Cuba Detains a U.S. Contractor

[VanW]

By MARC LACEY and GINGER THOMPSON
Published: December 11, 2009

HAVANA — A United States government contract worker, who was distributing cellphones, laptops and other communications equipment in Cuba on behalf of the Obama administration, has been detained by the authorities here, American officials said Friday.

The officials said the contractor, who works for a company based in the Washington suburbs, was detained Dec. 5. They said the United States Interests Section in Havana was awaiting Cuba’s response to a request for consular access to the man, who was not identified.

The detention and the mysterious circumstances surrounding it threaten to reignite tensions between the countries at a time when both had promised to open new channels of engagement. American officials said they were encouraged that the Cubans had not publicized the detention, and they said they were hopeful that he might be quietly released.

...

Still, Mr. Vivanco and others said that the contractor’s covert conduct — which included entering Cuba on a tourist visa without proper documents — also raised questions about whether Mr. Obama would fulfill his promise to break with the confrontational tactics that Washington has employed toward Havana for five decades.

“President Obama’s been different in some areas,” said Phil Peters, a Cuba expert and a vice president of the Lexington Institute, a nonpartisan think tank. “But most of his policy remains the Bush policy, and this is just another example of that.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/12/world/americas/12cuba.html?_r=1&hpw

[Peace Patriot]

1. "...his policy remains the Bush policy." Right now, I'd say it's worse...

...in Latin America, generally. Not sure about Cuba, but this spying report is not a good sign. (If this is what the Obama administration is going to use easing of travel restrictions for, then good will is already compromised and may be lost.)

Latin America, generally...

1. Secretly negotiated agreement with Colombia for SEVEN new U.S. military bases in Colombia, NO LIMIT on the number of U.S. soldiers and U.S. 'contractors' who can be deployed there, unlimited diplomatic immunity for whatever U.S. troops and 'contractors' do there, and U.S. military use of all civilian airports and other facilities--in pursuit of "full spectrum military operations in the region."

2. Sneaky, treacherous, backstabbing behavior on the Honduran rightwing military coup, aimed at installation of a far rightwing government, to protect U.S. global corporate predator interests and to secure the U.S. military base and port facilities in Honduras. (The plane carrying the kidnapped president of Honduras out of the country, back in June, stopped at the U.S. air base in Soto Cano, Honduras, for refueling. And that was just the beginning of it. After some one hundred anti-coup activists were murdered in Honduras, and thousands beaten up, imprisoned, raped, tortured and threatened, and after a state of martial law for six months, with opposition media shut down, the U.S. just endorsed a farce of an election, run by the Honduran military.)

3. Two new U.S. military bases in Panama.

4. Complete deafness to the leaders of the continent--not just Chavez, but Lula da Silva in Brazil, Michele Batchelet in Chile, Cristina Fernandez in Argentina, Fernando Lugo in Paraguay, Evo Morales in Bolivia and numerous others, including rightwing leaders like Felipe Calderon in Mexico--as well as the OAS, the Rio Group, the UNASUR, Mercosur and ALBA trade groups, the EU and the UN--on the Honduran coup. And complete deafness to the near universal outcry against the U.S. militarization of Colombia.

It is appalling that one of the few U.S. "good friends" in the region--the one on whom the U.S. is larding $6 BILLION in military aid--is Colombia, a country with one of the worst human rights records on earth, and one of the worst governments and militaries on earth. I believe that Colombia is the linchpin of a Pentagon war plan. The militarization points above--on Obama's watch (massive U.S. military buildup in Colombia, basically the 'South Vietnamzation' of Colombia; new U.S. bases in Panama; securing of U.S. bases in Honduras*)--combined with the Bushwhack reconstitution of the US 4th Fleet in the Caribbean--means that the Pentagon has Venezuela's major oil region, in the north, adjacent to Colombia and the Caribbean, surrounded.

There are many U.S. corporate/war profiteer motives for destroying the huge leftist democracy movement that has swept most of South America and about half of Central America. These include re-imposing "free trade for the rich" where it has been rejected; re-imposing the failed, corrupt, murderous U.S. "war on drugs" where it has been rejected; re-imposing World Bank/IMF rule over Latin American economies (looting of those economies by first world banksters), where that has been rejected, and other such motives. But I think those are all secondary motives for this massive militarization of the region. I think that the Pentagon, at the very least, intends to "circle the wagons" in the Caribbean/Central America/northern South American region, grab control of the oil in Venezuela's and Ecuador's northern provinces, and impose U.S. military control of this region, for the purposes of looting and plunder, and slave labor.

