDING SOLIDARITY WITH CUBA'S HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS 1. Freedom House: Transitions ($500,000 -- completed) 2. Center for a Free Cuba ($2,249,709) 3. The Institute for Democracy in Cuba ($1,000,000 -- completed) 4. Cuban Dissidence Task Group ($250,000 -- completed) 5. International Republican Institute ($1,674,462) 6. Freedom House: Cuban Democracy Project ($825,000) 7. Grupo de Apoyo a la Disidencia ($1,200,000) 8. Accion Democratica Cubana ($400,000) B. GIVING VOICE TO CUBA'S INDEPENDENT JOURNALISTS 1. Cuba Free Press ($280,000 -- completed) 2. Florida International University: Journalism Training ($622,000) 3. CubaNet ($833,000) 4. Carta de Cuba ($293,000) C. HELPING DEVELOP INDEPENDENT CUBAN NGOs 1. Partners of the Americas ($172,000 -- completed) 2. Pan American Development Foundation ($553,500) 3. ACDI-VOCA: Independent Agricultural Cooperatives ($265,000) 4. University of Miami: Developing Civil Society ($320,000) 5. Florida International University: NGO Development ($291,749) D. DEFENDING THE RIGHTS OF CUBAN WORKERS 1. American Center for Int'l Labor Solidarity ($168,575) 2. National Policy Association ($424,000) E. PROVIDING DIRECT OUTREACH TO THE CUBAN PEOPLE 1. Cuba On-Line ($800,000) 2. Sabre Foundation ($85,000) F. PLANNING FOR TRANSITION 1. Rutgers University: Planning for Change ($99,000) 2. Int'l Foundation for Election Systems ($136,000) 3. U.S. - Cuba Business Council ($852,000) 4. University of Miami: Cuba Transition Planning ($1,045,000) G. EVALUATING PROGRAM IMPACT 1. Univ of Florida: Measuring Public Opinion ($110,000) 2. PriceWaterhouseCoopers: Program Evaluation ($225,000) - ------------------------------------------------------------- Summary: The goal of U.S. foreign policy toward Cuba is to promote a peaceful transition to democracy. U.S. policy recognizes the key importance of civil society in shaping and helping smooth the way for a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy in Cuba. The present state of Cuban civil society is extremely weak. Fidel Castro and the Communist Party of Cuba dominate the political landscape, control the formal economic system, and strive to maintain a monopoly on the flow of information to, from and within the island. As long as Castro remains in power, most analysts predict little intentional loosening of government controls. Once Castro is gone, however, the prospects for peaceful transition will hinge on the ability of a renascent Cuban civil society to help reconcile conflicts and prepare the population for peaceful democratic change. To support a peaceful transition to democracy, USAID has adopted the special objective of increasing the free flow of accurate information on democracy and human rights to, from, and within Cuba. The CUBAN DEMOCRACY ACT OF 1992 authorizes the President to provide assistance "through appropriate nongovernmental organizations for the support of individuals and organizations to promote nonviolent democratic change in Cuba." The LIBERTAD Act of 1996 further elaborates the types of assistance and support the President is authorized to provide for individuals and independent NGOs to support democracy-building efforts for Cuba. Assistance may include provision of published and informational matter on democracy, human rights and market economies, to be made available to independent groups in Cuba; humanitarian assistance to victims of repression, as well as their families; support for democratic and human rights groups in Cuba; and support for and permanent deployment of independent international human rights monitors. The LIBERTAD Act (section 202) also authorizes the President to begin planning now for U.S. assistance to a future transition government in Cuba and to a future democratically elected Cuban Government. Key Results: Six key intermediate results were concluded to be necessary to achieve this objective: (1) Cuba's Human Rights Activists: Books and other Informational materials will be provided to more than 250 human rights activists in Cuba. Nine thousand pounds of food and medicine are needed for families of political prisoners and other victims of government repression in Cuba; (2) Cuba's Independent Journalists: 5000 articles by Cuba's independent journalists will be disseminated internationally as well as circulated inside Cuba; (3) Independent Cuban NGOs: …. …..The requested $5,000,000 in ESF is intended to promote a peaceful transition to democracy in Cuba by building solidarity with Cuba's human rights activists, giving voice to Cuba's independent journalists, helping develop independent Cuban NGOs, defending the rights of Cuban workers, providing direct outreach to the Cuban people, and planning for assistance to a future transition government in Cuba. …Principal Contractors, Grantees or Agencies: American Center for International Labor Solidarity, Center for a Free Cuba, Cuba Free Press, Institute for Democracy in Cuba, International Republican Institute, Pan American Development Foundation, Rutgers University, Sabre Foundation, Florida International University, U.S.-Cuba Business Council, Freedom House, Cuba On-Line, CubaNet, and National Policy Association. ===== Fernando García Bielsa First Secretary Cuba's Interests Section 2630 16th Street, NW Washington, DC 20009 Ph. (202)797-8518, ext 109 Fax (202)797-8521 </HTML>