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 News from Around the Americas | July 2005 
Castro Rebuffs US Aid Despite Rising Death Toll, Damage
 Frances Robles - Miami Herald
Hurricane Dennis caused about $1.4 billion in damage and killed 16 people in Cuba, but the government there will refuse any aid from Washington or Europe, Fidel Castro has announced.
Castro's decision to rebuff aid came as reports of Dennis' mayhem in the Caribbean kept climbing. Four days after the Category 4 storm pummeled the islands, a total of 41 people are now confirmed dead - 16 in Cuba and 25 in Haiti.
But Castro says he turned down a U.S. offer of $50,000, and would spurn even $1 billion - if it came from Uncle Sam. "Cuba will not accept humanitarian aid from the United States, which imposes a criminal blockade, or from any of the European governments that took aid away under the pretext of human rights violations," the Communist Party daily Granma reported in a story paraphrasing Castro's comments.
The Cuban leader made the announcement on a late-night TV news show that started Monday and dragged on for seven hours. The story made reference to a 2003 move by the EU - now suspended - to cut off aid after Cuba's crackdown on dissidents.
EXILES' ROLE
Exile groups meanwhile jumped into the fray, some collecting funds for dissident groups on the island, others pushing to lift strict Bush administration limits on visits to Cuba - underscoring once again the politicized and deeply divided nature of Cuban politics, even in times of tragedy.
"Castro is rejecting aid for his people," said Sylvia Iriondo, of Mothers Against Repression. "That shows the last thing on his mind is the welfare of the Cuban people."
On Monday, Mothers Against Repression used its license to send financial support to Cuba to remit $3,000 to the Assembly to Promote Civil Society in Cuba, she said.
Members of the Cuban Commission for Family Rights traveled to Washington Monday to lobby for changes in U.S. rules that limit travel and remittances. "They've suggested donating through certain groups," said Alvaro Fernández, the group's representative. "I say, `Go for it,' but these groups are talking about giving it to dissidents. So, OK, we're going to help only dissidents? There are a lot of people in Cuba who are not part of the dissident movement."
The United Nations announced it sent $50,000 worth of aid. U.S. State Department spokesman Tom Casey said Washington will continue working with the nongovernmental groups to send money to Cuba, despite Castro's stance.
Ironically, a similar snub from Havana after Hurricane Michelle in 2001 led to a boom in U.S. exports to Cuba.
Since that storm, Havana has purchased several hundred million dollars' worth of foodstuffs in groundbreaking deals with U.S. exporters. CANF has asked the companies that profit from those sales to donate rice to Cuba this time - for free.
DEFENSE OF AID
The foundation defended handing out its Cuba Relief Fund donations through dissidents, saying it was the only way to guarantee aid gets to Cubans and not Castro.
"Look, this money is not coming with a condition to only give it to people who are vocal against the government," said CANF director Camila Ruiz. "It's that these are trusted individuals would would give it to people who most need it."
Saudy Peña contributed to this report. |
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