People With Voices on Cuba and Race

Deborah Gabriel of People with Voices interviewed BUCL President, Henry Gomez, for a piece about racial issues in Cuba.

Read the article here.

Afro-Cuban Fact Sheet for Journalists

The following notes were compiled by Hans de Salas del Valle, Research Associate, Cuba Transition Project, Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies, University of Miami and demonstrate that in spite of Cuban government propaganda, the Afro-Cuban majority in Cuba is relatively powerless and has far fewer opportunities available to it than the white minority. The Congressional Black Caucus would be wise to question the veracity of statements and representations about racial equality made to them by the ruling regime during their visit in Cuba .

Afro-Cubans in Cuban Civil Society

• Afro-Cubans comprise over 60 percent of the island’s population, yet…

• Black and dark-skinned multiracial Cubans constitute only five percent of hospitality workers catering to Europeans and other tourists' international joint ventures with foreign firms (which tend to offer the highest wages by Cuban standards), while making up nearly 70 percent of the state-run labor force.

• Moreover, only about 35 percent of managerial positions in the state-run sector are held by black and biracial (mulatto) Cubans.

• Afro-Cubans are disproportionately represented in the prison population -- 80 percent of Cuba’s inmates are black or mulatto.

• Cubans of European ancestry receive as much as 250 percent more in remittances (cash subsidies) from family abroad than their Afro-Cuban neighbors. Growing income disparities may in turn be affecting the educational opportunities as well as occupational options of many Cubans of African ancestry.

• In terms of higher education, Afro-Cubans are already perceived to be woefully underrepresented – accounting for as little as three percent of university enrollments.

Afro-Cubans in the Castro Government

• Senior Leadership (Politburo) of the Cuban Communist Party: 17%

• Executive Committee (Secretariat) of the Cuban Communist Party: 4%

• Council of State (Head of State and Senior Advisors): 35%

• Council of Ministers (President and Cabinet Members): 8%

• National Assembly (Cuban Parliament): 36%

• Provincial Assemblies (provincial legislatures): 35%

• Senior Command, Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR): 10%

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS URGED TO VISIT AFRO-CUBAN POLITICAL PRISONERS AND DEMOCRACY ACTIVISTS

Advocates and Bloggers Highlight Racial Disparities in Cuba

WASHINGTON – U.S. based groups are urging the Congressional Black Caucus (“CBC”) to inquire about the health and safety of Cuba’s courageous political prisoners and democracy activists during their current visit to Cuba, such as Afro-Cuban prisoner of conscience Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet and civil rights activist Jorge Luis Perez Garcia “Antunez.”

Cuba Democracy Public Advocacy, Corp., a Washington, D.C. advocacy group, has joined forces with Bloggers United for Cuban Liberty (BUCL.org), to highlight the plight of the island’s Afro-Cuban civil rights and democracy activists, and urge the CBC to advocate on their behalf.

Of concern to both organizations is the health of Dr. Biscet, a peaceful human rights and democracy advocate currently serving a 25-year sentence for these activities (New York Times, May 19, 2004). Dr. Biscet, an Amnesty International prisoner of conscience, is said to be in poor health. Antunez, who spent 17 years as a political prisoner before his release in 2007 (New York Times, April 24, 2007), has been on a peaceful hunger strike in his home since February 17th demanding the cessation of torture in Cuba’s political prisons. Cuban authorities recently assaulted Antunez’ home with tear gas (Miami Herald, March 26, 2009).

“It would be scandalous for the CBC delegation to visit the beach resort of Varadero during their trip, but not even inquire about Afro-Cuban political prisoners and democracy activists,” said Mauricio Claver Carone, Executive Director of Cuba Democracy Public Advocacy, Corp. “Dr. Biscet and Antunez are the Dr. Martin Luther King’s and Nelson Mandela’s of the 21st century,” Claver-Carone concluded.

A March 2009 report by the University of Miami’s Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies revealed that Afro-Cubans represent over 60 percent of the island’s population, but only 17% of the senior leadership of the Communist Party and 10% of the senior command of the Cuban Armed Forces. Afro-Cubans also represent 80% of Cuba’s massive prison population.

