HAVANA: Cuba has no troops in Venezuela and engages in no security operations there but maintains the right to carry out military and intelligence cooperation, a top Cuban diplomat said Wednesday in his government’s most detailed response yet to US accusations that its forces are propping up President Nicolás Maduro.
Carlos Fernández de Cossío, Cuba’s director-general of US affairs, told The Associated Press in Washington that the US is falsely accusing his country of having more than 20,000 troops and intelligence agents in Venezuela.
De Cossío said there are roughly 20,000 Cubans in Venezuela but virtually all are medical workers.
“There are no troops,” he said in English. “Cuba does not participate in military operations nor in security operations in Venezuela.”
De Cossío said that despite the lack of Cuban boots on the ground, he could not deny the existence of intelligence cooperation because “I don’t have that information.” But broader intelligence or military cooperation would be “totally legitimate,” he added.
“The United States has over 800,000 Americans stationed around the world with over 600-700 military bases anywhere in the world. Any two countries in our region have military or intelligence cooperation and we have it with many countries. So it is totally legitimate, it is a sovereign right of Cuba and Venezuela to do so,” de Cossío said.
“But what I am saying is that in spite of having that right, there are no military personnel of Cuba or troops, nor do we participate in any military or security operation as is constantly alleged,” he added.
Cuba and Venezuela have had an extraordinarily tight alliance over the last two decades, forged when Cuban leader Fidel Castro counseled Hugo Chávez of Venezuela on surviving a coup in 2002. The relationship has since centered on Venezuela sending Cuba an estimated $30 billion worth of oil between 2003 and 2015, in exchange for Havana dispatching tens of thousands of medical workers and other government employees. Cuban programs in Venezuela have ranged from preventive health care to sports coaching and agronomy. According to US officials and Venezuelan defectors, they also include intelligence, security and military cooperation.
“Cuban intelligence forces, who have suppressed and censored their people for 60 years, have invaded Venezuela,” said Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican seen as a major influence on the Trump administration’s Latin America policy. “The Cuban regime provides security for Nicolás Maduro, who no longer trusts his countrymen, and actively leads operational assistance to crush the Venezuelan opposition.”
Ben Rhodes, who negotiated detente with Cuba as a deputy national security adviser to President Barack Obama, said the Trump administration is confusing doctors with military and intelligence agents but it is indisputable that Cuba has worked closely with the Venezuelan government on security matters.
“The Cubans have a significant amount of personnel and probably the bulk of those are doctors but I’m also sure they have people in various adviser positions related to ideology and security,” Rhodes said. “I don’t think it’s a numbers question, I think it’s more a question of replicating the tactics, drawing on advice and having some Cuban presence that they can count on.”
Rhodes said the Trump strategy of taking on Cuba and Venezuela closed off the possibility of a negotiated exit for Maduro and put the two socialist governments on comfortable terrain, confronting an American government that could easily be portrayed as bullying and imperialist.
The Cubans and Venezuelans, they know how to operate in this environment,” Rhodes said. “They know what it’s like to be in a zero-sum ideological game in Latin America. They’re better at it. These people have been doing this for a long time.”
The collapse of Venezuela’s oil industry led the country to cut back oil shipments to Cuba from roughly 113,000 barrels a day at their high point to 40-45,000 barrels today, said Jorge Piñón, an expert on both countries’ energy strategies at the University of Texas at Austin. Today along with Cuba’s domestic oil production, Venezuelan shipments cover a little more than half of Cuba’s energy needs, leaving it to obtain the rest from other sources including Russia and Algeria, Piñón said. The terms of those other deals, and the degree to which Venezuela is helping fund them with cash or debt, remain unclear, he said.
The 20-year relationship has made Venezuela the foreign country best-known by ordinary Cubans, after perhaps the United States. It’s hard to find a Cuban family that doesn’t have at least one relative who’s served on a Venezuelan “mission,” and at least one other living in South Florida.
The exact nature of the Cuba-Venezuela relationship remains hidden to the public eye, and the subject of increasing tensions with Washington.
Cuba has a large and highly professional security and intelligence apparatus, which includes thousands of operatives who would not be considered military troops. Venezuelan defectors have reported the presence of Cubans in key positions among the Venezuelan armed forces and intelligence services, but to date there has been no public proof.
The Trump administration has nonetheless repeatedly insisted that there are more than 20,000 Cuban security operatives in Venezuela tasked with directly supporting Maduro.