It is notable that one of President Mel Zelaya's most popular policies in Honduras was his doubling of the minimum wage, in this extremely poor country where Chiquita International and U.S. clothing retailers hold sway. It is also notable that one of the rightwing coup generals stated that the purpose of their coup was "to prevent communism from Venezuela reaching the United States." (i.e., decent wages = communism). (--quoted in a report on the coup by the Zelaya government-in-exile). These are all obvious motives for the Obama administration's dreadful policy on Honduras. What is less well known is that President Zelaya proposed converting the U.S. military base in Honduras to a commercial airport. That probably sealed his fate, because that base is a critical component of Pentagon strategy, and Honduras has often, in the past, been the U.S. stepping stool for aggression in the region.

Obama's stated policy of "peace, respect and cooperation" in Latin America has been OVERRULED. Chavez said that Obama is "the prisoner of the Pentagon." That may be a charitable assessment, if what I see coming down the pipe (Vietnam II) is the purpose behind this militarization of Colombia and the region.

[EFerrari]

3. I didn't know Obama guested on the Pentagon babe's blog.

That's nauseating.

[Mika]

9. With a new smiley face sticker

Cubanet is busy busy busy sucking up US taxpayer dollars.





I'm sure that brave Americans would be just fine with N Korean agents secreting in cell phones to their people. ;)

Keep in mind that one of the Cuban five is in jail for mowing the grass (aka: dangerousness) on his yard maintenance job.

[Braulio]

10. Exceptional Cuba

I guess Cuba is one of the few countries where the distribution of computers and cell phones is considered a violation of the law. However, it's evident the dictatorship is weakening, and it's bound to fall in the near term. Just like Eastern Europe liberated itself from communism, Cuba will liberate itself, I'm sure.

[Mika]

12. Do you really think that Al Queda could legally distribute cell phones in the USA?

The US is the self declared enemy of the Cuban gov (and a murderous one at that), just as Al Queda is the self declared enemy of the US gov (and a murderous one also).

Working with and as an agent the declared enemy of a nation is rarely legal - in Cuba and in the USA.

[Downwinder]

13. Better yet. Do you think the US would have allowed Cuba

to distribute cell phones and cameras to RNC protesters in St. Paul?

or

What would be the headlines if Venezuela distributed cell phones and cameras in Honduras?

[Mika]

14. Cuba has never attacked the US. The US has attacked Cuba, & still runs covert ops/against the island

Plus, Venezuela has never attacked Honduras.

While I do get the political parallels of your point, I think that my al Queda reference is more apt because al Queda has murderously attacked the US and killed Americans in America, just as the US has murderously attacked Cuba and killed Cubans in Cuba.

The agents of murderous self declared enemies of a state really are considered enemies of the state also - in Cuba and in the USA (and most elsewhere in the "civilized" world).

Exchanging agents of the murderous US regime for peaceful agents of Cuba (the Cuban Five) who were seeking to prevent US based murderous attacks has no place on the table in this case as far as a prisoner exchange goes. Cuba will again take the high road and not go for that at all, imo.


:hi:

[Braulio]

15. Hardly terrorist to distribute cell phones

I don't see why you think it's "terrorist" to give cell phones and computers to people. I suspect you do realize that once people are able to get organized, and use the internet, they can erode the power of a corrupt repressive regime such as Cuba's.

[Mika]

16. I didn't say any such thing, and you know it.

I said that agents of the declared enemy of the Cuban state that has a record of attack and hostilities against Cuba and Cubans are doing so.


Nice attempt at spin ..



NOT.

[Bacchus39]

18. what about pressure cookers or toilet paper? is that terrorism?? n/t

s

[Downwinder]

19. What would Sheriff Joe do with an undocumented immigrant?

[Bacchus39]

20. what would he do if a tourist to the US started giving away cell phones?? n/t

s

[Downwinder]

21. Without proper paperwork, Arpaio would lock them up and they

might survive jail conditions.