“If over half of Cuba’s population is Afro-Cuban, that means human rights abuses in Cuba are by default racial issues, as the ruling cupola remains almost entirely white,” said Henry Gomez, BUCL President. “The CBC should not stick to the program devised by their regime hosts of propaganda, beaches and monuments,” suggested Gomez

Cuba Democracy Public Advocacy, Corp. is a Washington, D.C.-based, non-partisan institution that promotes human rights and democracy.

Bloggers United for Cuban Liberty, Inc. is a Florida non-profit corporation that generates awareness about the Cuban reality. More information at BUCL.org.

# # #

Contacts:
Henry Gómez
Bloggers United For Cuban Liberty
hgomez@bucl.org
305-788-4766

Mauricio Claver-Carone
Cuba Democracy Public Advocacy, Corp.
cubademocracy@gmail.com
240-441-8345

PARA DIFUSIÓN INMEDIATA

PRESIONAN AL “CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS” PARA QUE VISITEN A LOS PRESOS POLÍTICOS AFRO-CUBANOS Y A LOS ACTIVISTAS POR LA DEMOCRACIA
Activistas y blogueros destacan las disparidades raciales en Cuba

WASHINGTON – Dos grupos con sede en EE.UU. están sugiriendo que el “Congressional Black Caucus” (CBC) debe investigar sobre la salud y la seguridad de los valientes presos políticos y de los activistas por la democracia durante su actual visita a Cuba, como la del prisionero de conciencia afro-cubano, Dr. Oscar Elías Biscet y la del activista por los derechos civiles Jorge Luís García Pérez "Antúnez".

Cuba Democracy Public Advocacy, Corp., en Washington, D.C. se ha unido a Bloggers United for Cuban Liberty (BUCL.org) para destacar la difícil situación de los activistas por los derechos civiles, así como por la de los derechos humanos y por la democracia de la raza negra en la isla y para instar al CBC que aboguen por ellos.

De interés para ambas organizaciones es la salud del Dr. Biscet, un defensor pacífico de los derechos humanos y de la democracia que actualmente está cumpliendo una condena de 25 años por estas actividades (New York Times, May 19, 2004). Se dice que está en mal estado de salud. El Dr. Biscet es reconocido como un prisionero de conciencia por Amnistía Internacional. Antunez, quien cumplió 17 años en el presidio político antes de su liberación en el 2007 (New York Times, April 24, 2007), ha estado en huelga de hambre en su casa desde el 17 de febrero exigiendo el cese de la tortura en las prisiones políticas de Cuba. Las autoridades cubanas recientemente asaltaron la casa de Antunez con gases lacrimógenos (Miami Herald, March 26, 2009).

"Sería un escándalo para la delegación del CBC que visitaran las playas de Varadero durante su viaje pero que no solicitaran información sobre los presos políticos, así como la de los activistas por la democracia afro-cubanos", dijo Mauricio Claver-Carone, Director Ejecutivo de Democracy Public Advocacy, Corp. "El Dr. Biscet y Antunez son el Dr. Martin Luther King y el Nelson Mandela del siglo XXI", concluyó Claver-Carone.

En Marzo del 2009 un informe del Instituto para los Estudios Cubanos y Cubano-Americanos de la Universidad de Miami reveló que los afro-cubanos representan más del 60 por ciento de la población de la isla, pero sólo el 17 por ciento del alto liderazgo del Partido Comunista y el 10 por ciento de los altos mandos de las Fuerzas Armadas Cubanas. Los afro-cubanos también representan el 80 por ciento de la población carcelaria masiva de Cuba.

"Si más de la mitad de la población es afro-cubana, entonces las violaciones de los derechos humanos en Cuba son por definición cuestiones raciales, ya que la cúpula gobernante sigue siendo de blancos casi en su totalidad", dijo Henry Gómez, Presidente BUCL. "El CBC no debe atenerse a la agenda de propaganda elaborados por el régimen visitando solamente las playas y monumentos", sugirió Gómez

Cuba Democracy Public Advocacy, Corp., es una institución no partidista con sede en Washington, DC que promueve los derechos humanos y la democracia.

Bloggers United for Cuban Liberty, Inc. es una corporación sin fines de lucro con sede en la Florida que genera conciencia sobre la realidad cubana. Para más información visite bucl.org.

# # #

Contactos:
Henry Gómez
Bloggers United For Cuban Liberty
hgomez@bucl.org
305-788-4766

Mauricio Claver-Carone
Cuba Democracy Public Advocacy, Corp.
cubademocracy@gmail.com
240-441-8345