“If this afternoon 20-25,000 Cubans left Venezuela, I think Maduro would fall by midnight,” US National Security Adviser John Bolton said at the White House on Tuesday. “It’s this foreign presence that sits on top of the military, sits on top of the government, that makes it impossible for the people’s voice to be heard.”
De Cossio’s deputy, Johana Tablada, told reporters in Havana that all of the Cubans in Venezuela are civilians and 94 percent are involved in medical missions.
She called Bolton a “pathological liar” with a long history of false statements including claiming in 2001 and 2002 that Iraq had stores of chemical weapons and that Cuba had biological weapons.
The biological weapons claim has long made Bolton one of the most detested American figures among Cuban government officials, who have viewed his return to White House with dread.
Bolton is seen as a key figure in the United States sharp U-turn on Cuba, from detente under President Barack Obama to open hostility under Trump. In recent months the US has pledged to limited Cuban-Americans’ remittances to Cuba, threatened to impose new regulations on travel here and allowed Americans to sue foreign companies doing business involving properties confiscated during Cuba’s 1959 socialist revolution, a measure that goes into effect Thursday.
Trump on Tuesday threatened that “a full and complete embargo, together with highest-level sanctions, will be placed on the island of Cuba ... if Cuban Troops and Militia do not immediately CEASE military and other operations,” in Venezuela.
Trump was vague on what new measures are under consideration but De Cossío said Cuba had withstood 60 years of a US trade embargo and wouldn’t be deterred by further sanctions.
“Somebody should have informed him that Cuba is not easily intimidated,” De Cossío said. “Many of his predecessors have tried it unsuccessfully. It is something that won’t work and it won’t be productive for the United States.”
Chávez and Castro said they first met in 1994 when the rising Venezuelan leader was personally welcomed by the Cuban president during a visit to address a conference in Havana. After Chávez became president in 2002, Castro’s aid was seen as key to defeating the attempt to unseat him.
Fueled by hundreds of billions in Venezuelan oil bounty during a long stretch of high oil prices, the pair founded leftist regional bodies that worked to undo US influence in Latin America, and Venezuela filled with Cubans.
“I had the luck of being personally seen off by the Commander in Chief (Castro) when I went to Venezuela along with 80 or so other medical workers,” recalled Dr. Rafael Antonio Broche, who went to Venezuela in 2003 and served there under 2011.
Chávez’s foreign minister, Maduro, made frequent visits to Cuba that continued after Chavez died in 2013 and his hand-picked successor replaced him. His experience in Cuba went further back. According to accounts from Venezuelan leftists, Maduro studied for a year in the 1980s at a Cuban Communist Party institute dedicated to training future leaders.
No Cuban troops in Venezuela, Cuban diplomat tells AP
No Cuban troops in Venezuela, Cuban diplomat tells AP
- Chávez’s foreign minister, Maduro, made frequent visits to Cuba that continued after Chavez died in 2013 and his hand-picked successor replaced him
Muslim school student loses UK court bid over prayer rituals ban
- The High Court in London hearing the case was told the ban introduced last year stemmed from several dozen students beginning to pray in the school’s yard
LONDON: A Muslim pupil lost a UK court challenge Tuesday against a top London school’s ban on prayer rituals, in a case about freedom of religion in schools that captured national attention.
The student, who cannot be named, took legal action against Michaela Community School in northwest London, claiming the policy was discriminatory and “uniquely” affected her faith due to its ritualized nature.
She argued the school’s prohibition of on-site prayer unlawfully breached her right to religious freedom and was “the kind of discrimination which makes religious minorities feel alienated from society.”
The school — state-funded but independently run and renowned for its academic achievement record and strict rules — countered that the policy imposed last year was justified.
The High Court in London hearing the case was told the ban introduced last year stemmed from several dozen students beginning to pray in the school’s yard, using blazers to kneel on, the BBC reported.
It then imposed the new rules due to concerns about a “culture shift” toward “segregation between religious groups and intimidation within the group of Muslim pupils,” the court reportedly heard.
In a written ruling, judge Thomas Linden dismissed the pupil’s arguments, ruling that by enrolling at the school she had effectively accepted being subject to restrictions on manifesting her faith.
He concluded that the prayer ritual policy was “proportionate” and that its aims and ability to achieve them “outweighs” any “adverse effects” on the rights of Muslim pupils at the school.
Responding to the decision Katharine Birbalsingh, headteacher of Michaela Community School, said “a school should be free to do what is right for the pupils it serves.”
“The court’s decision is therefore a victory for all schools,” she added on X (formerly Twitter).
