U.S. contract worker detained by Cuban regime
According to the New York Times, the Cuban dictatorship has detained a US Government contract worker in Cuba. This unnamed person was picked up by state security on December 5th and has not been allowed contact with US consular representatives in Havana. His alleged crime, according to the report, was passing out cell phones, laptops, and other communication devices to Cuban citizens on behalf of the Obama administration.
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.
Who is to blame for this situation? According to this article, ultimately the blame lies solely with the US.
“Under Cuba’s draconian laws,” said José Miguel Vivanco of Human Rights Watch, “even the act of handing out cellphones to government critics can be considered a crime.”
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.”
It is interesting to note that in this situation an American in Cuba with a tourist visa interacting with regular Cubans and passing out communications devices is considered a confrontational tactic. Yet at the same time we are told that millions of Americans in Cuba with tourist visas interacting with regular Cubans and giving them gifts, such as cell phones and laptops, is a non-confrontational way of dealing with the Cuban dictatorship and bringing about freedom.
Well, which one is it?
The fact is that the Cuban regime may not have enough hotel rooms to handle all the American tourists if the travel ban were lifted, but they certainly do have enough jail cells to hold any that stray off the Potemkin village.
Alberto, excellent point! But not surprising when it comes to the Old Gray Hussy.
The New York Times will jump hoops, do somersaults and twist itself into a pretzel in order to justify the tyranny. It's been doing this since Matthews first laid star-struck eyes on castro!
Imagine that, it's the contract worker's fault for entering Cuba on a tourist visa without proper documentation! Yep, one has to be up-right with the tyrannical, unreasonable regime and tell them from the get-go that one is going to Cuba with the intent of giving out cell phones and telecommunication devices in order to democratize the country a bit! I'm sure that the "kinder, more pragmatic" raul would allow anyone to enter his fiefdom if they're forthright about their intent to spread democracy on the island. It's that easy!
I can't help but think of all those embargo-violating Pastors for Peace Caravans to Cuba supposedly delivering computers and goods to the "people" of Cuba. We all knew they were headed to castro inc., just as we all know that lifting the embargo isn't going to help the Cuban people because in Cuba only the castro's and party elite get the goods. So much for Barry's pixie dust bringing hope and change to Cuba.
Notice how this stuff always happens on a Friday? When a lot less people read/watch the news?
David:
It is not a coincidence that this news is released on a Friday. This contractor was detained a week ago and most likely they knew about it all this week. But they waited till the weekend to report it.
[...] per usual, a huge H/T to my buddies @ Babalu Blog. Alberto de la Cruz [...]
Entering on a tourist visa without proper documents?? Isn't a tourinst visa a proper document? And if there was something wrong with his passport he should have been turned back at the airport. Strange. I fear for the recipients of the cellphones and laptops. If this guy is now accused of being a spy they can be acussed of treason. This could be very embarrassing to Obama. Could it be that the Castros don't want the embargo lifted?
The reporter is based in Havana and undoubtedly wants to stay there for the Big Event. As for going in on a tourist visa, the humanitarian trips authorized by OFAC tell all participants to say they are tourists and to go in this way so they won't have the goods taken away at Customs. It's standard.
[...] de la Cruz at Babalu Blog (my first stop for Cuban perspective) writes; The fact is that the Cuban regime may not have enough [...]
Ziva, Glad you mentioned those scumbags, 'Pastors for Peace'. A bus with their logo painted on it was scene disembarking some of the government mobs that recently attacked Human Rights marchers in Havana. Need we say anymore about the tolerant, progressive Left?