Cuba: A group called Vicente Garcia (Organizacion de Oposicion al Gobierno Vicente Garcia); its origins, history, mandate, membership, status and activities; whether this group is known to engage in sabotage or acts of subversion (1996-May 2003)

Among the documentary sources available to the Research Directorate, three mentioned Cuban groups with the name Vicente Garcia (Payne Oct. 1999; Partido Democrata Cristiano de Cuba n.d.; Free Cuba Foundation n.d.a). According to Douglas Payne, an independent consultant on Latin America, in March 1998, the Vicente Garcia Eastern Front (Frente Oriental Vicente Garcia), headed by Humberto Illa Laguna, was one of "thirteen dissident organizations based in the eastern provinces of Cuba" that made up the Eastern Democratic Platform (Plataforma Democratica Oriental, PDO) (Oct. 1999, 18). Reportedly "inspired by the Pope," the PDO had "united around the idea of liberty, democracy and national justice based on a 'Social Christian doctrine'" (Payne Oct. 1999, 18).

The Christian Democrat Party of Cuba (Partido Democrata Cristiano de Cuba. PDC), in their compilation of dissident, opposition and human right groups in Cuba, listed a group called the "Vicente Garcia" Association (Asociacion "Vicente Garcia") (n.d.). The report named Pedro Mas Flores as the President of the group, Julio Cesar Puig Enamorado as the Vice-President and Roberto Socorro Salgado as a representative from the province of Las Tunas (PDC n.d.).

In a compilation of Cuban groups forming the Concilio Cubano, Roberto Socorro Salgado is listed as the representative of the Movimiento Vicente Garcia, based in Las Tunas (FCF n.d.a). According to the Free Cuba Foundation (FCF), the Concilio Cubano is a

coalition of over 130 organizations dedicated to the proposition that a democratic transition can be brought about by a peaceful process in which these organizations will exercise their fundamental rights in spite of threats, imprisonment, torture, and the general repression experienced by the Cuban people (n.d.b).

Nevertheless, an April 2003 Associated Press article mentions that the Concilio Cubano (CC) is no longer active in Cuba (3 Apr. 2003). Moreover, the report indicates that a former leader of the CC, Marta Beatriz Roque, was one of the 78 dissidents arrested by the Cuban government on 18 March 2003 (AP 3 Apr. 2003). For more information about the mass arrest of Cuban dissidents, please see the Human Rights Watch report of 7 April 2003 at .

In a 13 May 2003 telephone interview, a freelance researcher who recently authored an extensive report on various groups and organizations in Cuba stated that, although he had seen references about the group "Vicente Garcia" in past documents, he could not find any recent information about the group's current status.

In 14 May 2003 correspondence, the Director of Encuentro, an Internet-based magazine about Cuba, stated that he had not received any news about a group called "Vicente Garcia." However, the Director noted that there are many small opposition and human rights organizations in Cuba about which he would not be aware (14 May 2003).

For more information about Cuban groups, please see the 24 April 2003 Canadian Foundation for the Americas (FOCAL)-sponsored report on civil society organizations not legally recognized in Cuba at .

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Associated Press (AP). 3 April 2003. "Cuba Seeks Life Sentences for Dissidents." [Accessed 16 May 2003]

Encuentro, Madrid. 14 May 2003. Correspondence with Director.

Free Cuba Foundation (FCF). n.d.a. "Groups That Make Up Concilio Cubano." [Accessed 12 May 2003]

____. n.d.b. "Concilio Cubano." [Accessed 16 May 2003]

Freelance researcher, Ottawa. 13 May 2003. Telephone interview.

Partido Democrata Cristiano de Cuba (PDC). n.d. Lista de organizaciones disidentes, opositoras y de derechos humanos. [Accessed 12 May 2003]

Payne, Douglas. October 1999. "Human Rights in Cuba Since the Papal Visit." Perspective Series (PS/CUB/00.001). Distributed by INS Resource Information Center [Accessed 21 May 2003]

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB databases

World News Connection (WNC)

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