“Schools should not be forced by one child and her mother to change its approach simply because they have decided they don’t like something at the school.”
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan also welcomed the ruling, saying “headteachers are best placed to make decisions in their school.”
“Michaela is an outstanding school and I hope this judgment gives all school leaders the confidence to make the right decisions for their pupils.”
At least 66 killed in Afghanistan as heavy rains set off flash floods
- Number of reported casualties has doubled since Sunday
- Many were killed when their homes collapsed on them
KABUL: Extreme rainfall in Afghanistan and devastating flash floods have killed at least 66 people and damaged homes, infrastructure, and farmlands across most of the country’s provinces, authorities said on Tuesday.
The storms, which started over the weekend, are adding to the challenges facing Afghanistan, which is still recovering from decades of conflict and natural disasters, including unprecedented droughts in the past four years, as well as a series of deadly earthquakes.
“According to primary reports from the provinces, at least 66 people lost their lives, and 36 others are injured,” Janan Sayeq, spokesperson of the National Disaster Management Authority, told Arab News on Tuesday.
The number of reported casualties has doubled since Sunday, raising fears the actual toll could be higher. Many of the victims were killed when their homes collapsed on them.
Sayeq said that 1,235 houses were destroyed.
Flash floods were reported in 23 of the country’s 34 provinces, damaging crops ahead of the harvest season, and further affecting food security in the country as UN agencies estimate that more than half of its population has been in need of humanitarian assistance.
“The wheat crops will be ready for collection in a few weeks. But the rainfalls could destroy most of it,” said Gul Hussain, a farmer from the eastern Laghman province, which is one of the main agricultural regions.
The impact of drought, and now also floods, has been devastating for rural families struggling with access to water.
“The floods have had severe effects on the lives of people in the southeast, southwest and east of the country and have caused loss of life and damage to houses, as well as economic and agricultural effects as crops are destroyed and livestock are killed,” Najibullah Sadid, a hydromophologist, told Arab News.
The country’s mountainous topography and reduced vegetation left little to no space for people to escape flood events, as preparedness and prevention in the face of the changing climate are almost nonexistent.
Water management infrastructure — such as check dams, trenches, terraces, and reservoirs that could help reduce flooding — is insufficient.
“For instance, Iran has 22 times more storage capacity and Pakistan 13 times more storage capacity than Afghanistan, making the country more vulnerable to floods during rainfalls,” Sadid said.
“Considering the increasing climate change effects as well as frequency and intensity of rainfalls, steps taken during the past two decades and now are limited and are not sufficient to control the situation.”
Indonesian coffee takes lead in Egyptian market
- Indonesia is the world’s 4th-largest coffee producer and Asia’s second-biggest
- Egypt was second-biggest export destination for Indonesian coffee in 2023, behind the US
JAKARTA: Indonesia has become Egypt’s main source of coffee, authorities said on Tuesday, as annual exports reached nearly $93 million, or about 43 percent of the market.
Indonesia is the world’s fourth-largest coffee producer and Asia’s second-biggest. In 2023, the Southeast Asian nation exported around 276,000 metric tons of the commodity worth almost $916 million, according to the Central Statistics Agency.
Egypt was the second-biggest export destination for Indonesian coffee, just behind the US, accounting for about 5.2 percent of the country’s total coffee exports.
“Indonesian coffee has successfully dominated the Egyptian market. Total export value reached $92.96 million, making Indonesia the biggest coffee-exporting country to Egypt in 2023,” Indonesian Ambassador in Cairo Lutfi Rauf said in a statement.
“This shows how Indonesian coffee products are loved by Egyptian consumers. The unique aroma and flavor are the main factors attracting consumers from Egypt.”
Indonesian officials held an annual meeting with Egyptian coffee buyers in Damanhour over the weekend, as they seek to foster good trade relations.
“We hope to continue and to improve trade relations. If there are any challenges, everything can be discussed well for the prosperity and welfare of the people of both countries,” Rauf said.
Indonesian officials have been increasing trade engagement with Egypt as a gateway for exports to other African countries in recent years, while Indonesian coffee producers are seeking to further their exports to the Middle East amid rising interest from the region.
Hariyanto, a coffee exporter from East Java province, said promotion efforts by the Indonesian Embassy in Cairo have helped boost the popularity of Indonesian coffee in Egypt.
“Egypt is a great market, and now there is a high demand for Indonesian-origin coffee products,” Hariyanto, a coffee exporter from East Java province, told Arab News.
