Posted on 07/31/2003 7:35:45 AM PDT by OldCorps
Repatriated Cubans spell boatload of trouble for Bush
July 31, 2003
BY ROBERT NOVAK SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST Advertisement
It was not just that the Bush administration dispatched 12 Cubans who hijacked a boat to the tender mercies of Fidel Castro. What inflamed pro-Bush Cuban Americans in south Florida is that the United States negotiated with the communist dictator to impose 10-year prison sentences. This sudden agreement between Washington and Havana could cost George W. Bush a second term.
President Bush's Cuban-American friends consider this a de facto trial, resulting in incarceration by a police state. ''This is a very pained community,'' Republican Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart told me. Sharing the pain of his Cuban constituents and known to be unhappy with the decision is the president's brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. ''I do not think the president was aware of this decision,'' said Diaz-Balart.
Although there is truly no sign the decision went to the Oval Office, its political sting may be felt there. It is clear that Bush could not have won Florida and the presidency in 2000 without Cuban votes. Since repatriation of the hijackers, Florida Democrats have been busy pointing out betrayal by the White House. If Cuban voters stay home next time, Florida will almost surely be won by Bush's Democratic opponent.
Eleven men and one woman, seeking freedom in America, stole the Cuban boat Gaviota 16 on July 15 but were intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard the next day. They were denied automatic entry into the United States, granted under law, citing an agreement with Castro made by President Bill Clinton. The issue went to a U.S. interagency committee, where Justice and State Department career bureaucrats insisted the refugees be returned to Castro.
The three Cuban Americans from south Florida in Congress--Lincoln Diaz-Balart, his brother, Mario, and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen--pleaded to send the hijackers elsewhere, perhaps Guantanamo. Instead, the bureaucrats bargained with the Cuban dictator. Once Castro agreed not to execute the refugees as he had U.S.-bound hijackers in April, U.S. negotiators eagerly accepted 10-year prison sentences. The freedom-seekers were sent back July 21.
Desire to achieve accord with Castro has not borne fruit. Starting July 6, U.S. broadcasts to Iran that are critical of the mullahs were illegally jammed from Cuba. Why has the U.S. government not protested? The CIA has informed the White House that the jamming originated at the Iranian embassy in Havana. It defies belief that this could have been done without concurrence and cooperation by Cuba's government.
Repatriation of the hijackers fits a pattern. In federal court in Key West, Fla., July 10, a Cuban accused of skyjacking was denied permission to testify that he feared for his life if he surrendered control of the plane to Castro's agents. Bush has waived the rights of Americans to sue foreign speculators who profit from stolen American properties in Cuba. The Justice Department never has sought indictments of Cuban Air Force pilots who shot down small civilian aircraft in international air space.
Bush has been prevented from getting his choices in control of Cuban policy. Democratic Sen. Christopher Dodd has been relentless in blocking confirmation of Bush's own assistant secretary of state for Latin America. Without much effort made by the White House, Bush gave up on Otto Reich, former ambassador to Venezuela, who was instead named a presidential adviser. Roger Noriega, ambassador to the Organization of American States, was finally confirmed by the Senate Tuesday night after a four-month wait.
If Castro was a fixation for John F. Kennedy, he seems off the screen for George W. Bush. While repatriation to Cuban prisons caused a furor in south Florida, it hardly made a ripple in Washington. My check of Bush policy and political advisers indicated neither awareness nor interest in what happened.
Diaz-Balart refers to the Cubans as the base of Hispanic support for the president and the Republican Party. If this is the treatment given the only minority group that supports the GOP, he wonders what message will be sent other minority groups wooed by Republicans. ''When the base is ignored,'' the congressman said, ''there is a problem.'' More than ignored, the Cubans are simply disrespected, and that is the painful message in Miami.
Um, no, it didn't... "It was not just that the Bush administration dispatched 12 Cubans who hijacked a boat to the tender mercies of Fidel Castro."
Every single person who has fled from a Communist country has committed at least one crime.
No, they haven't. Their home country may consider their thirst for freedom a crime but we don't. We DO, however, consider highjacking (yes, I'll use that since it's from the article) a crime.
the nonsense of sending a refugee of any sort back to a Communist country.
I agree and disagree with you on this point. There is a lengthy review process to address asylum seekers. Most are not sent back capriciously. What do you think would be the result of a blanket policy of accepting all comers from Cuba? I'll tell you... a mass exodus across the sea. It's dangerous for them and a severe impact on us that we are ill-prepared to accomodate.
These are hardly criminals though. I can guarantee you that no one on that hijacked boat (other than a couple French tourists) was upset about the chance of possibly making it to America.
I flew into Havana the day they were arrested, April 4th. The day I left Havana, April 11th, on that trip, they were executed.
Over 80% of the Miami Cubans voted for Bush.
You act like a hi-jacking from Cuba is the same as one from the U.S. or somewhere else in the free world. Do you not think everyone being "hijacked" on that boat was not thrilled they might be making it to America? I was in Cuba at the time this was going on and asked several Cubans I know what they would do were they on a boat or plane that made it to America via an unexpected hi-jacking one day. These people all said without a second thought that they would stay in America, even with their families (including children) remaining in Cuba. As one put it, he would be much better help to his child in America than he would be in Cuba.
