THE conduct of certain U.S. government officials induces pity. A plague of
                   liars who rarely say anything serious or close to the truth can be appreciated in
                   the highest echelons of power.

                   According to reports released less than 48 hours ago on cables emanating from
                   diverse press agencies in Washington, ”Mr. Roger Noriega, U.S. assistant
                   secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, has criticized Cuba for
                   supporting destabilizing elements within several democratic countries in
                   America.” “He made it clear that his and other neighboring countries would be
                   closely following the behavior of Cuban leader Fidel Castro in his ‘latest
                   adventures.’” “He indicated that the United States has its own information: ‘for
                   example, concerning Cuban involvement in support of individuals in various
                   countries aimed at destabilizing democratic governments.’"

                   “’It is clear that Fidel Castro’s actions have caught the attention of Latin
                   America leaders,’ Noriega affirmed, describing them as “increasingly
                   provocative” to the inter-American community to which the United States has
                   responded with express support for those countries allegedly affected by these
                   actions, such as Bolivia.”

                   One of the cables went on to say that according to Noriega, Castro is ‘stirring
                   up the waters’... ‘fomenting discord and discontent in a conscious and
                   destructive manner’ and making democratically elected governments
                   vulnerable.”

                   This Mr. Noriega, a cynical and mediocre character, was one of the principal
                   drafters and the central promoter of the Helms-Burton Act against Cuba. He is
                   a close friend of the Cuban-American terrorist mafia in Miami. He assumed
                   the post of assistant secretary when the Senate opposed the appointment of
                   bandit Otto Reich, whose history of terrorism in the dirty war in Nicaragua is
                   well known.

                   Noriega’s statement, formulated almost immediately after an announcement
                   by a State Department spokesperson that migratory talks were to be
                   suspended, alleging as an excuse Cuba’s non-acceptance of absurd and
                   unacceptable demands, demonstrates that this is a pre-arranged and
                   provocative action, the veiled purposes of which are related to the November
                   elections, in which the supporters of the current administration are seeking to
                   guarantee its success even at the expense of provoking any kind of conflict.

                   It can be demonstrated that Noriega’s statements are, as usual, shameless lies.

                   From where has he got the idea that Cuba has adopted a provocative position
                   aimed at destabilizing Latin America? With the exception of the contemptible
                   whiner who governs Uruguay, a an abject lackey of the United States, and the
                   “breath of fresh air,” as Mr. Bush so poetically describes the man who governs
                   El Salvador - where Posada Carriles – fulfilling orders from Miami –
                   organized acts of terrorism against hotels in Cuba and hatched the plot to
                   assassinate the Cuban president, the government of our country maintains
                   normal and respectful diplomatic relations with the rest of the states in our
                   region. None of them have made complaints or uttered a single word
                   concerning destabilizing plans on the part of Cuba in relation to their
                   governments.

                   Our relations with diverse Latin American and Caribbean political currents are
                   absolutely legal, normal and public. Countless events, sponsored by centers
                   and institutions of a political, social, educational, cultural, scientific, or
                   economic nature amongst others, take place every year on this island in the
                   presence of both the national and international press.

                   What does destabilizing mean? Sending thousands of doctors to cooperate with
                   governments in the care of the poorest and most needy people? Have we
                   destabilized Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti, Belize, Paraguay and various other
                   countries in the Caribbean and Central or South America? Does it mean
                   sending 15,000 Cuban doctors to 64 countries throughout the world where
                   millions of people are being cared for and tens of thousands of lives saved?
                   Since when did the promotion of literacy campaigns using new, modern and
                   increasingly efficient methods signify destabilizing democratic regimes in any
                   part of the world? How can granting scholarships to more than 12,000 young
                   people from the Third World to study in our universities be described as a
                   subversive action? Is it not rather stupid to describe the actions of thousands of
                   sports instructors who are promoting the most wholesome activities,
                   contributing to reducing crime and drug taking, and bringing health to
                   millions of young people as “subversive”? Since when did promoting education
                   and culture destabilize governments? When Hurricane Mitch hit Central
                   America, didn’t we offer 3,000 doctors to save as many lives each year as the
                   numbers lost as a result of the hurricane and, at the same time, all the
                   scholarships necessary to train young people so that they can undertake the
                   duties of those doctors in the future? Could anyone in their right mind swear
                   that that constituted an effort to destabilize Central American democracy,
                   when we did not even have diplomatic relations with certain countries at that
                   time? Why ignore the fact that Cuba gave emergency aid, without exception,
                   every time a disaster occurred, both in Latin America and in the rest of the
                   world? Why not recall the huge Peruvian earthquake of 1970 that cost more
                   than 50,000 lives, when the Cuban people sent 100,000 donations of blood,
                   built hospitals and provided doctors? Why not also recall when the Uruguayan
                   people were victim to a severe epidemic of meningococcus meningitis, Cuba –
                   the only country with the adequate vaccine available – sent millions of doses
                   to protect the lives of Uruguayan children, even when their government –
                   fully aware of their existence – did not want to acquire it precisely because it
                   was Cuban?

