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Skip it, says Castro, fearing arrest
Tuesday, November 30, 1999
By LISA STIFFLER
A campaign by a Cuban-born U.S. congressman to have Fidel Castro arrested if he set foot in the United States is being credited -- or blamed -- for Castro reluctantly deciding to skip this week's World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle.
Castro announced yesterday in a six-page letter to Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash., that he would not come to Seattle.
Also see our WTO photo galleries.
Rep. Lincold Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., had written letters to thousands of prosecutors urging them to charge Castro, if he came to the United States, with the murders of four Americans killed in 1996 by Cuban fighter pilots.
McDermott in July had invited the Cuban leader to Seattle for the WTO conference.
In his letter, Castro wrote that he wanted to attend to the meeting and had "feverishly" prepared for the trade summit. However, he feared that if he was arrested there would be a "bloody armed conflict" between the United States and Cuba, beginning in Seattle.
"The first battle would immediately erupt, much to our regret, in that peaceful, cultured and hospitable city, the very moment the U.S. authorities treacherously attempted to arrest me in Seattle in line with these despicable pretexts and outrageous lies," Castro wrote.
He said a delegation headed by "our young and combative foreign minister, engineer Felipe Perez Roque," would attend in his place.
For Diaz-Balart, Castro's cancellation was a mixed blessing.
"This is a victory for the rule of law in the U.S. despite President Clinton," Diaz-Balart said. "Even though Clinton was giving all sort of guarantees (that Castro would not be arrested), he could not risk that any of the 3,000 prosecutors would charge him with the murder of American citizens."
However, Diaz-Balart said he would have preferred that Castro had come to Seattle and been arrested.
"I don't think capital crimes should have impunity," Diaz-Balart said.
McDermott argued that Castro could have made a valuable contribution to the trade conference.
"He's a very articulate spokesman for the developing countries," McDermott said. "I don't agree with everything that Castro's done, but on the other hand, we've got to listen."
Castro had made tentative plans to meet with students, academics and local church leaders. More than 1,200 tickets had been printed and a room reserved for a talk at the University of Washington.
"We're disappointed," UW Vice Provost Steve Olswang said. He said the university community had been excited about Castro's visit and that it would have provided "an opportunity for our students to learn directly from an international figure."
McDermott said people deserved the chance to have an exchange with Castro and "make up their own mind." He said it was unfortunate that some have reacted so strongly in opposition.
"Why is it we're so inflamed by Castro?" he asked.
McDermott also questioned the inconsistencies of foreign policy and the selective demonization of Castro and Cuba. He questioned whether Cuba was any worse than the China in regard to human rights violations, treatment of the environment and labor conditions.
P-I reporter Lisa Stiffler can be reached at 206-448-8042 or lisastiffler@seattle-pi.com
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
The decision to cancel "had to do with his concern about the request by the congressman that he be arrested here for crimes," McDermott said.
For more coverage, see our WTO index.
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