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CUBA
NEWS
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U.S. Official: Castro 'Playing With
Fire'
By Mike Eckel, Associated
Press Writer.
NEW YORK, 6 (AP) - The U.S. administration's
point man on Latin America accused Fidel
Castroon Tuesday of promoting "provocative"
policies to destabilize democratic governments
and warned the Cuban leader he was "playing
with fire."
Roger Noriega, assistant secretary of state
for Western Hemisphere affairs, also singled
out Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, calling
on him to observe the rule of law in the
run-up to a possible referendum on his presidency.
Speaking at a news conference following
a speech at the Council of the Americas,
Noriega accused Castro, whom he called "a
broken-down, old dictator who doesn't cast
much of a shadow," of sowing unrest
in some countries in the region. He did
not identify the countries.
"It should be very clear to Fidel
Castro that his actions have caught the
attention of Latin America leaders and that
his actions to destabilize Latin America
are increasingly provocative to the inter-American
community," Noriega said.
"Those that continue in destabilizing
democratically elected governments, interfering
in the internal affairs of other governments,
are playing with fire," he said.
Bush administration officials have expressed
growing concern about ties between Castro
and Chavez, who is a close friend of Castro
and a vocal critic of U.S. policies. Chavez
opponents are hoping to stage a referendum,
possibly this summer, that would recall
the leftist leader and lawmakers who support
him.
U.S. officials told The Associated Press
that Cuba and Venezuela are working together
to oppose pro-American, democratic governments
in the region with money, political indoctrination
and training, such as in Ecuador and Uruguay.
Venezuelan resources may have helped in
the October ouster of Bolivia's elected,
pro-American president, Gonzalo Sanchez
de Lozada, according to the officials, who
declined to be named.
Venezuelan officials accuse the U.S. government
of using slander and defamation to weaken
their country. Venezuelan Vice President
Jose Vicente Rangel demanded the United
States provide proof that Venezuela helped
finance the ouster of Sanchez de Lozada.
"If they have any evidence ... they
should put it on the table so we can discuss
it," Rangel told reporters in Caracas
Tuesday. "What proof do they have of
these statements?"
Noriega also expressed concern with some
of Argentina's recent foreign policy decisions.
He said the failure of Argentine Foreign
Minister Rafael Bielsa to meet with Cuban
dissidents when Bielsa visited Havana was
"particularly disappointing."
Bielsa said he made no visit because his
ministry had not received "a single
concrete request" for such an encounter.
However, the wives of several imprisoned
dissidents said they requested meetings
several times.
Noriega also urged Argentina's President
Nestor Kirchner to stick to a $21 billion
debt refinancing plan backed by the International
Monetary Fund. Buenos Aires's financial
standing has been battered by an economic
implosion in December 2001 and massive $103
billion public debt default - the largest
default ever by a country.
Noriega's comments came just days before
a special summit meeting of Latin American
leaders in Monterrey, Mexico, scheduled
to begin Monday. Leaders from 34 Western
Hemisphere countries, including the United
States, Mexico Brazil and others, are expected
to discuss promoting democracy, and reducing
poverty among other topics, according to
summit organizers.
Noriega said that the United States wants
Latin American leaders to agree on deadlines
for protecting property rights, fighting
corruption and creating jobs.
He also said leaders should simplify regulations
on remittances - money sent from immigrants
and workers in the United States to their
home countries - which he said should total
some $30 billion this year.
U.S. Wary of Cuba's Support for Leftists
By George Gedda, Associated
Press Writer. Mon Jan 5.
WASHINGTON - The Bush administration is
becoming increasingly concerned about what
it sees as a joint effort by Cuba and Venezuela
to nurture anti-American sentiment in Latin
America with money, political indoctrination
and training.
As U.S. officials see it, the alliance
combines Cuban President Fidel Castro's
political savvy with surplus cash that Venezuelan
President Hugo Chavez obtains from oil exports.
Venezuelan resources may have been decisive
in the ouster of Bolivia's elected, pro-American
president, Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada, said
the officials, speaking on condition of
anonymity.
A key recipient of Venezuelan help has
been Evo Morales, a charismatic Bolivian
legislator who has broad support among his
country's indigenous population. He is an
avowed opponent of the capitalist system.
