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DESCRIPTION: \n\ncubastudygroup@scshop.com\nAugust 5, 2006\n\nFor Immediate 
 Release\n\nMedia Contact: 	Nancy Abbey – 465 
 8272\n		nabbey@cruzio.com\n\nThree recent events – international, 
 national and local - converge to make news in Santa Cruz: President Fidel 
 Castro’s temporarily handing the reigns of government to Vice President 
 Raul Castro, the US government’s release of its latest plans for regime 
 change in Cuba, and the return of seven Santa Cruzans after challenging the 
 travel ban in July. In a timely response to these events, Sam Farr will be 
 featured at Cuba Update: What’s Next? on August 23 at Harvey West 
 Clubhouse.\n\nThe news from Cuba has created a frenzy of speculation in the 
 United States about what’s next. At the same time, Cubans, while 
 concerned for President Castro’s health, are taking the news in stride 
 and with confidence in their government’s foresight and planning for this 
 eventuality. Congressman Farr will focus on this issue in his presentation 
 at the August 23rd event.\n \nPerhaps the primary question in the national 
 news should be: how will the U.S. government respond to this change in 
 Cuba? Clues can be found in the Report to the President from the Commission 
 for Assistance to a Free Cuba, June 2006. This document, which will be 
 explained at the Cuba Update, outlines steps to “hasten the end of the 
 Castro dictatorship” (chapter 1, Executive Summary) through allocating 
 $80 million “to support independent civil society on the island” 
 (Chapter 1, Section III, Recommendations), in other words, to fund 
 dissidents. How this “transition to a free Cuba” will take place is not 
 clear. The report states, “For reasons of national security and effective 
 implementation, some recommendations are contained in a separate classified 
 annex.” (Chapter 1, Introduction) which allows room for fear that it 
 could include armed intervention reminiscent of Haiti, Grenada, Panama, 
 etc\n\nAdding interest to this national news is the experience of those 
 Santa Cruzans who traveled to Cuba with the 17th Pastors for Peace 
 Friendshipment Caravan. As an act of civil disobedience, they challenged 
 the embargo on trade with Cuba by delivering humanitarian aid and by 
 traveling to Cuba openly without a license. Caravanistas, Amanda Paulson, 
 Rebecca Cowan, Sandino Gomez, Larry and Violet Puretz, Sandee Scott and 
 Nancy Abbey visited hospitals, schools, museums, agricultural co-ops, and 
 cultural events during a week's stay in Havana and other provinces in 
 Western Cuba. A highlight of the trip was getting to know some young hip 
 hop artists in Havana who shared their music and views with the young 
 Caravanistas.\n\nCuba Update: What’s Next?  \nThe event on August 23rd 
 will provide an opportunity to discuss US policy on Cuba with Congressman 
 Farr, to hear the Caravanistas’ observations from their trip, and to 
 consider how we can enhance our current sister county relationship with 
 Guamá Municipio in Cuba and initiate a friendship city within our sister 
 county.\n\nTime/Date: 7:30pm  August 23, 2006 \nLocation: Harvey West 
 Clubhouse, 326 Evergreen Street, off Coral Street in Santa Cruz\nAdmission 
 Free\nPublic Contact: Nancy Abbey, 465-8272, nabbey@cruzio.com\nSponsors: 
 Cuba Study Group of Santa Cruz county, Alliance of Guamá, Cuba and Santa 
 Cruz County, and the Santa Cruz Sister City Committee\n\n 
 https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/08/10/18296017.php
SUMMARY:Cuba Update: What’s Next? 
LOCATION:West Clubhouse, 326 Evergreen Street, off Coral Street in Santa Cruz
URL:https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/08/10/18296017.php
DTSTART:20060824T023000Z
DTEND:20060824T043000Z
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