U.S. Government Cracks Down on Americans Providing Humanitarian Aid to Cuba

Interview with the Rev. Lucius Walker, co-founder of Pastors for Peace, conducted by Scott Harris

As Fidel Castro recovers from major surgery, a September 8th article in the Miami Herald, confirms what the Cuban government has been charging for years, that right-wing reporters are on the U.S. government payroll. At least 10 South Florida journalists, including three from El Nuevo Herald, owned by the Miami Herald, received regular payments from the U.S. Office of Cuba Broadcasting, which runs Radio Martí and TV Martí, for their so-called journalistic contributions to the two media outlets aimed at undermining the Cuban government. The payments totaled hundreds of thousands of dollars over several years. Two veteran reporters who were paid the most and a freelance contributor for El Nuevo Herald, have been fired.

This news closely follows the recent stepped up harassment by the Bush administration against those who have traveled to Cuba without a U.S. government license. In its never ending quest to find new ways to enforce the U.S. economic blockade against Cuba, the Bush administration has cracked down on travel by U.S. citizens, including Cuban-Americans to the island nation. While the restriction on travel to Cuba is not new the escalation of fines, visa denials and "requirements to furnish information" or RFIs have increased dramatically.

Pastors for Peace delivered humanitarian aid to the people of Cuba for the 17th time this past July. When the caravanistas returned to the U.S., they were met by more than 75 Homeland Security and Treasury officials who interrogated and searched them. Since then, the Office of Foreign Assets Control has swamped caravan members with threatening letters. Between The Lines' Denise Manzari, spoke with Rev. Lucius Walker, co-founder of Pastors for Peace about his groups's confrontation with the Bush administration.

Contact IFCO, Pastors for Peace at (212) 926-5757 or visit their website at www.pastorsforpeace.org

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