The Bush-Florida-Cuba connection

By Larry Chin

On November 22, 2000 a violent Republican-sanctioned mob shut down
the Miami-Dade canvassing board, stopping a decisive ballot recount,
and snuffing out Al Gore's chances for victory.

This incident, which was instrumental in seizing the American
presidency for George W. Bush, was not (as most media accounts
suggest) merely the work of [Tom] DeLay congressional aides and
angry pro-Bush protestors.

In fact, the true intimidation came at the hands of hundreds of
militant right-wing Cuban operatives. It is important to note that
the recount shutdown was the latest chapter of an alliance between
the Bush family, right-wing anti-Castro Cubans, Florida-based covert
operatives and extreme elements of the Republican party that has
persisted for nearly half a century.

1953. CIA operative George Herbert Walker Bush founds Zapata
Petroleum in Texas. Its subsidiary, Zapata Offshore is used as a CIA
front. Initiating his career-long foray into Latin American shadow
politics, Bush establishes ties with CIA operative and narco-
trafficker Manuel Noriega of Panama (later its dictator).

1960-1961. Bay of Pigs. Bush and fellow CIA operative Felix
Rodriguez organize and train Cuban exiles in Florida and across the
Gulf region for an invasion of Cuba, and the assassination of Fidel
Castro, with assistance from elements of the Mafia (based in
Florida). President John F. Kennedy pulls the plug on the operation,
infuriating the Cubans, the CIA, the mob, and Bush.

1963. JFK is assassinated in Dallas. The involvement of Cubans, CIA
operatives in Florida (Felix Rodriguez), and the questionable
activities of Bush, Richard Nixon, Texas oil moguls and Texas
politicians during the period, are detailed by numerous
assassination researchers. J. Edgar Hoover interviews a "George Bush
of the CIA" regarding "anti-Castro exile reaction" to the murder.

1968-1973. With Richard Nixon in the White House, Antonin Scalia in
charge of the White House communications office, and George H.W.
Bush heading the Republican National Committee, the Republicans
maintain close ties to right-wing Florida Cubans. Bebe Rebozo, a
prominent Florida Cuban with intelligence ties, is a close friend of
Nixon. In 1971, journalist Ken Collier calls on Nixon to investigate
1970 Florida election fraud by Republicans. Scalia persuades Nixon
to remain silent, Collier alleges.

1973. The Watergate Break-In is conducted by anti-Castro Cubans and
CIA agents tied to the Bay of Pigs: Rodriguez, Bernard Barker
(former Cuban secret police), Frank Sturgis, E. Howard Hunt, and
Eugenio Rolando Martinez. Nixon tapes reveal that the objective is
to hide evidence regarding "Dallas" and "the Bay of Pigs thing."
Bush assists Nixon in the coverup, and the stonewalling of the
Congress.

1976. CIA Director George H.W. Bush stonewalls Congress regarding
the aerial bombing of a Cubana Airline jet and a car bomb slaying of
a Chilean diplomat. Anti-Castro Cubans are arrested, including Luis
Carriles. Carriles' immediate superior is Felix Rodriguez (who
boasts to have assassinated Che Guevara).During the Bush CIA years,
the loyal Rodriguez is involved with the Phoenix program, Air
America, and heroin smuggling in Southeast Asia.

1982-1986. Iran-Contra. With Vice President Bush "in the loop" with
CIA Director William Casey and other members of the
Reagan "firewall," Felix Rodriguez coordinates the contra resupply
program in El Salvador under Oliver North. In Senate testimony,
Rodriguez alleges to have passed ten million dollars to the contras
from the Colombian Medellin cocaine cartel.

In Florida, Jeb Bush (the head of the Dade County Republican Party)
operates as the Republican administration's unofficial link with
Cubans, the contras and Nicaraguan exiles in Miami. During this
period, Jeb aligns with Leonel Martinez, a Miami-based right-wing
Cuban-American drug trafficker associated with contra dissident Eden
Pastora. Jeb forges business ties with contra supporter Miguel
Recarey, a right-wing Cuban, and major contributor to PACs
controlled by then-Vice President Bush.

Florida-based drug-running fronts funnel US government funds as
humanitarian aid to the contras. Senator John Kerry investigates
Miami-based Ocean Hunter, one of many Florida-based drug-running
fronts, and discovers $200,000 channeled south.

1986. Reagan appoints Antonin Scalia to the Supreme Court. At his
confirmation hearing, Ken and James Collier accuse Scalia of
sandbagging their lawsuits against the Republican National Committee
for election fraud in Florida.

1988-1992. With George H.W. Bush as president, the US invades
Panama, toppling former CIA ally, contra compatriot and narco
trafficker Manuel Noriega. Cuban operatives assist.

As a link to that powerful and wealthy South Florida community, Jeb
remains a tireless supporter of reactionary Cuban-American political
causes, such as the freeing of right-wing terrorist Orlando Bosch.
Bosch is responsible for more than 50 anti-Castro bombings in Cuba
and elsewhere in the Western Hemisphere. Jeb is also a supporter of
CANF projects like Radio and TV Marti (propaganda broadcasts into
Cuba, in violation of telecommunications laws).

Jeb Bush is also involved with Florida-based BCCI banks and money
laundering operations. The Miami US Attorney is rebuffed by the
Justice Department in his efforts to indict BCCI and some of its
principal officers on tax fraud charges.

1994. After benefiting financially and politically from oil, money
and CIA ties to his father and brother, George W. Bush becomes
governor of Texas.

1998. Jeb Bush becomes governor of Florida with strong backing from
long-time friends in the Cuban community. Jorge Mas Canosa,
president of the ultra-right wing Cuban American National Federation
(CANF) succinctly describes Jeb's role throughout the 1980s and
1990s: "He is one of us."

The Elian Gonzalez affair ignites Florida, setting off partisan
conflict (and violence). Anti-Castro Cubans are incensed at the
Clinton/Gore administration.

2000. Jeb Bush "promises to deliver Florida" to his brother,
presidential candidate George W. Bush. Florida is delivered, and the
election sealed with help from Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

With the Southern Hemisphere foreign policy agenda (ranging from the
American involvement in Colombia to the future of Cuba) about to be
handed to a right-wing George W. Bush administration, the Bush-
Florida-Cuba connection will continue to be a play an active and
dangerous role.

After the election, Fidel Castro mocked the incoming president
as "the little idiot son of the former CIA director friend of mafia
worms." The gauntlet has been thrown.