                   And these are not the only cases. When El Salvador – a refuge for terrorists
                   and center of operations from which gross crimes are committed against our
                   country – was struck down with a severe epidemic of dengue fever, the Cuban
                   authorities did not hesitate to send human resources and materials that proved
                   to be a decisive factor in eradicating the epidemic, even though that
                   government was a bitter enemy of Cuba. A similar spirit of cooperation was
                   demonstrated there when a devastating earthquake hit that sister nation
                   shortly afterward.

                   And why is this unspeakably vile slander appearing now?  It has both an
                   explanation and precedents.

                   In his cynical January 6 statement, Mr. Noriega made particular reference to
                   Venezuela, pointing to that country as being associated with Cuba in terms of
                   the destabilizing project on account of our support in public health, education,
                   culture, sports and social work programs and other activities being undertaken
                   by the Bolivarian process to benefit the Venezuelan population in areas where
                   the country has a certain degree of experience that it has placed at the service
                   of Third World countries. We have granted thousands of scholarships to young
                   Venezuelans to study medicine, sports, social work, technical training and as
                   many forms of technical cooperation that are requested from Cuba.

                   For the Cuban people, President Chávez embodies the Bolivarian ideas and
                   spirit of the independence, unity and patriotism of the peoples of Latin
                   America, whose ethnic origin, culture, religion and language have much more
                   in common than any other group of countries in the world. They have the
                   right and the duty to unite not only for economic reasons but also for their
                   own survival. Cuba supports that right with all its might.

                   Mr. Noriega’s insolent and threatening lecture on January 6 has its precedent
                   in a statement made two weeks previously (December 19) by Mr. Otto Reich,
                   extraordinary ambassador for Latin America. It was reported in a cable that
                   stated: “Otto Reich acknowledged today that the continent ‘is not in a good
                   situation’ and highlighted Venezuela as the nation confronting the ‘gravest’
                   crisis,” going on to confirm that: ‘unless the two sides calm down, there could
                   be a problem.’ He added that the United States ‘is exceedingly concerned at the
                   constant reports of the presence of Cuban agents in Venezuela.’”

                   The cable continues: “He affirmed that ‘according to many people in
                   Venezuela,’ they have received information that there are hundreds, if not
                   thousands of persons of Cuban military age and appearance in Venezuela.

                   “’Chávez has the force of arms and is also the constitutional president,’ but ‘all
                   the surveys that we have seen indicate that two-thirds of the population are
                   opposed to Chávez and also have the force of the Constitution and the
                   referendum.’

                   “He added that, according to his sources, ‘there are more than three million,
                   possible up to four million, valid signatures’ to effect the referendum against
                   Hugo Chávez.

                   “’The entire inter-American community has the responsibility of
                   accompanying the Venezuelan people in this challenge in favor of democracy
                   and against possible tricks on the part of anyone trying to avert Venezuelan
                   laws being fulfilled,’ he added.

                   “Reich stated that the United States ‘is closely following what is happening in
                   Venezuela along with all its friends in the hemisphere.’” The persons of
                   military age and appearance were the Cuban doctors, 52.4% of them women.

                   It is totally obvious that the most extremist group within the U.S. government
                   has realized that the regime of exploitation and merciless plunder imposed on
                   the peoples of Latin America has become unsustainable and intolerable.

                   If the United States has its own information on Cuba’s involvement in
                   supporting individuals in various countries proposing to destabilize democratic
                   governments, why doesn’t it say so concretely? Why does it not point to where,
                   when and how those actions have taken place, the countries concerned, and
                   what Cuba did in Bolivia that led to the social explosion that occurred there?
                   Who is stirring the waters? Who is responsible for one by one the peoples of
                   this region turning into rivers as a consequence of the immense and
                   insuperable external debt, incessant plunder, poverty, unemployment, hunger,
                   the public health and educational disaster and International Monetary Fund
                   impositions? Why doesn’t that fool Noriega even mention the FTAA; in other
                   words the annexation that they are trying to impose on the Latin American
                   and Caribbean peoples? Who imposed neoliberal globalization? Who obliged
                   the enforced privatization of the resources and assets of the defenseless peoples
                   of this continent? Who sells arms instead of study materials? Who sent young
                   Latin Americans to die like cannon fodder in the Iraqi deserts? What need does
                   Cuba have to stir up the waters, if those rivers are already swollen and are
                   threatening to sweep away all the corruption and injustice committed
                   throughout the centuries?

