CANF,
Al’s
Loupe Read Spanish Version
CANF,
‘Bush’s absurdity’ and Barack Obama
By
Alvaro F. Fernandez
alfernandez@the-beach.net
Presidential
hopeful Sen. Barack Obama will visit Miami tomorrow, Friday April
23rd.
He will speak before a lunch sponsored by the Cuban American National
Foundation (CANF).
In
many ways, it’s a new Foundation. The years, and the loss of their
founding leader, have tamed the CANF message. But historical facts
also tell me that this Foundation started changing earlier than
people think.
There
is at least one Miami Cuban still alive, a close friend of Jorge Mas
Canosa’s, who is aware that the Cuban exile leader tried to meet
with Fidel Castro in the early 1990s. The meeting to set up the
possible encounter was held in his Miami office. Present that day,
and conduit to this whole affair, was Angel Fernandez Varela. There
exists a notarized affidavit in Miami, signed by Fernandez Varela,
which details the happenings of that meeting and the three persons
present that day.
I
have written about this before, I know, but I believe this little
piece of Miami history is worth repeating. Certain people in this
town have a tendency to conveniently forget. At the time of this
meeting between my father (Fernandez Varela) and Mas Canosa, Cuba was
facing one of its worst economic moments. The island was traversing
what is known as the “Special Period,” and the island nation was
lacking for everything — from food and clothes to electricity.
Many
foretold Cuba’s demise then. There is even a Miami Herald Pulitzer
Prize winning columnist who wrote a book titled, “Castro’s Final
Hour.” Today, Mas Canosa and my father are both dead, and Fidel is
in retirement and spends his time writing.
Many in Miami still wait for that ‘final hour’ that never seems
to come. And the Foundation has truly shown signs of change.
In
a recent Miami Herald column, Ana Menendez quotes CANF president
Francisco “Pepe” Hernandez. He tells her that “Before, we
thought we could go to Cuba and invade and establish democracy by
force and the U.S. would help us. Those times are over. A man like me
who has struggled and dreamt has to reach the conclusion that the
future does not belong to my generation. Change in Cuba has to come
from inside.”
He’s
right. But he should take notice of the fact that there is
change coming from inside Cuba. It’s just change at their
pace. It’s also a reform of the system based on what they
feel is best for them
on the island, not necessarily what’s best in the minds of some
Cubans in Miami.
I
will take Pepe Hernandez at his word and pray for what’s best. Only
time will give us that answer, because as Menendez writes in her
column, “Hernandez played one of the most important roles in
creating the conditions for the absurdity that became exile
politics.”
Give
the man credit though. He’s saying the right things. As he told
Menendez, “Who’s ever heard of an exile group begging the U.S.
government to stop them from visiting their homeland?”
Some
wonder what Obama will tell the CANF crowd. In my opinion he’d be
foolish to backtrack on Cuba now. And Hernandez’ statements allows
him to deliver his Cuba message and focus it on the family issue.
Contrary to the belief of many, he should receive a warm reception if
he hones in on what Hernandez has labeled “Bush’s absurdity.”
On
the other side of the spectrum, I have received phone calls from
Miami Cubans upset that Obama would visit with the Foundation while
in Miami. “That’s not what he stands for,” I’ve been told.
“How can we allow this to happen…” a friend angrily asked.
My
response was a shrug as I continued my drive up the Florida Turnpike
on my way to Orlando on business last week.
But
the more I’ve thought about it, the more I am convinced that the
Obama visit to CANF is the right move. Think about it. His first
visit to Miami was last November. Courageously, he was the first
major presidential aspirant to ever come here and read a new script
on Cuba before a packed house at Miami Dade Auditorium. His next move
should be to convince CANF members that he is the right person for
the job. Seriously, time is short and he’s already got me (and
others like me) on his side. Or are we saying that because we’re a
little hurt we’re going to back a John McCain whose Cuba advisors
include Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart along with coup instigator Otto
Reich. What Obama needs now is to convince others still sitting on
the fence. His speech Friday hopefully does that.
Anyway,
like I told a friend over the weekend, in politics, especially
presidential politics, one thing is what is said. Another, what
really happens. Take Mas Canosa, for example.
By
the way, the meeting never happened. Cuba turned Mas Canosa down. I
can’t blame them.
