CUBA NEWS
The Miami Herald

Hospital director fought in Castro's revolution

By Vanessa Arrington, Associated Press. Posted on Tue, May. 23, 2006

HAVANA - Eduardo Bernabe Ordaz, a doctor who fought in Fidel Castro's revolution before heading Havana's Psychiatric Hospital for more than four decades, has died at the age of 84, the Communist Party newspaper Granma reported Monday.

Ordaz, a native of Bauta in Havana province, died Sunday of kidney failure in Havana, the newspaper said.

Ordaz became politically active while he was studying medicine at the University of Havana, where he obtained a medical degree in 1951.

He joined Castro's guerrilla struggle in the mountains of eastern Cuba in 1958.

In addition to fighting, he also tended to wounded rebels in the mountains and at clandestine clinics, according to the newspaper.

With the victory of the revolution in 1959, he was named a commander of the Rebel Army, then went into the reserves where he focused on health issues.

After managing a hospital base in western Cuba, Ordaz was designated director of the Psychiatric Hospital in Havana.

For four decades, he revolutionized the treatment of mentally disabled patients, bringing them out of isolation and abuse so they could participate in society.

Ordaz also served as a delegate to the Cuban Parliament from 1976 to 2003.

Castro's wealth debated

Forbes magazine's estimate of Fidel Castro's worth -- $900 million -- is 'more art than science.'

By Frances Robles. frobles@MiamiHerald.com. Posted on Mon, May. 22, 2006

It's been almost 10 years since Forbes magazine started publishing a list of world leaders flush with fortune, and for that decade, Cuban leader Fidel Castro's wealth has been a moving target.

This year's $900 million estimate so angered the communist ruler that during a 30-minute televised address last week he vowed to resign if anyone proves he's stockpiling cash. Castro's heated tirade also raised a question that Forbes editors were not willing to answer in much detail: How can the magazine know how much the 79-year-old is worth?

Forbes' May 5 issue lists Castro as the world's seventh richest leader. That put him a far shot from the king of Saudi Arabia's $21 billion, but above Queen Elizabeth II.

Magazine editors declined to comment for this story, but issued a statement saying they felt confident about their estimate on Castro.

FLUCTUATING WORTH

''Forbes stands by our valuation and sources,'' it said.

When the list first came out in 1997, Forbes used a percentage of Cuba's GDP to estimate that Castro's $1.4 billion fortune made him the 10th richest leader. A year later, that number dropped to $100 million.

So how did Forbes go from $150 million in 2004 to $900 million two years later?

''They got a lot of criticism the first time, so they kept investigating. Each time, they came up with a different number,'' said Jesus Marzo Fernández, a former Cuban economy ministry official who was interviewed by the magazine. "They worked hard on their story and checked a lot of sources, but, in the end, it's an estimate.''

STATE-OWNED FIRMS

To derive this year's $900 million figure, Forbes' article said it estimated a value for state-owned companies, including a convention center near Havana; Cimex, a vast conglomerate of companies; and Medicuba, which sells vaccines and other pharmaceuticals produced in Cuba.

''Former Cuban officials insist Castro, who travels exclusively in a fleet of black Mercedes, has skimmed profits from these outfits for years. To come up with a net worth figure, we use a discounted cash flow method to value these companies and then assume a portion of that profit stream goes to Castro,'' Forbes wrote in the article. "To be conservative, we don't try to estimate any past profits he may have pocketed, though we have heard rumors of large stashes in Swiss bank accounts.''

But the article itself acknowledges that the formula is ''more art than science,'' and the paragraph about Castro twice uses the word "assume.''

Economists say the method is at best debatable, because it's unclear how the magazine determined the value of the companies and what percentage profit to assign to Castro. Experts point out that Cuba's own published economic figures are dubious at best.

CASTRO: IT'S 'RUBBISH'

''It is so ridiculous to attribute to me a fortune of $900 [million],'' Castro fired back, calling the listing "rubbish.''

'I could ask, 'What do I want the money for if I'm going to turn 80? What do I want money for now if I never wanted it before?' ''

One of the experts the magazine consulted was Cuban activist Maria Werlau, who wrote a scholarly paper on the subject last year. She said the magazine's calculation may be fuzzy, but it's legitimate.

''I think it's a great underestimation of the vast wealth he controls,'' she said. 'Forbes' method is questionable, but they have to do something that stands up to some kind of test.''