Before Sanchez de Lozada was deposed, one
official said, Venezuela's military attache
in Bolivia was expelled for giving money
to Morales, and Morales received money from
Venezuelan officials in a visit to Caracas.
There also has been evidence of Venezuelan
money and manpower in Ecuador and Uruguay
being used in support of anti-government
groups, the officials said. Despite Venezuelan
denials, they said, Chavez has supported
Colombia's FARC and ELN rebels, allowing
use of territory in western Venezuela as
a springboard for attacks inside Colombia.
In Caracas on Monday, Tarek William Saab,
the pro-Chavez head of Venezuela's congressional
foreign relations commission, denied that
Venezuela was supporting FARC rebels or
was meddling in Bolivia's internal affairs.
Saab accused the U.S. government of "using
slander and defamation to weaken a constitutional
government like ours."
"It's false and irresponsible and
cowardly," Saab said.
U.S. officials said Castro has been providing
training, advice and logistical support
to leftist groups in the region, a sign
of re-engagement after relative inactivity
in the 1990s.
Roger Noriega, Secretary of State Colin
Powell's top aide for Latin America, said
Friday that the 77-year-old Castro, in his
"final days," appears to be "nostalgic
for destabilizing elected governments. From
the point of view of his democratic neighbors,
Castro's actions are increasingly provocative."
Cuba sees the United States in the same
light. A top Cuban National Assembly leader,
Osvaldo Martinez, in remarks aired repeatedly
by the government media in recent days,
said Cubans must redouble their attention
in 2004 "to the growing aggressiveness
of the United States and its threats against
Cuba."
This spring, the Bush administration is
expected to issue a report being prepared
under Powell's supervision on how to achieve
a quick transition to democracy in Cuba.
Castro has deployed considerable manpower
to Venezuela to help Chavez defeat efforts
by enemies to end his rule through a recall
vote.
U.S. officials say Castro has dispatched
thousands of doctors, teachers and sports
trainers to Venezuela who supplement their
professional duties by carrying out political
tasks. Cuban agents are said to be providing
security for high-ranking Venezuelan officials.
Cuban officials acknowledge that Cubans
are active in Venezuela but insist their
mission is strictly humanitarian.
Chavez showed his radical side three years
ago when he traveled to Saddam Hussein's
Iraq and to Libya on a tour of oil-producing
countries. U.S. officials also took note
of an unannounced visit to Venezuela in
September by North Korea's ambassador to
Cuba.
Caracas also is described by U.S. officials
as a gathering place for European leftists,
retired East European intelligence officers
and activists from countries on the U.S.
list of state sponsors of terrorism.
U.S. News & World Report magazine reported
in the fall that Middle Eastern terrorist
groups are operating support cells in Venezuela
and elsewhere in the Andean region.
It added that thousands of Venezuelan identity
documents are being distributed to foreigners
from Islamic nations, including Syria, Pakistan,
Egypt and Lebanon.
At the State Department, Noriega declined
to comment on reports based on intelligence
information. But, he said: "We have
told the Venezuelans that such reports are
a matter of great concern to all of our
Latin American neighbors."
Chavez has said he is a victim of outside
interference and pointed to alleged assassination
plots against him in the Dominican Republic
and the United States.
Tampa Bay signs Cuba's Baez
ST. PETERSBURG, United States (AFP) -
Danys Baez, who lost his closer's job with
the Cleveland Indians at midseason, apparently
will get a chance to save games for the
Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Tampa Bay has agreed to terms with the
free agent reliever, who passed a physical
Monday.
Financial terms of the deal, reportedly
a two-year pact with a team option for 2006,
were not disclosed. Baez was slated to make
five million dollars next season in Cleveland,
but the Indians decided against exercising
their option and allowed him to become a
free agent last month.
The 26-year-old righthander was 2-9 with
a 3.81 ERA in 73 appearances in 2003 but
blew 10 of 35 save opportunities.
He struck out 66 in 75 2/3 innings and
held opponents to a .229 batting average.
A native of Cuba, Baez is expected to take
over Tampa Bay's closer duties from All-Star
Lance Carter, who is better suited for a
setup role.
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