Posted on 04/30/2003 2:08:45 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
BALTIMORE - Maryland's agriculture secretary canceled a trade mission to Cuba on Tuesday because of concerns over Cuban leader Fidel Castro's recent crackdown on dissidents.
The Pride of Baltimore II, a replica of a Baltimore clipper, was to bring the Maryland delegation to Havana on May 24. But the organization that runs the state-owned ship announced Tuesday that it also was dropping Cuba from its itinerary.
"While we are committed to expanding the market for Maryland's agricultural products, Gov. (Robert) Ehrlich and I share the Bush administration's serious concerns about making this visit to Cuba at this time," said Agriculture Secretary Lewis R. Riley.
The Bush administration has repeatedly criticized Castro's human rights record and the president has said he would veto any bill weakening the more than 40-year-old embargo on the country.
Relations were further strained earlier this month when Fidel Castro's government sent three men who hijacked a ferry to a firing squad. The executions coincided with an islandwide crackdown on dissidents.
Instead of going to Cuba, the Pride will cruise Dry Tortugas National Park, seven islands about 70 miles west of Key West, Fla.
The 53-member U.N. Human Rights Commission rejected a tougher amendment criticizing Cuba's dissident crackdown.
Maryland also is sticking with plans to send the Pride of Baltimore II clipper ship to the island to promote the state's seafood, poultry, pet food, cake mix, juices and spices. The ship is scheduled to arrive at the island on May 24.***
"It's important that the United States, regardless of Castro's political actions, do things that make good economic sense," said Brian Alexander, executive director of the Cuba Policy Foundation, which opposes the U.S. embargo on trade with Cuba. "Expanding trade to Cuba benefits the U.S. worker and takes money out of Castro's pocket and puts it into the American economy."
U.S. businesses sold at least $138 million worth of farm products to Cuba last year, Alexander said, adding that America's economy loses up to $1.2 billion annually in agricultural exports because of the embargo. Talib Rashada, president of W.C. Dunn, a Maryland import-export company, said he sold more than $600,000 in spices to the Cuban government last year. He said he hopes to sell between $3 million to $4 million in spices and other commodities as a result of the May trip. "We have extremely high hopes for this trip," Rashada said. "We think Cuba is going to be a remarkable market." ***
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In a desperate financial gamble, Castro recently raided the $250 million set aside to pay hard currency debt to European, Latin American, and Asian countries for essential imports. Instead, he used it to buy US farm products for cash. He was apparently calculating that he could persuade the US Congress to enact legislation freeing up additional exports to Cuba, and approving a flood of tourists to Cuba. The ploy hasn't worked. Nor, given the crackdown on dissenters, does the outlook look good for improving US-Cuban ties. President Bush is threatening new punitive measures. *** Castro's $250 Million "Charm offensive" hasn't worked: It's same old cruel regime.
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"Expanding trade to Cuba benefits the U.S. worker and takes money out of Castro's pocket and puts it into the American economy."
This couldn't be more twisted or wrong. Castro wanted our Congress to pass legislation allowing U.S. taxpayer backed loans to finance shipments to his island. This would have effectively freed up his money allowing him to continue exporting anti-American terrorism.
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