“Egyptians found a match in Indonesian-origin coffee, as there is a good fit in terms of price and taste.”
UK MPs vote down plan to protect Afghan ‘heroes’ from deportation
- 10B amendment seeks to exclude Afghan veterans from removal to Rwanda
- Top military officials warn of ‘grave damage to our ability to recruit local allies in future military operations’
London: Conservative MPs in the UK have voted against a plan to prevent Afghan veterans who served alongside British soldiers from facing deportation to Rwanda.
An amendment to the controversial Rwanda bill was overturned by 312 votes to 253 on Monday, in a rejection of plans to exempt agents, allies and employees of the UK from being deported to the African country, The Independent reported.
The House of Lords’ amendment 10B is part of the larger bill, which seeks the deportation of illegal migrants to Rwanda.
Several amendments set in the House of Lords have sought to prevent Afghan veterans who fought alongside the British military in the decade-long war from being included in deportation orders.
The 10B amendment included people eligible to enter the UK under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy, which supports Afghans who helped the British campaign in their country and who are at risk under the Taliban government.
After the vote, the Rwanda bill will now return to the House of Lords for new scrutiny.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had told Conservative MPs to vote against all amendments to the bill, including 10B.
The move to exclude Afghan veterans from potential deportation to Rwanda has received support from the highest levels of Britain’s military establishment.
Thirteen senior military officials, two former chiefs of defense staff, a former defense secretary and a former UK ambassador to the US have supported the amendment.
The Sunday Telegraph carried a letter from top military officials ahead of Monday’s vote. They warned that a rejection of the amendment would cause “grave damage to our ability to recruit local allies in future military operations.”
The letter added: “It is essential that those who have made it to British shores are not unduly punished by being removed to Rwanda when the government’s scheme is up and running.”
India’s Lok Sabha election 2024: What you need to know
- India is holding the world’s biggest election starting this month, with nearly one billion people eligible to vote
- Votes to be counted on June 4 after polling done on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, June 1
India is holding the world’s biggest election starting this month, with nearly 1 billion people eligible to vote and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the pole position.
WHAT IS IT?
Elections to the 543 contested seats in the lower house of parliament, called the Lok Sabha, for a term of five years. To rule, a party or a coalition needs a simple majority of 272 seats. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 303 seats the last time, followed by 52 for the main opposition Indian National Congress (INC).
In addition to the contested seats, India’s president can nominate up to two Anglo-Indians to the Lok Sabha.
The Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, won 303 seats in 2019 general election. The second largest party, the Indian National Congress, INC, won 52 seats. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, DMK, emerged as the third largest party.
WHERE AND WHEN IS IT TAKING PLACE?
The elections will be conducted in seven phases partly to ensure sufficient security at polling booths across the vast country. Voters can make their choice by pressing a button on an electronic voting machine, first used in India in 1982 and more widely since the early 2000s.
Votes will be counted on June 4 after polling is done on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1.
The elections in the world’s largest democracy for 543 seats will be held in 7 phases.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The world’s most populous nation follows the first-past-the-post system, where voters cast a vote for a single candidate in a constituency and the candidate with the most votes wins the seat. The voting age is 18 years and contestants need to be at least 25 years old.
A total of 968 million voters are registered, out of which 497 million are men and 471 million are women. A higher percentage of women voters than men are likely to vote for the second time in a row.
WHO ARE THE MAIN CANDIDATES?
Modi headlines the race, followed by his de facto deputy Amit Shah and the main opposition face, Rahul Gandhi of the Congress party. Gandhi’s mother Sonia, the matriarch of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, is not contesting this time.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Modi is chasing a record-equalling third straight term like India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. Modi says another overwhelming victory for the National Democratic Alliance, led by the BJP, is crucial to meet his goal of lifting India to a developed economy by 2047 from middle-income levels. The world’s fifth-largest economy has grown fast in the past few years and Modi has “guaranteed” to take it to the third position if he wins the election.
The BJP draws its support mainly from Hindus, who form 80 percent of the country’s 1.42 billion people and for whom Modi earlier this year delivered on a key party promise of building a grand Hindu temple on a disputed site.
The opposition “INDIA” alliance, largely a center-left grouping of more than two dozen disparate parties, says a victory for it is essential to save the country’s democratic and secular setup, lift its marginalized communities, raise prices for farmers and create jobs for its young. Opinion polls, which have a mixed record in India, predict another thrashing of the Congress alliance at the hands of the BJP.
