June 2004

Hassles, hardships, and politics

“How many books are there in the Bible?”

It sounds like a Sunday school class. In fact, this question was posed to renowned Cuban theologian, the Rev. Dr. Sergio Arce Martinez, in an interview at the U.S. Interests Section in Havana earlier this year.

To apply for a visa to visit the United States, Dr. Arce presented an invitation from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and paid $100. Dr. Arce, who turned 80 this year, has had a distinguished career as a Presbyterian pastor, professor, seminary president, and author.

After asking him about the books of the Bible and to “name the 12 apostles,” the U.S. official told Dr. Arce that she did not see any good “religious” reason for him to travel to the United States.

He told me about their encounter with the people who represent the U.S. government in Cuba. “It’s not being denied a visa that makes me angry,” said Dr. Arce, “it’s the lack of respect!”

At least Sergio Arce knows that he will not be making the trip to visit partner congregations and colleagues in the United States. Other Cuban Presbyterians have waited as long as 18 months after the visa interview without receiving word one way or the other.

It is frustrating to the Cubans, but U.S. Presbyterians are the real losers. Any who attend Presbyterian Women’s churchwide gatherings or the Youth Triennium events can testify to the important contributions of “global partner” participants. Whereas eight Cuban women were present for the 2000 PW Gathering, none were able to attend in 2003. There will be no Cuban young people at this summer’s Youth Triennium.

This is but one small example of the U.S. government’s huge hostility toward Cuba.

President Bush announced his administration’s “Initiative for a New Cuba” in May 2002. Since then, the United States has tightened travel restrictions and stepped up investigation and prosecution of U.S. citizens who travel illegally to Cuba. Although both houses of Congress voted to lift the ban on travel to Cuba by U.S. citizens during 2003, House Republican leadership managed to prevent the legislation from reaching the president’s desk.

Last month, a presidential “Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba” issued its report and recommendations, including a virtual end to educational travel by U.S. citizens to Cuba, a cut in family visits from one per year to one every three years, increased aid to dissidents, assignment of a military plane (C-130) to fly around Cuba beaming in Radio and TV Martí, funding for anti-Castro publications, conferences, libraries, and organizations, and cooperative efforts with third countries to discourage Cuban tourism and investment.

The purpose of these measures is to “help the Cuban people bring about an expeditious end of the Castro dictatorship” (Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba. Report to the President. May 2004. Colin L. Powell, Secretary of State, Chairman). In Cuba, the new policies are viewed as arrogant at best and dangerously imperialistic at worst.

Even opposition leaders find the new policies unhelpful. Oswaldo Payá, leader of the Varela Project aimed at forcing economic and political reform from within Cuba, commented: “Those who led this [Cuba Commission report] looked into their own needs, rather than those of Cuba and the peaceful opposition movement.”

Miriam Leiva, an independent journalist whose husband, Oscar Espinosa, is serving a 20-year prison sentence, said, “This plan will not punish Castro; it will punish dissidents and their families” (Cuba Policy Report, June 4, 2004, Lexington Institute).

Indeed, the new U.S. policy results not only in hassles but in hardship. Cuban families separated by the Florida straights are now allowed visits every three years instead of every year. Cuban-Americans are no longer permitted to send money to cousins, aunts, and uncles or other extended family members living on the island. Economic sanctions increase suffering for people who are poor, elderly, or on the margins of Cuban society for whatever reason.

If you are a citizen of the United States and are distressed by U.S. policy towards Cuba, I hope you will share your concerns with others, especially with your representatives in Congress. (An easy way to contact them is provided at http://capwiz.com/pcusa/home/.) Here are some resources that provide helpful information as you prepare to do so:

• For up-to-date information on Cuba-related legislation and advocacy strategies, contact the Latin America Working Group at http://www.lawg.org/countries/cuba/intro.htm (or 110 Maryland Ave, NE/Box 15/Washington, DC 20002. 202-546-7010).
• To read an executive summary (or the entire text) of the Cuba Commission Report, go to the State Department’s Web site at http://www.state.gov/p/wha/rt/cuba/commission/2004/c12237.htm.
• You may also be interested in the commentaries on the Lexington Institute Web site, http://www.lexingtoninstitute.org/cuba.

In closing, I wish to share an excerpt of a recent letter to President Bush written by the Rev. Albert Wells and Mrs. Eneida Gonzalez-Wells of Tampa, Florida:

We believe the time is right for a new approach to this 45-year-stand-off. The hard-line approach that has been in place has had at least three results. It has strengthened the resolve of the Cuban government. It has blocked investment by American businesses in Cuba. Worst of all, it has brought untold suffering to the Cuban people and prevented families from visiting each other and giving adequate support to those in need.

Mr. President, the Bible enjoins us to “Pursue peace with everyone…” (Hebrews 12:14). We urge you to lead us in responding to this challenging exhortation. The original reasons for the embargo and the hostility are long past. The time has come for a dramatic, honest, all-out initiative for peace with Cuba.

Blessings,

Tricia

The 2004 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 129