Cuban Americans Archive 2008

Isla Express Cuba remittance owners arrested for not sending money to Cuba

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Business

BY DAVID OVALLE | Miami Herald The heartless crime, police say, became clear when angry crowds on three separate days gathered outside Isla Express wire service during last year’s holiday season: They wanted to know where tens of thousands of dollars destined for family members in Cuba had gone.… Read More

Pro-Embargo Senator Mel Martinez will not run for re-election in 2010

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Politics

AP By BRENDAN FARRINGTON and MARK WANGRIN | Associated Press Writers U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida, who has struggled to boost public support because of his close ties to President George W. Bush, announced Tuesday he will not seek a second term in 2010, saying he wants to spend more time with his… Read More

Bernardo Benes dups LA Times with Cuba travel story?

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Politics

Rob Sequin | Havana Journal Read this article then read my comments at the bottom. By Carol J. Williams | Los Angeles Times Bernardo Benes is plotting to reprise his role as broker of the one humanitarian breakthrough in U.S.-Cuban relations in the 50 years since Fidel Castro’s revolution came… Read More

Help elect Joe Garcia and defeat Mario Diaz-Balart in Miami Congressional race

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Politics

Rob Sequin | Havana Journal Email received from Joe Garcia campaign: With just 48 hours until the polls close, this is our final push, and we know we’re in the position to win this race. But it is all going to come down to our final push. We need your help to get out the vote: 1) First and foremost,… Read More

McCain wasting time on Radio Marti today in Florida

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Politics

Politico.com He didn’t say it outright, but did dip his toe in those waters, according to this morning’s pool report. Speaking to Miami-based Radio Mambi, a force in the exile community, McCain said Fidel Castro has made his “preferences known in the campaign and had some very unkind things… Read More

Caribbean Studies Program reports Obama victory may affect Cuban Americans

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Culture

Huliq.com Electing Barack Obama president could significantly change the balance of power in Cuba and among Latinos in the U.S. because Cuba would be forced to deal with the first American administration in decades poised to strengthen ties with the country’s military government, the director of… Read More

Can Obama and Garcia beat Mario Diaz-Balart?

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Politics

By Kim Ghattas | BBC News, Miami In the Maximo Gomez domino park, on the corner of 8th Street and 14th Avenue in Miami, time appears to have slowed down to the pace of endless domino games. Old men shuffle their tiles and play for hours, day after day, a routine that punctuates a life in exile for Cuban… Read More

Will Cuban Americans in Florida vote for John McCain for President?

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Politics

By Daniel Dombey | Financial Times Hunched over a cup of sweet Cuban coffee in a diner in South Miami, Amador Lerida cannot make up his mind. “It’s very difficult,” Mr Lerida mutters through his moustache, as he talks about the two candidates for president. “Politically I’m… Read More

Will Cuban Americans vote for Obama? - Miami Dade is needed to win Florida

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Politics

By Peter Wallsten, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer Barack Obama has sent five of his most senior operatives to Florida—two of them to focus on the single county that includes Miami—for the duration of the presidential campaign, in a newly sharpened strategy to win the election by driving Democratic… Read More

Fidel Castro’s daughter Alina Fernadez’s life to be made into a feature film

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Politics

Alina Fernandez (Castro’s Daughter) with Bobby Moresco (Crash and Million Dollar Baby) Fidel Castro’s exiled daughter, Alina Fernandez, is currently on a national tour during Hispanic Heritage Month. Fernandez grew up hidden in the shadows of Castro and the Revolution, and learned at the… Read More

History Channel seeking first time Cuban American voters for documentary

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Politics

The History Channel, in association with Flicker Flacker Films, is producing a feature-documentary about citizenship and naturalization in the United States and the upcoming Presidential election will play a vital role in the film. The producers are currently seeking a dynamic Obama or McCain supporter… Read More