She said Forbes didn't even count assets like cash in banks and the many houses that Castro enjoys. Many defectors have reported that Castro has sole control of overseas bank accounts as well as reserves of everything from flour and gasoline to luxury goods such as appliances and vehicles.

The average Cuban gets by on less than $10 a month.

''He does that [keeps reserves] so if there's an earthquake in Pakistan, he is the first one to get there with ambulances and food ready,'' said Fernández, one of the first defectors to report on Castro's funds. 'I don't see him using it at the casinos in Monte Carlo or Acapulco. The money is not for that. "Sometimes I think Forbes' figure is too high. And then I think, 'After 47 years, it has to be higher.' ''

Bottom line, experts say: it's anybody's guess.

Crew seeks accord on Cuba book

Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Rudy Crew met last week with a few members of the committee that will review today a controversial book about modern-day Cuba.

By Matthew I. Pinzur, mpinzur@MiamiHerald.com. Posted on Mon, May. 22, 2006

When a review committee meets this morning to discuss a controversial children's book on Cuba, Miami-Dade School Superintendent Rudy Crew will urge its members to find a compromise that neither removes the book from library shelves nor leaves it for children to read unsupervised.

But if no such compromise can be reached, Crew's spokesman suggested the superintendent would overrule any recommendation to ban the book, Vamos A Cuba (subtitled A Visit to Cuba).

''He is not in favor of removing books and he's said that publicly,'' said spokesman Joseph Garcia.

The book has drawn attention this spring for its rosy depiction of Cuba under Fidel Castro's regime. The father of a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas Elementary in West Miami-Dade filed a formal complaint, but repeated appeals have ended with the book staying in place.

If Crew upholds the decision to keep the book, a final appeal would likely be filed to the School Board.

Hoping to avoid that outcome, Crew met privately on Friday with a few of the 17 people he appointed to the review committee.

''He wanted to talk about whether there was any way to reframe this beyond the book stays in or the book goes,'' Garcia said.

One meeting was held with state Rep. David Rivera and another with representatives from the Spanish American League Against Discrimination.

In accordance with School Board rules on such appeals, Crew tapped those people to represent the community on the committee.

''He would love to find a way out of this,'' Rivera said, alluding to the deep passions and powerful politics that have clung to the book debate.

Crew has floated ideas such as attaching additional material to the book giving a different perspective of life in Cuba.

Rivera, R-Miami, said he had ''no preconceived notions,'' but SALAD's representative said she sees no space for compromise.

''This is about facts -- these books are not opinions or fictional novels,'' said Lydia Usategui, a child psychiatrist and president of the Committee for the Human Rights of Children. "I can't possibly give a blessing to keeping books that are inaccurate.''

Exonerated man is a prisoner of his past

A Miami man exonerated in a sexual assault case remains jailed for a series of felonies he pleaded guilty to in the past -- but may not have committed.

By Charles Rabin And Lisa Arthur, crabin@MiamiHerald.com. Posted on Thu, May. 25, 2006

Orlando Bosquete, freed Tuesday after 13 years in prison and a decade on the run for a sexual assault he didn't commit, is being held at the Krome detention center for a series of felonies he pleaded guilty to and served time for more than a decade ago.

What isn't clear is whether Bosquete, who arrived from Cuba during the 1980 Mariel boatlift, actually committed all the crimes or was picked up on warrants for crimes that others committed.

That's because the former Miami man used a series of aliases from deceased Hispanics while he eluded the law from 1985 to 1995 after an escape from a Belle Glade prison.

Bottom line, his attorneys say: Bosquete has spent more than enough time in prison.

''They're just being tough guys,'' Bosquete's Miami-based immigration attorney, John Pratt, said of federal immigration officials.

Bosquete is also being detained under the Immigration and Nationality Act for not having the right documentation to remain in the United States, though he was paroled into the country when he arrived from Cuba.

''He never adjusted his status,'' said Barbara Gonzalez, a Miami-based spokeswoman with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Bosquete almost tasted complete freedom on Tuesday for the first time since he was convicted in 1983 of attempted sexual assault of a Stock Island woman. Monroe County Circuit Court Judge Richard Payne vacated the conviction and ordered him released.

The nonprofit New York-based Innocence Project had proved through the use of DNA that it wasn't Bosquete's semen on his accuser's clothing.