                   New and gross lies:

                   “... ‘some sources’ report ‘a picture of disturbances with Cuban participation’...
                   ‘it is very clear that (Castro) is more and more active in the region.’”

                   Of course, Mr. Noriega, things are changing. Fewer and fewer people believe
                   in your habitual tall stories, more and more the peoples are losing their
                   capacity for tolerance. They are inviting the Cuban president to the investiture
                   of new governments and other activities. He was able to attend those of Brazil,
                   Ecuador, Argentina and Paraguay. With regret he was unable to be present for
                   other changes of government and important events because in Cuba we are
                   obliged to work very hard, and moreover journeys abroad are costly and
                   complex, due to the plots that you, your government and your terrorist mafia
                   draw up to assassinate him. We understand that you must all feel frustrated at
                   so many fruitless attempts.

                   It is very clear that (Castro) is more and more active in the region, you affirm,
                   and that this has provoked great concern among Latin American leaders.

                   Why do you not say who these leaders are, why are you taking it upon
                   yourself to speak for them, why do you try to present them as jealous and
                   cowardly? With almost everyone whom our president meets, apart from the
                   exceptions already mentioned – with whom it is a case of indifference – there
                   have never been hostile looks or shocked faces. The treatment is respectful in
                   spite of, in fewer and fewer cases, the existence of profound ideological
                   differences. As is well known, the peoples of the countries that he visits
                   enthusiastically display their affection and admiration for the president of the
                   Council of State of Cuba. It is not in vain that the Cuban people and their
                   leaders have stood up to very difficult tests and have never yielded to
                   arbitrariness, aggression and threats from the greatest power ever to have
                   existed.

                   The anger and hatred emanating from Mr. Noriega’s deliberately lying words
                   is comprehensible, because he knows that, alive or dead, his memory will
                   follow him like a phantom, after his gross lies born of a shocking mediocrity,
                   and the habitual threats of killers that you, Mr. Noriega, spewed out against
                   him: “It should be made very clear to Fidel Castro that his actions have caught
                   the attention of Latin America leaders and that his actions to destabilize Latin
                   America are increasingly provoking the inter-American community, including
                   the United States. Those who persist in destabilizing democratically elected
                   governments by intervening in the internal affairs of other governments are
                   playing with fire.” What does playing with fire mean?

                   You do not have the mettle to intimidate any Cuban patriot. You speak thus
                   without committing a drop of your own blood, but that of the young soldiers
                   and officers of the U.S. Armed Forces.

                   You have assured us that both your country and neighboring nations are
                   closely following the behavior of the Cuban leader in his recent adventures in
                   his final days, and that he feels somewhat nostalgic for the time when he had
                   an important role in the Americas. You are lying. If you believed that, you
                   would not be so alarmed at his alleged destabilizing plan.

                   It is also appropriate to ask: Has Mr. Bush already given the order to
                   extra-judicially eliminate the Cuban president?

                   In assembling such pronouncements, Mr. Noriega not only attacked and
                   threatened Cuba, but also attempted to scold the Argentine president, Néstor
                   Kirchner, a man who without any doubt exudes dignity, and attempted to
                   order him to immediately take on the payment of $21 billion of his external
                   debt; furious with Foreign Minister Biers, he states his dismay at Bielsa failing
                   to meet with U.S. paid agents when he traveled to Havana. How far imperial
                   arrogance reaches!

                   Neither did he refrain from intervening in Venezuela’s internal affairs. He
                   accused President Chávez of being Cuba’s accomplice in attempts to destabilize
                   Latin America. He exhorted him to respect the rules in effect for a possible
                   recall referendum of his mandate. He not only took on the role of the National
                   Electoral Council, but also certified the quantity of signatures collected against
                   the president, giving strong backing to the authors of the military coup on
                   April 11, 2002 and the following oil coup of December and January.

                   We are perfectly well aware of the ideas of Mr. Noriega and others of his sort
                   consistent with murdering Cuban doctors in Venezuela with the complicity of
                   Colombian paramilitaries in order to teach them a lesson and force them to
                   withdraw their cooperation in the marvelous health plans being instigated by
                   the Bolivarian government within the Barrio Adentro program, through
                   which more than 12.5 million poor Venezuelans are receiving medical
                   attention.

                   We have affirmed that for every doctor, teaching or sports collaborator who
                   falls, many more are prepared to take their place. Full responsibility will fall on
                   the United States.

                   Those who believe that the Cuban people can be intimated any time are
                   defeated before they start!