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EDITORIAL

Our effective, intelligent and calm response

ILLEGAL exits from the country have been encouraged since the early years of the Revolution as a means of harassment, or so as to deprive it of technical and skilled personnel, and recruit mercenaries for acts of terrorism, pirate attacks and military invasions; while utilizing those same illegal departures as propaganda against the Cuban Revolution.

Tens of millions of persons from Third World nations have emigrated to the industrialized countries for economic reasons. Hundreds of millions wish to do so.

Prior to the Revolution, visas granted to Cuban citizens were few in number and, naturally, very few persons would have dared to emigrate illegally. However, in the early years of the Revolution, from January 1, 1959 onwards, thousands of individuals who had cooperated with the Batista regime, committed atrocious crimes or stolen vast sums of money, joined a little later by thousands of landowners, landlords, major industrialists and traders and other sectors of the haute bourgeoisie affected by early revolutionary legislation, left for the United States without the least obstacle being placed in their way.

Infamous campaigns, like the Peter Pan, which convinced many families that the Revolution was planning to eliminate parental rights, provoked exits from the country. There were even persons who left for fear of conflict, aggression or invasion on the part of the United States. All these departures, with the exception of war criminals who escaped in any way they could, were legal, authorized by the Revolution and through normal and safe channels.

Illegal departures began to occur when visa concessions were suspended by the government of that country. From then onwards, the overwhelming majority of those who emigrated to the United States did so for economic reasons, as has been the case with millions upon millions of Latin Americans, who continue attempting to do so in increasing numbers by any route, legal or illegal. Nevertheless, when it concerns Cubans who leave for identical reasons of an economic nature or to join other family members, they are never referred to as emigrants, but as exiles. Given that they were basically leaving for the United States, the richest country of all just 90 miles from our coasts, where they were arriving illegally without any visa whatsoever, the first thing they had to proclaim was that they were in disagreement with "Cuba's communist system." That was those "exiles'" open sesame. Absolutely all of them were admitted. "Exiles" is the term coined by enemy propaganda for all those emigrating from the country, without any exception whatsoever. Caribbean, Mexican, Central or South American émigrés have never been referred to as exiles, nor is it stated that they have fled their country, a label that is hung on any citizen of Cuban origin living in any part of the world.

This can be decisively attributed to the fact that for many years, U.S. official policy was to further stimulate illegal exits with a law, still in force, established over 32 years ago, which grants all Cuban citizens residence rights as soon as they step on U.S. soil, without any visa whatsoever, a prerogative that is not conceded to any other immigrant group from anywhere in the world. Moreover, this incentive to leave our country and enter the United States in an illegal manner for political ends, arose out of an abnormal and complicated situation between Cuba and the United States, related to the problem of illegal emigration. An agreement to normalize this situation was established during Reagan's term in office. Unfortunately, it was not fulfilled. Out of a commitment to grant "up to" 20,000 visas per year for family reunification purposes, visas given annually amounted to 2000 to 3000 in the first year but were immediately reduced to 1000 per year. On the other hand, as the sole remaining alternative for those interested, there was an increase in the number of illegal arrivals, who were received and publicized as heroes by widespread counterrevolutionary propaganda and the Miami-located media.

Then came the special period and the extremely harsh circumstances that our country had to endure due to the abrupt loss of all its markets and fundamental sources of foodstuffs, fuel, raw materials and other essential products as a consequence of the collapse of the socialist bloc and the disintegration of the Soviet Union, in addition to the long-term and merciless economic blockade of our heroic country. With the doors completely closed to legal departures and illegal emigration being stimulated from the United States via thousands of weekly hours of subversive and destabilizing broadcasting, illegal exits multiplied, to the point of criminal activity and the theft of vessels to achieve those objectives. Unscrupulous individuals, adventurers and antisocial elements were those who really took advantage of this situation.

That combination of factors gave rise to what became known as the 1994 Rafters' Crisis. In spite of the fact that the Cuban government fully and clearly explained that the crisis created was the result of the economic blockade and the impunity of those illegal immigrants, our country demonstrated its disposition to cooperate in the search for a reasonable solution to the complex problem.

After intensive negotiations in New York between U.S. and Cuban representatives and the bypassing of numerous obstacles, an agreement was signed on September 9, 1994, over which Cuba showed a high degree of flexibility and sense of responsibility.