Bosquete's attorneys -- Barry Scheck and Nina Morrison of the Innocence Project, and Pratt -- said they couldn't understand why immigration officials decided to lock up their client when, they argued, he could be freed on bond.

'UNJUST' ACTION

''He's going to get released one way or another,'' said Pratt, who visited Bosquete at Krome on Wednesday. "A man who spent . . . [time] in prison for a crime he did not commit -- it's unjust.''

Pratt said Bosquete spent Tuesday night sleeping on a floor in a holding cell in Krome while he was being processed. The attorney said it could be weeks or even months before Bosquete sees an immigration judge.

Either way, Bosquete would likely remain in the country and, according to Pratt, could be out of jail within three months after an immigration hearing.

Under the Cuban Adjustment Act, Cubans who reach U.S. soil are not put in deportation proceedings. Instead, the U.S. government helps resettle them and allows them to apply for permanent residence after more than a year in the country.

Those convicted of crimes in this country and who have completed their sentences -- but who cannot be deported because their countries won't take them back -- generally must be released, according to a Supreme Court ruling. Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis.

The U.S. Department of Justice has charged Bosquete with crimes involving ''moral turpitude,'' which under immigration law means a conviction involving a felony could lead to deportation proceedings.

The crimes underlying that charge against Bosquete include a 1985 conviction for loitering; convictions in 1991 for dealing stolen property, burglary and resisting arrest without violence; and a 1995 conviction for possession of a firearm by a felon, according to a notice to appear in court the Justice Department gave Bosquete on Wednesday.

Bosquete's lawyers say that even if he committed all the crimes he pleaded to, he has more than served his time for them.

''We had hoped because of the circumstances they would have released him on a humanitarian parole while they sort this out. We remain hopeful they will do that,'' Morrison said.

ALIAS TROUBLE

Bosquete's current troubles date to his 1985 escape from the Glades correctional facility in Belle Glade. During his 10 years on the run in which he took odd jobs in different states, Bosquete used at least five aliases of deceased Hispanics.

At some point during that decade, Bosquete masqueraded as Eduardo Jeres, Hilberto Rodriguez, Hilberto Rodrigues, Mateo Lopez and Jerls Edrupo.

Many of the dead men were wanted on outstanding warrants. Bosquete was once stopped for running a red light and was arrested in the name of an alias. To avoid capture under his real name, Bosquete told his attorneys, he would plead guilty and serve time for crimes allegedly committed by the people whose names he was using.

Pratt believes the government thinks Bosquete did commit the 1991 burglary, but he didn't elaborate. Even so, Scheck said, it's not reason enough to detain their client.

Cuban Jews reunite, relive decades past

Graduates of a Hebrew day school in Havana gathered in Miami for a class reunion. Many had not seen each other since they graduated in 1958.

By Alexandra Alter, aalter@MiamiHerald.com. Posted on Sun, May. 21, 2006.

''Is this me?'' Betty Faigenblat asked her friend Vivian, squinting at a 44-year-old photograph hanging in a corner of the Jewish Museum of Florida.

''This is me,'' Vivian Mechaber-Cascales said with delight, ignoring her.

More people crowded around the photograph. The two women giggled and squeezed out of the crowd.

The photograph was shot in 1955 at El Plantel del Centro Israelita de Cuba, a Hebrew day school in Havana. It now hangs at the Jewish museum in South Beach in a small section dedicated to the Jews of Cuba. Most of the museum's guests glance at it briefly, if at all.

On Saturday, a group of giddy visitors examined the features on every face, comparing their 60-year-old companions to a third-grade class portrait.

''That's me, the most handsome of them all; how could you miss me?'' said Manny Fainstein, a tall man with gray hair and a gap between his teeth.

A museum guide wandered over, curious. She stood next to a tall, paunchy man with wild dark eyebrows and thick white hair. He seemed distracted; his hazel eyes glazed over and were lost decades in the past.

''I'm the one in the top row, three from the right,'' he told the guide.

The round face, large ears, impish smile, all started to look familiar. The docent smiled at Joseph Roisman, 59, who stared ahead at the photograph.