Cuban American women vote important to South Florida Presidential election

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Politics

By MYRIAM MARQUEZ | Miami Herald This presidential election will rest on young people energized by Barack Obama, moms wowed by Sarah Palin, blue-collar folks swayed by Joseph Biden and veterans saluting John McCain. All of that is true, but in South Florida there’s another emerging group in play:… Read More

Miami politics, Cuban Americans and the next President of the United States

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Politics

THE OPPENHEIMER REPORT | By ANDRES OPPENHEIMER | Miami Herald Florida vote may affect U.S.-Cuba policy Here’s one way of anticipating what will be the next U.S. president’s policy on Cuba, Venezuela and other anti-American governments in the region: If either candidate wins the White House… Read More

Cuban American National Foundation to send $250,000 to Cuban people for aid

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban Americans

EFE Ingles Via Acquire Media NewsEdge A major Cuban-exile organization announced here Wednesday a plan to help people on the communist-ruled island recover from the devastation wrought by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. The Cuban American National Foundation presented the initiative at a press conference… Read More

Homestead tells tale of Cuba’s failure

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Culture

By Miguel Perez Think of the house of your childhood, the one that you haven’t seen in many years but still brings back very good memories. And then consider that it has been turned into a police station and that the bedroom you once shared with your brother is now the cell. There are bars on your… Read More

Solita and the Purple Moon or Solita y la Luna Morada

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban Americans

Solita and the Purple Moon/Solita y la Luna Morada is a new bilingual (English and Spanish) children’s picture book written by Miriam Isabel Elliott, a Cuban American from New Jersey. The book has received 5 Stars by Midwest Book Review and is becoming very popular in the United States and… Read More

*sticky* Some Cuban Americans benefit from the Castros running Cuba

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Culture

(Original title: problems with Cuba broadcast contracts) See below for my comments By LAURA WIDES-MUNOZ | AP Congress’ investigative arm is raising concerns about contracts awarded to local TV and radio stations that broadcast to Cuba, according to a report released Tuesday. The Office of Cuba… Read More

Born with a sense of patriotism - A Cuban American in the US Army Reserve

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Culture

MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE-IRAQ PRESS DESK BAGHDAD, Iraq http://www.mnf-iraq.com 703.343.8790 Press Release A080620 June 30, 2008 By AF Capt. Anthony L. Bucci, Task Force 134/PAO CAMP CROPPER, Iraq – “As a Cuban-American I was born with a strong sense of patriotism. I was one of those guys… Read More

Florida travel agents forced to operate under new Cuba travel restrictions

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Travel

BY LAURA FIGUEROA | Miami Herald For dozens of Florida-based travel agencies that book flights to Cuba, the future of their livelihood is, well, up in the air. On Monday, a coalition of 16 Miami-based travel agencies specializing in trips to Cuba plan to file a lawsuit against the state, hoping that… Read More

President Bush to attend fundraiser for Diaz-Balart brothers in Florida

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Politics

By Mark Silva | Baltimore Sun President Bush is bound for Florida today to do what he does best: Raise money. For someone in need. He will be raising it this afternoon for two of the three South Florida Cuban-American congressmen who face serious challenges from Democratic rivals this fall. At least… Read More

Cuban American family travel restrictions may be eased next month

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Travel

Reuters Cuban Americans living in the United States could travel to Cuba more often and visit a broader list of family members under legislation approved by a congressional panel on Tuesday. A House of Representatives appropriations panel embraced the liberalized travel initiative, which faces several… Read More

Cuban property claims for sale? Who’s buying?