Even though the two elements of greatest weight related to illegal immigration-the economic blockade and the Cuban Adjustment Act of November 2, 1966 (automatic residence for all Cubans who reach the U.S. coast illegally)-were still in place, the agreement constituted a real possibility of ending the crisis. The current U.S. administration, having previously expressed a desire to remove those obstacles, was in no condition to do so, having lost its majority in the Senate and the House of Representatives on November 8, 1994. In a disciplined manner, all our citizens respected the authorities' instructions. Without any use of force, all means of transportation used up until then by those who wished to travel illegally to the United States were withdrawn from the coasts. By virtue of the above-mentioned agreement, in the future, hundreds of thousands of Cuban citizens would be able to travel to the United States in a legal and totally secure fashion. Leaving in a legal manner, they would be able to travel to that country, in accordance with our procedure, whenever they wished to do so. On the other hand, with a few exceptions due to interests of security or essential services, exit permits are granted to all citizens wishing to travel temporarily to the United States or to any other country.

Cuba has strictly and rigorously complied with all the terms of the agreement, without a single exception, in spite of the incident provoked in the vicinity of our coasts by ultra-right counterrevolutionary elements in Miami on February 24, 1996, which led to the downing of two light aircraft, and served as a pretext for the current administration to sign the odious Helms-Burton Act, thus further intensifying the brutal economic blockade of Cuba.

For its part, the United States has also complied with the agreement. Since it was signed, no less than 20,000 visas have been granted every year. Individuals attempting to leave illegally are intercepted at sea and generally returned to the country and their homes with all the guarantees agreed.

Complementary aspects or discrepancies over interpretations are discussed in regular meetings between the two countries. Not one single life has been lost among the close to 100,000 persons, among them entire families, who have legally emigrated since then to the United States.

This was becoming intolerable for the ultra-right community of Cuban origin resident in the United States, a resentful minority on account of its pro-Batista antecedents, and made up of an exploitative haute bourgeoisie, reactionaries and counterrevolutionaries of the worst order, supporters of the blockade and those who desire and dream of invasions and attacks on our homeland, even at the cost of the lives of millions of the sons and daughters of a valiant and heroic people whose resistance will never cease.

As opposed to a silent majority which is not in favor of the blockade nor of the war against the Cuban people, these retrograde and extremist elements possess substantial economic resources, a large part of dubious origin. They also receive special favors from the heart of U.S. imperialism, given that they have created powerful lobbies and various forms of influence in Congress and in sectors of the government, within the two-party system. They were basically responsible for promoting the Helms-Burton Act and the February 24 incident. They have committed unspeakable acts with the aim of sabotaging the migratory agreements and provoking conflict between the United States and Cuba. In recent weeks, they have been hatching a large-scale anti-agreement conspiracy, with the backing of extremist members of the Senate and House of Representatives, as well as some of the most reactionary media. Their radio transmissions have disseminated the lie that the Cuban authorities were promoting, authorizing or tolerating illegal mass exoduses to the United States. They have incited antisocial elements on the island, who are generally not granted visas to enter the United States, to travel illegally to that country via whatever means available, showing a total contempt for the Cuban authorities' dispositions and provoking disorder wherever possible. And even more curiously and significantly: they have carried out incredible acts of provocation against U.S. Coast Guards assigned by the government to the task of intercepting vessels attempting to illegally transport Cuban citizens to that country. They have set up snares on its shores, in the presence of the mass media, transporting the press by helicopter or other means to any minor incident of pressure or force employed by Coast Guard crews to prevent illegal entry. They have created veritable and widely broadcast publicity shows, angled at discrediting and demoralizing the very authorities responsible for ensuring compliance with U.S. dispositions, laws and commitments in relation to the trafficking and contraband of persons. All this in the midst of a pre-election atmosphere, when electoral aspirations to important and decisive posts are at play.

A recent collision, 50 kilometers north of Miami, between a Coast Guard vessel and a craft carrying 12 Cuban citizens thought to have proceeded from the Bahamas, having refused to obey the Coast Guard's orders, led to the death of one woman when the boat capsized. This incident gave rise to a massive scandal widely exploited by those wishing to do away with the migratory agreement.

The Coast Guard service has been the target of virulent and demoralizing attacks. The call launched by the counterrevolutionary mafia is to ignore the Coast Guard's instructions. This group sees itself as virtually the lord and master of the United States. Counterrevolutionaries and traffickers of emigrants don't care in the slightest about the human lives that could be lost in such adventures.

