P 062032Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY NASSAU
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6352
INFO EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS NASSAU 000294 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO PGOV PREL CU BF
SUBJECT: CUBAN EMBASSY LAUNCHES ANOTHER PRO-CUBA GROUP IN 
NASSAU 
 
REF: A. NASSAU 181 
     ¶B. NASSAU 121 
 
 
¶1.  (U) The Cuban Ambassador in Nassau launched the 
"Bahamas-Cuba Friendship Association" May 2 at a May Day 
event at his residence, according to local media and the 
Cuban Embassy's web site.  Attendees included Cuban 
diplomats, Cuban teachers working in The Bahamas, Bahamian 
graduates of Cuban universities, Ministry of Education 
officials, teachers, and -- in the words of a journalist 
covering the event -- "other Bahamians with ties to Cuba and 
who support the ending of the economic embargo imposed on 
Cuba by the United States."  Some local media covered the 
event, without fanfare but uncritically, as usual. 
 
¶2.  (U) In addition to calling for the end of the embargo, 
the Cuban Ambassador and Felix Bethel, associate professor at 
the College of The Bahamas, called for the release of five 
Cuban agents imprisoned in the U.S.  Professor Bethel also 
belongs to a Bahamian group which periodically agitates on 
behalf of Cuba's "Five Spies".  A third group uniting Cubans 
residing in The Bahamas was founded in February 2008 (ref A). 
 The GCOB and Cuba signed a technical agreement in education, 
health, and agriculture in March with a view to continuing 
past programs (ref B). 
 
¶3.  (U) COMMENT: The founding of a "new" pro-Cuba, 
anti-blockade group appears directly aimed at ending the 
embargo. 
 
 
ZUNIGA-BROWN