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Business

By BILLY HOUSE | The Tampa Tribune Estela Roberts and her family have always hoped they would be compensated one day for their property in Cuba seized after that country’s 1959 revolution. Roberts, 62, whose family eventually relocated to Miami and then to Tampa, still remembers her family’s… Read More

Cuban Americans charged for human trafficking for Cuba Miami run

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban Americans

(original title: High-speed escape) | Economist Greater optimism at home has not stopped the exodus to the United States WITH Fidel Castro formally out of office and some signs of greater optimism among Cuba’s citizens about the possibility of social and economic change, you might expect fewer… Read More

Court case about Cuba travel restrictions moves on - not dismissed

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Travel

By Terri Hallenbeck | BurlingtonFreePress.com Jared Carter stepped to the lectern and made his courtroom debut Wednesday in federal court in Burlington. The second-year law school student has taken on a case that’s personal: Should he and his wife be able to travel to Cuba to see her family and… Read More

Obama, the Embargo, CANF and change in Cuba?

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Politics

Huffington Post Obama Will Give Reform in Cuba a Nudge if Not a Shove Barack Obama’s gutsy appearance Friday in Miami before the Cuban-American National Foundation was of course a refreshing change of pace from the lame and stale “stay-the-course” boilerplate that’s been passing… Read More

Ladies in White back Obama’s promise to ease Cuban family travel restrictions

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Politics

By Michael Voss | BBC News Mr Obama said he would lift restrictions on family travel and remittances. The Ladies in White have come out publicly to support the call by the US presidential hopeful, Barack Obama, for direct talks with the new Cuban President, Raul Castro. In an open letter to Mr Obama… Read More

TIME article on McCain and Obama in Florida and the Embargo - good read

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Politics

By TIM PADGETT | TIME John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, no doubt believes he scored a 10 with his hard-line Cuba policy speech in Miami earlier this week. But presidential candidates, like figure skaters, are often judged on the originality of their moves —and in that regard… Read More

Text of McCain anti-Embargo speech - same old crap

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Politics

Miami Herald Here is the speech Sen. John McCain delivered Tuesday at the Sheraton Miami Mart. A copy was provided to the media by his campaign. Today, on Cuba’s Independence Day, we have occasion to celebrate the rich cultural heritage and deep-rooted traditions of the Cuban people. Cuban Americans,… Read More

McCain in Florida today and Obama on Wednesday

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Politics

BY BETH REINHARD AND LESLEY CLARK | Miami Herald Seeking to trip up Barack Obama’s march to the Democratic nomination, Hillary Clinton plans to overlap with his much-ballyhooed trip to Florida that begins Wednesday. Florida voters were braced for back-to-back visits from Republican John McCain… Read More

Can Raul Martinez beat Lincoln Diaz Balart in Florida’s 21st District

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Politics

By Mike Clary | South Florida Sun-Sentinel In the 15 years he has represented the 21st Congressional District, which includes a swath of southwestern Broward County, U.S. Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart has been re-elected with little or no opposition. But the Miami Republican could face a stiff challenge this… Read More

McCain and Obama to address Cuban American National Foundation

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Politics

Washington Times Sen. Barack Obama will have to defend his support for easier negotiations with America’s enemies when he addresses a leading Cuban-American exile group this week during his first campaign stop in Florida in nine months. The professed desire by the likely Democratic presidential… Read More

$94.6 Million awarded to Cuban American family for 1976 death

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Politics

The family of a former senior Havana police official who claimed that Cuban government officials had him killed received a major damage settlement in a Miami court. Circuit Judge Robert N. Scola Jr. awarded $94.6 million in damages to relatives of Aldo Vera Sr. who was a founding member of an anti-Fidel… Read More

Florida House bans Cuban trained doctors from practicing medicine state

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Politics

Cuba Campanioni Legislation Now Heads to Senate House Bill 685 sponsored by Representative Eddy González (R-Hialeah) was approved today by the Florida House of Representatives and is now awaiting passage in the Senate. The bill bans doctors trained in Fidel Castro’s apartheid medical schools from… Read More

Miami jury sends message to Cuba with $250million award to family

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Politics

UPI A Miami-Dade County Florida jury Friday awarded more than $250 million to the family of a Cuban-American who died in prison 30 years ago. Rafael del Pino Siero, who was a U.S. citizen, had been a close friend of Fidel Castro but broke with him before the Cuban revolution. Del Pino was arrested… Read More