[Bacchus39]

22. are you a fan of his?? n/t

s

[Downwinder]

23. No, I thought you might be.

[Bacchus39]

24. I didn't even know his last name. do you have anything else irrelevant to add?? n/t

s

[Downwinder]

25. I have been hearing for years that Cuba was a Dictatorship.

Every time I have traveled to a Dictatorship I have been very careful to have all of the proper documentation. The whole thing sounds like an amateur operation.

[Mika]

29. Hard to be more irrelevant than you, posting BS about pressure cookers for years here.

[flamingdem]

27. Like many countries they discourage illegal commerce by foreigners

and if you bring electronics to sell, or give away, it is the same difference.. because you must pay duty on that, like in any country.

[Braulio]

28. You don't know if the guy paid duty or not

I'm amused by the way you defend a regime like Cuba's, when it arrests people for giving away cell phones and computers. That regime is in its terminal days, like the Soviet Union was in the 1980's, resistance to the forces of history is futile, it is a failure, and it WILL fall.

[Mika]

30. How could he have paid proper duty fees without proper documentation?

He couldn't have. Your point is just another somewhat lame distraction to the reality that the self declared enemy of Cuba (the US gov) has agents operating illegally in Cuba.

It would be just as illegal here for Cuban unregistered agents to be distributing anything without proper documentation and licenses. They would be arrested and ejected or jailed.

[EFerrari]

2. It's so good to see Vivanco fostering civil discourse

just as a human rights worker should to promote their mission. :sarcasm:

[VanW]

4. Also posted in LBN

You have to wonder how an American got into Cuba with a pile of cell phones, laptops and "other communications equipment" in the first place.

The NYTimes story says that the American entered Cuba on a tourist visa without "proper documents".

That sounds like the person came in through Mexico or Jamaica acting like a tourist who didn't have an official visa (still very common). But how did they get the suitcase full of electronics through?

[rabs]

5. Update from DAI honcho

Jim Boomgard, DAI's president and chief executive, said the person arrested is part of a new USAID program intended to "strengthen civil society in support of just and democratic governance in Cuba."

"Our prime concern is for the safety, well-being, and quick return to the United States of the detained individual," Boomgard said in a statement. Boomgard said the company is working with the State Department to ensure this is a top priority.


http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gcRjeReNTN8ZuNmidUieHtx7F9jQD9CI1HB00

---------------------

Think maybe Hillary/Obama will trade him for the Cuban Five?

[EFerrari]

6. So, how does that translate? Is he CIA?

[rabs]

7. I would hope he is CIA

because it would make him a "high priority" to the CIA/Pentagon/Hillary, just as the Cuban Five are a "high priority" for La Habana.

(Off topic, but congrats for getting your Obama op-ed piece published as per L. Coyote's post.)

[Judi Lynn]

8. Miami Herald: American subcontractor's arrest in Cuba confirmed

Posted on Sunday, 12.13.09
U.S.-CUBA RELATIONS
American subcontractor's arrest in Cuba confirmed

An American man arrested in Cuba was handing out computers and communications equipment `on behalf of the Obama administration.'

~snip~
The New York Times reported Saturday that the man arrived in Cuba on a tourist visa and was handing out the computers and communications equipment ``on behalf of the Obama administration.'' It added that it was ``unclear exactly what the was doing at the time he was detained.''

Two persons involved with U.S. government grants for Cuba programs said they were not surprised by the man's arrest because of recent changes in the procedures that sidelined experienced Cuban-American groups and then rushed large amounts of money to groups with little knowledge of the island.

$40 MILLION OK'D

Last year, Congress approved $40 million for Cuba programs at a time when the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor were struggling for control of Washington's international development efforts, said one of the persons. Both asked for anonymity to avoid conflicts with the grant bureaucracy.

DAI, one of the largest development consultants in Washington, won the main contract, the Cuba Democracy and Contingency Planning Program, which in effect put it in charge of hiring subcontractors.

One of the two sources added that while he did not know the American arrested, it would have been a mistake to send to Cuba an ``American-looking guy'' to deliver items such as laptops and cellphones to dissidents.

Cuba's security agents pay special attention to single American men with tourist visas, he said, ``and Americans are just not used to looking over their shoulder when they are in a totalitarian state.''