Can you suggest of any other way to get a boat in Cuba?
As you admit, even home-made rafts and boats are turned back to Castro, along with the refugees. Since leaving Cuba without an exit visa is a felony, the US government is spitting in the face of freedom-seeking Cubans.
The returned refugees are punished; the mildest punishment is losing the ration book that allows them to buy food and basic items such as toiletries and shoes.
Novak's making it sound like Cuban Americans are no better than the Arab Street for goodness sake. Cuban Americans can think for themselves and don't need Novak or anyone else to tell them what to do and who to support. They're not freakin' simpletons or children. Stop treating Cuban-Americans like you're a Democrat, Mr. Novak.
Couldn't have said it better myself.
Mexico wouldn't let them in.
That's patently false.
These refugees are intercepted at sea and interviewed in a boat. They never have a chance to put up a case about their political or religious persecution, since their word is worth zero.
I have been to political asylum hearing for refugees inside the US, and that process is fair. Refugees are allowed to present live testimony from fellow refugees, to introduce sworn statements by US citizens who have lived exemplary lives in the US and knew about the refugee' plight years before in the old country, to present smuggled letters from pastors and relatives in the refugee's homeland attesting to the veracity of the refugee's claims, as well as Amnesty International and American Watch human rights reports.
None of these simple ways to prove a refugee's word is allowed in a 5-minute boat interview in the middle of the ocean.
Well, in that case, we can declare the refugee crises an act of war and invade Cuba; or at least, we could lift the arms embargo against Cuban freedom fighters.
Castro will shut off the valve right away. Is it a coincidence that Castro unleashes his massive exodus when the US is under a Democratic president?
Reagan told Castro that he will never tolerate a refugee crises, and Castro behaved both during the Reagan's administration and the following Bush administration.
Compromising with a tin dictator is not negotiating from strength. Weakeness is not your friend when dealing with communist dictators.
That's a blanket statement with no basis in fact. There is a lengthy review process for asylum seekers. I agree, however, that the process is not followed as blanket policy on a boat in the middle of the refugee situation. There are ways, though, where it has worked, even for these folks. Those who get word out through their loved ones ahead of time to prepare the authorities have been able to get past the boat review.
I don't live in Miami and I don't have any specific examples, I just recall reading stories of these situations over the years in the news.
Patently false.
You are making it up as you go along.
Present proof that the US Coast Guard calls relatives in the US to confirm whether a refugee will suffer persecution in Cuba while the INS officials are conducting a 5-minute interview in the middle of the ocean.
Yeah, you caught me. I made this up too...
No Asylum Decisions Yet On 15 Cuban Migrants
Officials Say They Don't Believe Vessel Was Hijacked
POSTED: 7:29 p.m. EDT July 18, 2003
MIAMI -- Immigration officials had not decided Friday whether to grant asylum to 15 Cuban migrants who were intercepted at sea on a government-owned boat.
The migrants were taken aboard a U.S. Coast Guard cutter on Wednesday after the vessel was stopped in international waters in the Straits of Florida. The Cuban government said its coast guard chased the 36-foot vessel into Bahamian waters Tuesday after it was taken from the communist island.
Coast Guard officials said they don't believe the boat had been hijacked, contradicting Cuban government reports.
Under the U.S. government's wet-foot, dry-foot policy, Cuban migrants who are intercepted at sea are usually repatriated and those who get to land are allowed to stay.
But the threat of execution -- the Cuban government used a firing squad to execute three men on April 11 who were convicted of hijacking a ferryboat in Havana Bay -- has raised humanitarian concerns over returning the migrants among some experts.
The migrants were still being interviewed Friday aboard the cutter, said Ana Santiago, a spokeswoman with the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services.
She could not comment on whether the migrants had requested asylum because of fear of persecution in Cuba.
"Everyone is judged on their own merits," Santiago said.
The State Department is considering the threat of retribution against the accused hijackers.
"We have our concerns," a State Department official said. "But basically a decision is premature at this point."
Present proof that the US Coast Guard calls relatives in the US to confirm whether a refugee will suffer persecution in Cuba while the INS officials are conducting a 5-minute interview in the middle of the ocean.
Let's see... I think I said that I recall reading articles to the effect that relatives call the State Dept ahead of time to inform them. The refugees identify themselves and then more questioning can start there. I also said that I don't have the exact references in front of me as these weren't internet articles. Your demand for proof is idiotic. Are you in Florida? Guess what... down here, Cuban issues make for local news and we read more about it.
I'm in Florida, and I know for a fact that you're just making it up. That's why I asked you to proof your inaccurate claims.
Btw, the article you posted does not help your case.
Ten (10) years in prison is persecution; therefore your claim that refugees are not returned to Cuba when they have legitimate fear of persecution was disproved by your article.
As a matter of fact, the US government returns refugees back to Cuba after being told by the Cuban government that such refugees will be persecuted and given a 10-year prison term.
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