From: nyt%nyxfer%igc.apc.org@MIZZOU1.missouri.edu (NY Transfer News)
Subject: Congress Okays more Cuba Blockade /ww
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: daemon@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: The NY Transfer News Service
Resent-From: "Rich Winkel" <MATHRICH@MIZZOU1.missouri.edu>
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 20:02:35 GMT

Subj: CONGRESS OKS MORE CUBA BLOCKADE
Congress votes to tighten brutal blockade of Cuba

By Gloria La Riva San Francisco

On Sept. 24 the U.S. House of Representatives approved
reactionary legislation that would severely tighten the blockade
against socialist Cuba. The Senate had already passed the bill.

The so-called "Cuban Democracy Act" is also known as the
Torricelli bill. It provides for sanctions against countries that
trade with Cuba, and bans trade between U.S. subsidiaries in
third countries and Cuba, among other restrictions. The CDA would
tighten the 30-year-old blockade, which is enforced under the
"Trading With the Enemy Act."

These prohibitions on trade constitute a broad attack on the
right of all countries to decide their own foreign policy and
trade with Cuba. The CDA would give the president sweeping powers
to threaten countries with sanctions and loss of financial
assistance if they continue to maintain economic relations with
Cuba. This would particularly apply to less developed countries
that rely on loans and financial assistance from the U.S.
government and banks.

Gavrielle Gemma of the International Peace for Cuba Appeal told
Workers World: "This is an outrageous attack against a small
country already struggling to survive an inhumane blockade of 30
years. It is a cowardly act of war by Congress, at a time when
they could not even muster an override against Bush's veto of the
family leave bill."

One of the main blows against Cuba's economy would be to cut off
trade between U.S. subsidiaries in third countries and Cuba.
Because of the loss of trade with the former Soviet Union, that
subsidiary trade with Cuba has grown from an average $27 million
per year to over $800 million in 1991.

Various countries have protested this U.S. intrusion into their
domestic affairs, since subsidiaries are legally incorporated
under each respective country's laws. In Britain, a resolution to
declare such U.S. regulations null and void is expected.

On Radio Havana, Rita Pereira of the Federation of Cuban Women
denounced the passage of the Torricelli bill. She told the
shortwave station, "I think this Torricelli bill is the most
crude expression of violence against the daily lives of Cuban
families, which implies a violation of an important human right."
She described the greater difficulties Cuba will face in
obtaining essential raw materials, especially fuel and food.

Radio Havana reported that on Sept. 12 a Greek ship was turned
away from a California port because it also contained rice
designated for Cuba. One provision of the CDA blocks ships that
go to Cuba from docking in the U.S. for six months. George Bush
implemented that section of the Torricelli bill on April 18 by
presidential decree.

The Torricelli bill also imposes a $50,000 civil penalty on any
person who violates the law. In addition, another bill in the
House of Representatives, HR 5488, would add a $100,000 civil
penalty against anyone who violates the Trading With the Enemy
Act.

Criminal penalties already exist. These are clearly designed to
intimidate U.S. citizens from traveling to Cuba, and to try to
stop the Cuba support movement from opposing the blockade.

Congress adjourns Oct. 2, and it is almost certain that the
separate House and Senate bills will be approved in a conference
committee and then signed into law by Bush. The law would be
effective immediately upon signing.

Both the Democratic and Republican parties have backed the
Torricelli bill. Democratic presidential candidate Bill Clinton
issued a statement urging passage of the bill in the House before
the vote took place Sept. 24.

Tom Hansen of Pastors for Peace, national sponsor of the
U.S.-Cuba Friendshipment, told Workers World: "We feel that our
national caravan heading for Cuba in November is more important
than ever, to challenge the illegality of the embargo, and now
the Torricelli bill. Churches, organizations and individuals from
over 40 states are now involved in the mobilization.

"I just returned from Cuba, and the people there are real excited
about the caravan. Everyone knows about it. They see this
campaign as a ray of hope against the U.S. blockade," said
Hansen.

The impending law comes at a time when hundreds of organizations
and thousands of individuals are declaring their support for the
Cuban people in a worldwide movement against the blockade. The
support is coming in the form of medical and material aid, but
also through defiance of the blockade.

Gemma spoke of the prospects for the Cuba solidarity movement in
the U.S. "The Torricelli bill will not stop all those people in
the U.S. who stand up for Cuba from working to end the blockade.
The most important thing for friends of Cuba and people of good
conscience is to give support to the upcoming caravan to Cuba."

(Copyright Workers World Service: Permission to reprint granted
if source is cited. For more info contact Workers World,46 W. 21
St., New York, NY 10010; "workers@mcimail.com".)


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