15 Cuban emigres arrive in Miami after one month journey from Cuba

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Culture

Julienne Gage, FOXNews.com’s Sara Bonisteel and the Associated Press contributed to this report | FoxNews.com Fifteen Cuban immigrants washed ashore in Florida late Wednesday, one of the largest groups to arrive in the United States since Cuban President Raul Castro announced ownership reforms… Read More

Bush USAID to reconsider funds to anti-Castro groups in Miami

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Politics

BY PABLO BACHELET | Miami Herald The Bush administration is undertaking a major do-over of the controversial Cuba democracy grants, restricting the funds available for anti-Castro groups in Miami and sending more resources to non-U.S. international advocacy organizations, officials and others familiar… Read More

Cuban Americans from Vermont sue US for restrictions on family travel to Cuba

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Culture

By Bruce Edwards | Rutland Herald Four Vermonters are suing the U.S. government claiming its restrictions on traveling to Cuba to visit family violate their civil rights. The lawsuit filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Burlington seeks to declare the travel restrictions on Cuban-Americans unconstitutional… Read More

Cuban Americans for Barack Obama

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Politics

AFP | By Juan Castro Olivera Cuban exiles have traditionally been a safe vote for Republican presidential candidates in the key battleground state of Florida, but in a potential boon to Democratic hopeful Barack Obama, many now agree with his call for lifting some sanctions against Cuba. The exile community… Read More

Diaz Balart and Ros Lehtinen campaign summary

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Politics

By Hastings Wyman | Southern Political Report A discernible, though not massive, trend toward the Democratic Party among South Florida voters has also been evident among the state’s Hispanic voters and has led the Democrats to mount significant challenges to the state’s three Republican Cuban-American… Read More

Joe Garcia expected to run against Mario Diaz Balart in Miami

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Politics

Lesley Clark | Miami Herald Joe Garcia, the Democratic strategist and former Cuban American National Foundation director, will challenge incumbent Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart. Garcia’s expected announcement Thursday comes on the heels of former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez’s decision to take on… Read More

Cuban American Voter Guide now available

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Politics

http://www.cubalibreblog.com/ The Cuban American National Foundation would like to thank all the Presidential campaigns for their participation and cooperation in responding to our questions. The candidates&#xu2;019 responses to the Cuban American Voter Guide are arranged in alphabetical… Read More

Cuba Transition Project conference on the future of Cuba summary

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Culture

Cuba: What to Expect Coral Gables, Florida - December 1, 2007 This conference was sponsored by the Cuba Transition Project at the Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies of the University of Miami. It was funded by The United States Agency for International Development. The opinions expressed… Read More

Investing in Post-Castro Cuba: Are Cuban-Americans the “Ace in the Hole”?

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Business

This is a summary of a larger study being prepared by Jose Azel, Senior Research Associate at the Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies (ICCAS), University of Miami. A longer version will be published in Cuban Affairs, the quarterly electronic journal published by ICCAS, in its January issue.… Read More

Raul Martinez expected to run against Lincoln Diaz Balart

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban American Politics

BY ALFONSO CHARDY | Miami Herald Raul Martinez, the charismatic but controversial former Hialeah mayor, is returning to politics to challenge one of the most powerful Republicans in the Cuban-American community: U.S. Rep. Lincoln Díaz-Balart. Martinez’s expected announcement Tuesday in front of… Read More

Diaz Balart and Ros Lehtinen may face challengers in South Florida election

Posted in Cuban Americans > Cuban Americans

BY RUI FERREIRA AND HELENA POLEO | El Nuevo Herald U.S. Rep. Lincoln Díaz-Balart points to a trade publication article as evidence of a Democratic plan to unseat him and two other Republican Cuban-American members of Congress in an effort to lift the embargo. U.S. Rep. Lincoln Díaz-Balart says the… Read More