By Nancy San Martin. nsanmartin@herald.com. Published
Tuesday, June 5, 2001 in the Miami Herald
Sen. Bill Nelson, who only last week said he wanted to make a visit to Fidel
Castro's Cuba, won unexpected approval Monday from some of the most powerful
members of Miami's Cuban exile community for the trip and even a possible
meeting with the Cuban leader.
The Cuban-American community leaders made it clear, however, that the
purpose of such an encounter would have to have a single focus -- to carry a
message of freedom and democracy to the people of Cuba. Such a trip also would
have to include visits with dissidents and political prisoners, they said.
PLEASANT SURPRISE
Nelson, a Democrat elected in November, seemed pleasantly surprised by the
outcome of his closed-door session, which was aimed at getting support for the
visit and diminishing the chances of arousing political opposition. "I went
into the meeting thinking that [a meeting with Castro] was unnacceptable,'' he
said.
Analysts said the exiles' unexpected endorsement of the proposed trip --
which once would have been unthinkable for a Florida political figure -- is
indicative of a more flexible approach to Cuba by opponents of the Castro
government.
"They are trying to articulate a more pragmatic point of view,'' said
Uva de Aragón, assistant director of the Cuban Research Institute at
Florida International University. "I'm assuming that they also think that
if Castro would agree to meet with the senator it would indicate that he really
wants to negotiate and, if that's so, they want a part of the action.''
Nelson is among several sponsors of the Cuban Solidarity Act, a bill
intended to get up to $100 million over four years in financial aid and
equipment into the hands of dissidents in Cuba.
NO REQUEST
No formal request for a visit to the island has yet been made to the Cuban
government. But even so, Cuban officials already have signaled that a visit from
anyone intent on discrediting the Castro regime would not be welcome.
Nelson, who earlier had been adamant about not meeting with Castro if he
were allowed into Cuba, said after the meeting he would not rule out the
possibility.
"I would still lean against that but I may want to meet with other
government officials,'' Nelson said.
'FAIR AND JUST'
Exiles who attended the pow-wow at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables said
they had confidence the senator would deliver a "fair and just assessment''
of life in Cuba. They also said such a visit may help with the passage of the
bill.
"We talked about whether we thought a trip like this could help or
hinder the passage of the bill and we think it could help,'' said Francisco
'Pepe' Hernandez, president of the Cuban American National Foundation, a strong
backer of the legislation. "He could give a close and fresh look at the
situation inside Cuba. His record is 100 percent in favor of the freedom of
Cuba.''
Nelson said his reasons for wanting to visit Cuba were basic.
"I want to make sure that we are wisely spending the taxpayers'
dollars,'' Nelson said. At the meeting, attended by about 50 people, including
business leaders and politicians, Nelson asked for advice from Cuban Americans
on who to see in Cuba.
The bill already has drawn fire from skeptics in Congress and others
involved with the Cuba policy who say the aid would subject Castro government
opponents to harrassment and possible arrest.
Some dissidents on the island also have been reluctant to embrace the idea.
Nelson serves on the Foreign Relations Committee.
If the trip won approval from the Cuban government, Nelson would not be the
first U.S. lawmaker to go to Cuba, but probably the first Florida senator.
Others at the meeting included Miami Commissioner Joe Sanchez; Armando
Gutierrez, who served as a spokesman for the Miami relatives of Elián
González; and businessman Carlos Saladrigas.
Copyright 2001 Miami Herald | 