The issue of people smuggling is a further grave aspect compounding the problem of the total impunity afforded illegal immigrants entering U.S. territory. As could be expected in such a situation, a strong network has emerged dedicated to the repugnant but prosperous business of trafficking Cuban émigrés. Families in the United States are paying an average of $8000 USD per person. Powerful speedboats from Florida are carrying 15, 20 or even more individuals, far beyond their admissible capacity. That has given rise to the death of a large number of persons. A significant number of crew members involved in this kind of marine trafficking in human beings have been arrested on our coasts in the last few months, 26 of whom prior to the stiffening of sanctions in the Penal Code against this type of crime, and a further nine after those modifications, which include life imprisonment.

Without a doubt, there is one factor which constitutes the basis and the fundamental stimulus for illegal trips from Cuba to the United States: the Cuban Adjustment Act, mentioned above, which gives automatic residence to those coming from Cuba who violate that country's immigration laws. Until the U.S. government eliminates that absurd and paradoxical encouragement-which is not granted to any other country in Latin America, the Caribbean or the world, along with the blockade which has been stepped up by the Torricelli, Helms-Burton and numerous other amendments to any law, in order to strangle Cuba's economy, thereby imposing inevitable sacrifices-our people's struggle against the trafficking of emigrants will be difficult and incomplete.

A repugnant event has exacerbated the bloodthirstiness of the extremist mafia: the war in Yugoslavia. They dream deliriously, delighting in the idea of Cuba becoming a kind of Serbia; they constantly embrace the idea of seeing our country militarily blockaded, invaded or attacked with thousands of bombs and missiles ruining communications and vital services to our people, whom they should understand enough to know their great capacity to resist and fight far beyond what is imagined. They base themselves on the certainty that the liquidating formula of the migratory agreement plus the Cuban Adjustment Act plus the reinforced blockade will lead to such an outpouring of emigrants that it will bring about an inevitable conflict between the United States and Cuba. Their spokespersons have not hesitated to call for a total blockade on fuel to Cuba, so that there will not be a single illegal emigration which they themselves are trying to incite by every possible means.

U.S. authorities have declared that Cuba has fulfilled its part of the agreement. This irritates the conspirators even more, and makes them scream even more. They insult the U.S. government even more hysterically, accusing it of an ill-fated and traitorous pact with Cuba.

We thought that we had seen everything in terms of hatred, frustration and cynicism! They are enraged by our heroic resistance, our capacity to move forward in the midst of incredible obstacles, and Cuba's growing prestige and admiration in the world.

As always, we are observing the development of events with equanimity. Our position is clear and firm: we will continue strictly fulfilling the commitments we made in the migratory agreements. There is not the remotest possibility of the Revolution authorizing or permitting any type of mass exodus-and the unwary and those who tend to become confused by rumors or deceit should understand this. Any desire to emigrate to any country through legal and safe means will be permitted, as it has been up until now. But by illegal means, categorically no! The country's honor and security are at stake. The Revolution will respond to any such tendency, in the first place with the organized force of the people, who always acting on its principles and moral and legal norms, will not permit any action by adventurers who put their lives and their future at risk.

We will adopt the measures necessary to block and fight against the trafficking of human beings originating abroad, as well as organization, cooperation and material support from within the country, whether for money or out of irresponsibility, and all types of illegal exits from the country.

The weight of those measures will fall fundamentally on those who have the main responsibility. The first traffickers who committed such a crime since the passage of the new legal dispositions in the Penal Code will soon be tried, in accordance with that law. Those traffickers caused the death of one citizen and seriously endangered the lives of five children and other persons.

It is necessary to reiterate the idea that, if we take into account the fact that there is still a merciless blockade, a veritable war on our economy and an absurd law which grants impunity to those who violate our laws and then the very laws of the United States, the challenge facing our people is great. But we are a people who have waged many victorious battles, who learned how to fight and win against enormous odds, always acting with intelligence, determination and courage.

Blackmail and conspiracies by repugnant mercenaries and traitors are worth nothing against Cuba. No matter how powerful are those who want to stir up a conflict with Cuba, no risk, no threat, no danger of attack will divert us from our chosen path, nor will they alter our imperturbable equanimity, our effective, intelligent and serene response.