Tom Fiedler. Published Wednesday, August 2, 2000, in the Miami Herald
PHILADELPHIA -- In a Republican Party platform otherwise notable for its softened edges, the planks that could form the basis of a George W. Bush administration's policy toward Cuba would abruptly reverse steps taken over the past decade. It would shut off any future attempts to lure the Castro
regime toward democracy through such carrots as increased travel and tourism, and would stymie efforts to open up agricultural trade. It also would abnegate the 1994 agreements that ended the rafter crisis of that year and now provides for at least 20,000 Cubans to emigrate legally to the United
States annually.
The likely result? More rafters risking their lives in the Florida Straits and perhaps the reappearance of the Guantanamo tent city.
The plank's authors, U.S. Reps. Lincoln Díaz-Balart, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Bill McCollum, boasted on Monday afternoon that it was a marked improvement over previous years because it set specific conditions to be met by Cuba before there could be any relaxation of relations. Those are
that the Cuban regime "frees all prisoners of conscience, legalizes peaceful protest, allows opposition political activity, permits free expression, and commits to democratic elections.'' There is zero chance that will happen while Castro draws breath. It also for the first time puts the party
on record as advocating "active American support'' for Cuban dissidents, which could cripple their credibility. Finally, it calls for a strict adherence to the "principles established by the 1966 Cuban Adjustment Act, which recognizes the rights of Cuban refugees fleeing communist
tyranny.''
Virtually all Americans agree with the goal of bringing about a democratic Cuba that meets all the above criteria. But the approach that the Cuba plank advocates would freeze in place (if not abolish) what has come to be called the "Track Two'' policy, the carrot to balance the trade
embargo's stick. While the embargo seeks to strangle Cuba's economy in ways that might destabilize the Castro regime, "Track Two'' encourages people-to-people diplomacy through travel and exchanges by scholars, journalists, athletes, Cuban relatives and a select few others. The latter is often
defended by the Clinton administration as important in forging bonds with the Cuban people. Also, it provides some bargaining chips that might be used to entice Cuba to moderate its behavior.
If the Republican plank became policy, the continuation of such exchanges would be in doubt. The plank directly thwarts attempts by some in Congress -- including Republicans -- to lift the ban on unrestricted travel by Americans. But most alarming is the seemingly innocuous appeal for adherence
to the 1966 Cuban Adjustment Act. That's a disguised call for a Bush administration to break the 1994 agreement with Cuba that ended the rafter crisis. This would erase the "wet-foot, dry-foot'' policy and would give U.S. asylum to any Cuban rescued at sea.
As badly flawed as this policy is, the alternative is worse. To break the treaty is to send a signal to desperate Cubans that they can take to the Florida Straits again -- an invitation to death for many. Those who are rescued could well end up in Guantanamo.
This may be what the plank's authors intend. But if this becomes national policy, Mr. Bush needn't wait long to face his first crisis with Cuba.
Copyright 2000 Miami Herald | 