Cuban Foreign Ministry: U.S. stepping up false statements on Alan Gross + their letter to WaPo

Letter written in reaction to Washington Post:

More than a week after its publishing of a vicious editorial against Cuba (No deal with Havana), and after we had timely submitted to its Letters to the Editor a succinct response to that editorial, yesterday the Washington Post suggested that we acquiesce to their printing today of an unacceptable, further edited-down, one paragraph version of our response.

Then, to no surprise, the Post publishes today a hefty account by some reader justifying their anti-Cuba editorial ranting.

Just so that our position is known regarding that editorial, below we include our short, un-edited, un-published response to the Washington Post and ask that you consider it for further public awareness.

Press Office

Cuban Interests Section

Washington DC

Ref: Your Editorial No Deal with Havana

I will not comment about your misrepresentation of facts. I will invite the
WP readers to click here
(http://www.cubadiplomatica.cu/sicw/EN/Home/tabid/12151/ctl/Details/mid/1990
8/ItemID/23035/Default.aspx) to get the Cuban position and set the record
straight.

It seems to me that most Americans will find difficult to accept the logic
of your statement advocating for further punishment to Cuba after 50 years
of failure. The US economic blockade against Cuba continues to be the most
comprehensive, sophisticated system of unilateral sanctions on earth.
Besides the cruelty of mistreating a neighbor people like this there is the
clear reality that "steps to punish" do not work with Cuba.

By the way I found very interesting your stories about talking with the
Taliban and everyone else to find humanitarian solutions involving
prisoners. (Points for sarcasm here! )


Sincerely ,

Juan Jacomino
Press Secretary
Cuban Interests Section
Washington DC




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Statement by Josefina Vidal Ferreiro, Director of the United States Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba. International Press Center, Havana, December 5 2012.

(Non-official translation)

In recent days we’ve seen the stepping up of false statements and reports by U.S. Government officials regarding the case of American citizen Alan Gross and, in particular, on the alleged deterioration of his health.

The U.S. Government is lying once again to the public, saying that Mr. Gross has cancer and does not receive adequate medical care.

These lies have not stopped, even after the results of the biopsy practiced on Mr. Gross’ lesion were delivered to his family and U.S. authorities, which leave no doubt that Mr. Gross does not have cancer.

A world class medical Cuban team has offered from day one systematic attention to Mr. Gross. This team has the biopsy results and other tests showing Mr. Gross is not suffering from cancer or other disease that might endanger his life. The U.S. has no evidence to prove otherwise. If these misrepresentations are to continue, we would be forced to disclose new evidence.

The U.S. Government also lies about Mr. Gross’ prison conditions and about his phone calls and visits regime.

The U.S. Government continues to lie about the reasons that led to the arrest of Mr. Gross, for the sole purpose of avoiding its direct responsibility for the situation that Mr. Gross and his family are going through.

The U.S. Government has never seriously addressed the case of Alan Gross and just reiterated the unsustainable position that it has nothing to negotiate with Cuba to find a solution to it. Moreover, it insists in demanding that Cuba makes a unilateral decision without taking into consideration our humanitarian concerns related to the case of the Cuban Five. This is unrealistic. Today, I reiterate Cuba's willingness to immediately establish a dialogue on the Gross case.