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Powell Lobbies for OAS Support Against Castro *** Powell gave no details of the review but a State Department official said it covered "all policy tools at our disposal." He added: "We are looking for those which best serve our interest in supporting democracy in Cuba." Interest groups have given the Bush administration proposals for punitive measures such as bans on remittances and direct travel to Cuba, while others have recommended stepped-up efforts to promote democracy by providing items like fax machines to dissidents and beefing up U.S. broadcasts to Cuba.

The cash sent to families in Cuba by relatives in the United States is estimated to total as much as $1 billion a year and is vital source of income for many Cubans coping with economic hardship in Cuba since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Powell told the Council of the Americas that Castro had condemned himself by refusing to let a U.N. human rights envoy visit the island to investigate. "Why would Castro reject scrutiny if he has nothing to hide? We know the reason. He has everything to hide," he said.***

Embargo Foes in Disarray as U.S. Mulls Cuba Options *** One lobby, the Cuba Policy Foundation, on Wednesday disbanded in protest over the repression. "The regime could not have failed to know that its actions would have a chilling effect on efforts here to ease the U.S. sanctions," the bipartisan organization said.

EFFORTS FOCUSING ON TRAVEL

Some Congressman still plan to press ahead with anti-embargo legislation. Senator Max Baucus, a Montana Democrat, will introduce a bill to lift travel restrictions, which should have a greater chance of passage than a more ambitious proposal introduced earlier this year that sought to overturn the embargo itself.

A spokeswoman for Baucus said the new travel bill was meant to "get a foot in the door."

Jeff Flake, a Republican congressman from Arizona, plans to introduce his own travel bill soon, arguing through a spokesman that "easing the embargo isn't any kind of reward for Castro. Ultimately it will be the beginning of the end for him."

But even easing the travel ban now stands little chance of passage, analysts say. "Obviously, nobody wants to be seen pandering to a tyrant," said Stephen Johnson, with the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank.***