Roisman and his classmates graduated from Centro Israelita in 1958. They were the last class to graduate before Cuban leader Fidel Castro came to power and most of the Jews on the island fled. This weekend, 28 members of the 46 students in their class gathered in Miami to celebrate turning 60. Two of their classmates have died. Others live in Israel. Some are observant Jews who won't travel on the Sabbath, and some couldn't be located.

The reunion kicked off Saturday with a three-hour religious service at Temple Beth Shmuel, the Cuban Hebrew Congregation on South Beach, followed by brunch and a visit to the museum. Packed side by side in the pews, the former classmates giggled and whispered throughout services, passing photos of their grandchildren around and joking about el cuarto oscuro, the fictional dark room their teachers used to threaten them with. Many hadn't seen each other since they were in Cuba.

Though they've spent about 50 years in exile, the class of 1958 has stayed in touch over the years. They've maintained Cuban Jewish traditions even as the Jewish population in Havana has languished, shrinking from about 15,000 before the revolution to fewer than 1,000 today. Most fled Havana ahead of their parents, scattering across the United States, Latin America and Israel. The day school, founded in 1925, was closed in 1962 because hardly any students remained.

The students left without saying goodbye to their friends, fearing they would be detained if word got out.

''It seemed like every day there was one less kid in school,'' said Richard Novigrod, who gave his geometry notebook to a struggling classmate when he left for Miami in 1961.

Roisman, now vice president of a luxury clothing line for men, fled to Israel, also in 1961. He lived in a boarding school and was drafted into the Israeli army.

Marcos Kerbel, a professor of international finance at Florida International University, arrived in the United States as part of Operation Pedro Pan and lived with a Jewish foster family in Los Angeles.

Teresa Treibich Ben-Hain went to live in Brooklyn. When she got there, she met up with Elias Roberto Ben-Hain, her boyfriend from Havana who also attended Centro Israelita. His parents wanted to move the family to Israel. He refused, saying he would stay with Teresa. His parents gave in, and Elias and Teresa have been married 40 years.

Most of the men had gone gray, and several were balding, except for Mark Faigenblat. He credits his wife -- fellow classmate Betty -- with keeping him young. The women were various shades of dyed blond and brown.

''The men look so old,'' one of them whispered.

At the luncheon, many were eager to learn details of their classmates' escapes from Cuba.

''You went in a boat?'' Rebecca Roth Glinsky, a gregarious blonde and the valedictorian, asked Moises Golobovich, a self-described troublemaker known to his classmates as Golo. "I thought that was a joke.''

''It was a luxury three-day cruise,'' he replied.

Golobovich was the last to leave Havana. He fled in January 1980 in an 18-foot motorboat with five other men.

''I missed them a lot when they left,'' he said of his classmates. "I was there by myself with no peers, nothing.''

For the first few years following the revolution, classmates wrote him letters and sent him photographs. Some told him not to worry, reassuring him that Castro's government wouldn't last but a few weeks, then they would all be back for high school. As the years passed, the letters stopped coming.

Golobovich went to college in Havana and made new friends. But his old friendships never died. When Golobovich arrived in Miami by boat, after running out of fuel and water and spending three days at sea, two of his classmates heard about it on the news and threw a welcome party for him at a restaurant in Little Havana.

Exiles share mixed memories of their homeland

By Stephanie Garry And Helen Eckinger, sgarry@MiamiHerald.com. Posted on Sat, May. 20, 2006.

Salvador Martinez and Isabel Daubar, members of Little Havana's Golden Dancers, warm up before performing at the Cuban Nostalgia Convention held at the Fair Expo Center Friday. The convention runs through Sunday.

May 20, Cuban Independence Day, holds a special place in the hearts of Cuban exiles. A holiday not officially celebrated on the island because Fidel Castro would rather promote milestones of his communist revolution, it stands more than anything else for that palpable emotion that often dominates Miami's exile community -- nostalgia.

And what better place to take the pulse of that emotion on the eve of Cuban Independence Day than Cuba Nostalgia, the annual convention that has snowballed into a massive weekend event with hundreds of exhibits.

For three days, the Miami-Dade County Fair Expo Center gets converted into a time machine of sorts, where the adornments along memory lane are mostly for sale. Everything from vintage Cuban currency to T-shirts of Che Guevara with a bloody bullet hole on his forehead can be bought.

At Cuba Nostalgia, the younger generation of Cubans and Cuban Americans has a different perspective on Cuban Independence Day -- and nostalgia -- than their elders.

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