``If I wanted to slip something into China, I would not use an American. I would use a Chinese-American who can blend in,'' he added.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/americas/story/1379458.html

[Judi Lynn]

11. CIA AGENT CAPTURED IN CUBA:

Sunday, December 13, 2009
CIA AGENT CAPTURED IN CUBA: An employee of a CIA front organization working in Venezuela was detained in Cuba this week

CIA Agent Captured in Cuba

An employee of a CIA front organization that also funds opposition groups in Venezuela was detained in Cuba last week

By Eva Golinger

An article published in the December 12th edition of the New York Times revealed the detention of a US government contract employee in Havana this past December 5th. The employee, whose name has not yet been disclosed, works for Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI), one of the largest US government contractors providing services to the State Department, the Pentagon and the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The employee was detained while distributing cellular telephones, computers and other communications equipment to Cuban dissident and counterrevolutionary groups that work to promote US agenda on the Caribbean island.

Last year, the US Congress approved $40 million to “promote transition to democracy” in Cuba. DAI was awarded the main contract, “The Cuba Democracy and Contingency Planning Program”, with oversight by State and USAID. The use of a chain of entities and agencies is a mechanism employed by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to channel and filter funding and strategic political support to groups and individuals that support US agenda abroad. The pretext of “promoting democracy” is a modern form of CIA subversion tactics, seeking to infiltrate and penetrate civil society groups and provide funding to encourage “regime change” in strategically important nations, such as Venezuela, with governments unwilling to subcomb to US dominance.

~snip~
DEVELOPMENT ALTERNATIVES INC. IS A CIA FRONT ORGANIZATION

This organization dedicated to destabilizing governments unfavorable to US interests has now made its appearance in Cuba, with millions of dollars destined to destroy the Cuban revolution. Ex CIA officer Phillip Agee affirmed that DAI, USAID and NED “are instruments of the US Embassy and behind these three organizations is the CIA.“ The contract between USAID and DAI in Venezuela confirms this fact, “The field representative will maintain close collaboration with other embassy offices in identifying opportunities, selecting partners and ensuring the program remains consistent with US foreign policy.” There is no doubt that “selecting partners” is another term for “recluting agents” and “consistent with US foreign policy” means “promoting Washington’s interests”, despite issues of sovereignty. Clearly, all DAI activities are directly coordinated by the US Embassy, a fact which negates the “private” nature of the organization.

The detention of a DAI employee is a very important step to impede destabilization and subversion inside Cuba. This episode also confirms that there has been no change of policy with the Obama Administration towards Cuba – the same tactics of espionage, infiltration and subversion are still being actively employed against one of Washington’s oldest adversaries.

http://www.chavezcode.com/2009/12/cia-agent-captured-in-cuba-employee-of.html

[rabs]

17. What does "other communications equipment" mean?

When you posted the OP, I went over to check out the Cuban Customs website to see what tourists are allowed to take into the country.

The normal items are listed, film cameras, video camera, a DVD player, a personal laptop, personal jewelery, etc. (Full list on link)

But it says very clearly that all of those items must be TAKEN OUT of the country when the tourist leaves.

At the very bottom of the list are items that are NOT permitted to be brought in by a tourist.

Se reitera que no se admite la entrada al país por pasajeros de walkie talkie, GPS y celulares de comunicación satelital.

(It is reiterated that entry is NOT permitted into the country of walkie talkies, GPS and satellite phones (by tourists).

Could this be what was meant by "other communications equipment?"

I would think that Cuban authorities are especially sensative about GPS devices, because they could be used to pinpoint the coordinates of locations of interest to the Pentagon/SoCom/CIA etc.

The satellite phones would allow calls to the outside without having to go through the Cuban telephone system.

So was wondering whether this guy was carrying GPS and satellite phones? Agree with you; how in the world did he get in as a "tourist" with whatever equipment he was carrying? I am suspecting diplomatic pouch shipment to the U.S. Interests Section.


http://www.aduana.co.cu/turista.htm


(The website also says illegal drugs, explosives, weapons and obscene material are also prohibited.)

[flamingdem]

26. I believe the limit is 1 cellphone per traveler

but they don't search most people for that kind of thing so 2-3 are probably not a problem. But many cellphones? That would probably get scanned and noticed. Their scanner specifically picks up on electronics, they make the most money charging duty on those.