Center for a Free Cuba
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| Formation | 1997 |
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| Headquarters | Falls Church, Virginia, United States |
| Website | www |
The Center for a Free Cuba is a Washington, DC-based organization. It states that it is "an independent, non-partisan institution dedicated to promoting human rights and a transition to democracy and the rule of law on the island. Established in November 1997, the center gathers and disseminates information about Cuba and Cubans to the media, non-governmental organizations, and the international community. The center also assists the people of Cuba through its information outreach and humanitarian programs on the island."[1]
Activities[edit]
Anti-détente efforts[edit]
The Center for a Free Cuba is vehemently against an American détente with the Cuban Communist Party the center argues that a détente would "reward" the brutal dictatorship and embolden it to further repress the Cuban population, and strengthen it's position to invite more of America's enemies to open bases on the island.[2] The center cited Obama's attempted détente in 2009, which was followed by the Cuban government murdering Oswaldo Payá in 2012, smuggling weapons to North Korea in 2013, and receiving smuggled weapons from China in 2015.[2]
Foreign base claims[edit]
The Center for a Free Cuba argued that the Chinese Communist Party has built several secret bases on Cuba to act as forward operating points and safe-houses for Chinese spies in the United States.[2] The center also alleges that Hezbollah has a training center in Cuba citing a 2016 leaked email from Hillary Clinton.[3]
October 7th attack[edit]
In 2023 Center for a Free Cuba President Otto J. Reich reported to the Jewish Policy Center that the Cuban government had met with Iranian and Hamas officials shortly before the October 7th attack on Israel.[3] Namely, Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian met with Cuban president Miguel Diaz-Canel on February 5th, Hamas leadership met with the Cuban ambassador to Lebanon Jorge León Cruz on February 25th, and lastly, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi met with Diaz-Canel on June 15th.[3] Reich argued that these meetings, coupled with Cuba's "long history of both antisemitism and support of extremist terrorist organizations in the Middle East" showcased some element of culpability of the Cuban regime for the attack.[3]
Shortly after the attack, John Suarez, the Center's executive director, wrote an op-ed in The Hill highlighting Cuba's opposition to the state of Israel, starting with its support for and arming of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) in 1965, to hosting the PLO Tri-Continental Conference in Havana in 1966.[4] He also cited Fidel Castro comparing Israel to Nazi Germany in a 1979 address to the United Nations, and for calling Israel “a repugnant new form of fascism” in 2014.[4] He also claimed 3,000 Cuban soldiers that fought for the Arab states during the Yom Kippur War.[4][a]
Controversies[edit]
Embezzlement by Felipe Sixto[edit]
Felipe Sixto was working as Chief of Staff in the Center for a Free Cuba. In July 2007, Sixto left the Center and joined the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.[citation needed]
The Center's Executive Director reported an alleged misuse of United States Agency for International Development grant money meant for the Center which then suspended financing of its Cuba programs while it investigated being overcharged $570,000 meant for use by the Center to buy radios and flashlights.[7]
On March 1, 2008, Sixto was selected from the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and appointed by Republican President George W. Bush as a Special Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs, as well as becoming the Deputy Director of the Office of Public Liaison.[citation needed]
When he heard of the investigation Sixto resigned from his new position as Presidential Aide a few weeks later on March 20, 2008.[8]
On December 19, 2008, Sixto pled guilty to embezzlement of government funds for his own use, both while he was at the Center and while he was in service to the President.[9]
On March 18, 2009, Sixto, was fined $10,000 and sentenced to 30 months in prison.[10]
Funding[edit]
The Center for a Free Cuba has received grants from the National Endowment for Democracy.[11]
Notes[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ About Us, Center for a Free Cuba[full citation needed]
- ^ a b c Williams, Logan M. "The United States Should Be Wary of Engaging Cuba". thegeopolitics.com. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ a b c d Reich, Otto J. "Jihad: Cuba's Role". Jewish Policy Center. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ a b c Suarez, John. "Cuba's dictatorship has a serious problem with Jews". The Hill. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
- ^ Williams, John Hoyt (1 August 1988). "Cuba: Havana's Military Machine". The Atlantic. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
- ^ The Cuban Intervention in Angola, 1965–1991. Routledge. 2004. p. 47. ISBN 978-1-134-26933-4.
- ^ Washington Post[full citation needed]
- ^ "Bush aide resigns over misuse of money in Cuban democracy organization". nydailynews.com. Associated Press. 28 March 2008.
- ^ "Ex-Bush aide gets prison in 'Free Cuba' theft". nbcnews.com. Associated Press. 18 March 2009.
- ^ "Former Bush aide gets 30 months in prison after stealing from Center for Free Cuba". New York Daily News. 18 March 2009.
- ^ Cuba NED via web.archive.org[full citation needed]